Goin' on a picnic...

Step 1:  I really loved MaJo's method of not using any images at first, just words/thoughts/ideas.  This is so different than how I have approached a project in the past.  I loved it.  I think it really made me venture out more from the central theme than I would have if I had started with images.  I think I'm really going to love this method of starting a project!

The word "picnic" conjures for me sunny days with family, nostalgia for my childhood, nature and food.  DEFINITELY food!  :)

Step 2:  I went to Pinterest to research images related to my keywords; and I built a new, picnic-themed board to place my inspiration images.

Step 3:  Doodling.  At first, I just started doodling little drawings of picnic-related items (fruit, wine, insects, etc.) 

Then, I started thinking about a picnic in Central Park; and I started doodling a "kid's" drawing (out of scale, out of perspective, a "flattened bird's-eye view") of a happy couple having a picnic in the park. 

Then, I started thinking of "flowers" made out of the various picnic-themed motifs...maybe on a gingham background?

Step 4:  Creating motifs.  I decided after some of the feedback I was getting (in addition to thinking about putting my ideas into repeat) to go with the star- or flower-shaped arrangement of picnic-motifs.  I learned so much from MaJo's Illustrator videos; and I chose to scan and auto trace my motifs, then use the blob brush and layers to fill them with color.  I then used the rotate tool to rotate copies of the colored motifs into star- or flower-shaped arrangements, which I then saved as larger, more complex motifs of various foods, insects and sports equipment: