Tokyo Story - Ornate Flair

I’m doing a Year long art Challenge and the first quarter is Japanese inspired art.

I was very intrigued by Jehane’s @jehane_ltd Golden Thread Challenge and when I read the concept about carrying an aspect or thread through to the next illustration I loved this idea as it’s a wonderful and clever way of creating a cohesive Collection.

I enjoy receiving the new Challenge prompt via e-mail every week with colour palette (if we wish to use it) and inspiration. This will really push me as an artist to illustrate themes I would never have thought of to enrich my portfolio. All of my illustrations have been done digitally in Procreate.

I’m officially hooked on this concept now and loving how my Tokyo Story is unfolding.

Japanese cranes illustration, jehanes goldenthread 2024, kimono, japan hair, cherry blossoms, folding fan, japanese fan, illustration of Japanese lady with fan, kanzashi, tokyo, japanese tradition, ornateflair, art for licensing, lesley smitheringale, japanese art, oriental art, procreateartist, japanese inspired art digital illustration, ornateflair

Week 1: Japanese Crane

These are such graceful birds and I decided to do a pair of cranes in a loving embrace in a lake full of beautiful waterlilies. A golden moon gently glows, magically illuminating the birds and the water.

I also added a touch of fantasy by integrating the lotus flowers into their tail feathers which are pink!

gingko leaves illustration, Japanese crane illustration, jehanes goldenthread 2024, kimono, japan hair, cherry blossoms, folding fan, japanese fan, illustration of Japanese lady with fan, kanzashi, tokyo, japanese tradition, ornateflair, art for licensing, lesley smitheringale, japanese art, oriental art, procreateartist, japanese inspired art digital illustration, ornateflair

Week 2: Gingko Leaves

My second interpretation featuring Gingko Leaves. I knew I wanted this illustration to be golden and I’ve gone with this throughout the piece including tiny golden stars in the midnight sky and magical golden fireflies illuminating the pond.

I’ve woven the crane with a more vintage coloured tail and golden moon into this illustration from the Japanese Crane prompt in Week 1 😊

This is such fun, challenging in a good, creative way.

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Week 3: Kanzashi

I envisioned this illustration to be of a very elegant Japanese lady wearing a kimono with immaculate tied back hair.

I’ve woven the ginkgo leaves into a pattern on her kimono and kanzashi pin in her hair from the ginkgo leaves prompt in Week 2. 😊 (I know the stem of the hair pin should actually be hidden whilst holding the hair together but it lost the beautiful aesthetic when I tried that).

I also kept this design fairly simple and symmetrical, following the Zen philosophy of the Japanese culture.

Week 4: Sakura Blossom

I was very inspired by the quote Jehane provided “Like a sun-basking butterfly, cherry blossoms bloom, adorning the world with delicate hues”.

My vision for this one was having tea from an ornately decorated tea set featuring a cherry blossom design, overlooking an orchard of cherry blossom trees. I couldn’t decide if it should be early morning or evening so….
…. It could be both early morning or evening as the sun gently rises or fades behind the distant, hills, sprinkled with pink blooms and little glows of sunshine magically peeping through the sakura from the dancing butterflies.

I’ve woven the kanzashi into this illustration from the previous prompt and the hair pin is sitting on the saucer. 😊

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meadow of cherry blossom treees, cherry blossoms, cherry blossom trees, sakura blossom, gingko leaves illustration, Japanese crane illustration, jehanes goldenthread 2024, kimono, japan hair, cherry blossoms, folding fan, japanese fan, illustration of Japanese lady with fan, kanzashi, tokyo, japanese tradition, ornateflair, art for licensing, lesley smitheringale, japanese art, oriental art, procreateartist, japanese inspired art digital illustration, ornateflair

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Japanese hair pin, jehanes goldenhread, jehanes goldenthread 2024, kimono, japan hair, cherry blossoms, folding fan, japanese fan, illustration of Japanese lady with fan, kanzashi, tokyo, japanese tradition, ornateflair, art for licensing, lesley smitheringale, japanese art, oriental art, procreateartist, japanese inspired art digital illustration, ornateflair

Week 5: Japanese Folding Fan & Hokusai Wave

Another very elegant Japanese lady wearing a kimono with tied back hair in a decorative little bun. To incorporate Hokusai’s wave, she’s at the beach, using her fan to keep her cool and to protect her very pale skin.

I’ve woven the cherry blossoms into a hair piece and decorative pattern on the fan from last week’s prompt in Week 4. 😊

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Week 6: Koi Fish

The koi fish are a loving pair and dancing together in the waves.

I’ve woven in lots of elements from previous illustrations – one of the koi fish is decorated with cherry blossoms, the other with gingko leaves and the waves are a tribute to Hokusai to set it all off.😊

Week 7: Aki

My response to the brief in Week 7 of Jehane’s @jehane_ltd Golden Thread Challenge featuring Aki which means Autumn in Japanese.

I’ve called this one “Moonlit Autumn Koi”.

The moon is illuminating the pond, sprinkling magical moon dust as the Autumn leaves gently flutter down, floating on the water, creating ripples and attracting the koi who swim up to the surface.

jehanes goldenthread 2024, kimono, japan hair, cherry blossoms, folding fan, japanese fan, illustration of Japanese lady with fan, kanzashi, tokyo, japanese tradition, ornateflair, art for licensing, lesley smitheringale, japanese art, oriental art, procreateartist, japanese inspired art, digital illustration, ornateflair — Tsuki – Autumn Moon

Week 8: Tsuki

My response to the brief in Week 8 of Jehane’s @jehane_ltd Golden Thread Challenge featuring Tsuki which means Moon in Japanese.

I include a lot of moons in my illustrations so this theme really appealed to me. I’ve called this one “Autumn Moon”.

A glowing crescent moon decorated with Autumn maple leaves which are woven in from last week’s prompt.😊

Moon Peacock by Lesley Smitheringale at Ornate Flair, jehanesgoldenthreadkujaku, jehanesgoldenthread, jehanesgoldenthread2024, tsuki, goldenmoon, goldenpond, moon, peacockillustration, peacock, moonlitpond, pond, japanesepond, japaneseart, orientalart, procreateartist, japaneseinspiredart, digitalillustration, ornateflair, lesleysmitheringale — Kujaku – Peacock Moon

Week 9: Kujaku

My response to the brief in Week 9 of Jehane’s @jehane_ltd Golden Thread Challenge featuring Kujaku which means Peacock in Japanese.

I’ve called this one “Peacock Moon”.

In this illustration I was aiming for regal decadence as peacocks really have to be the most ornately decorated birds and they strike me as having a pompous attitude as they know that they’re stunningly beautiful.

So…. there had to be gold in this illustration and lots of it. 😊

A glowing golden moon has been woven in from last week’s prompt.🌕

Lady in Peacock Kimono by Lesley Smitheringale at Ornate Flair, by Lesley Smitheringale at Ornate Flair, jehanesgoldenthreadkujaku, jehanesgoldenthread, jehanesgoldenthread2024, tsuki, goldenmoon, goldenpond, moon, kimono, peacockillustration, peacock, moonlitpond, pond, japanesepond, japaneseart, orientalart, procreateartist, japaneseinspiredart, digitalillustration, ornateflair, lesleysmitheringale — Lady in Peacock Kimono

Week 10: Kimono

My response to the brief in Week 10 of Jehane’s @jehane_ltd Golden Thread Challenge featuring a Kimono.

I’ve called this one “Lady in Peacock Kimono”.

In this illustration I wanted to use the peacock pattern on the lady’s kimono and I can’t help myself and included another moon.

The peacock has been woven in from last week’s prompt and I’ve re-introduced gingko leaves and a decorative peacock kanzashi in her hair. Can you spot her little peacock feather earring as well?

Bonsai illustration by Lesley Smitheringale, jehanesgoldenthreadbonsai, jehanesgoldenthread, jehanesgoldenthread2024, sakura, sakurablossom, sakurabloom, cherry blossom, cherry blossoms, pond, moon, bonsai, bonsaitree, bonsaitrees, kimono, moonlitpond, pond, japanesepond, japaneseart, orientalart, koi, koifish, procreateartist, japaneseinspiredart, digital illustration, ornate flair, Lesley Smitheringale — Cherry Blossom Bonsai

Week 11: Bonsai

My response to the brief in Week 11 of Jehane’s @jehane_ltd Golden Thread Challenge featuring Bonsai.

I’ve called this one “Cherry Blossom Bonsai“.

In this illustration I wanted to create a touch of fantasy. I’ve woven in the kimono from last week’s prompt and I’ve re-introduced the koi fish, sakura blossom and moon. 😊

Bonsai illustration by Lesley Smitheringale detail 2, jehanesgoldenthreadbonsai, jehanesgoldenthread, jehanesgoldenthread2024, sakura, sakurablossom, sakurabloom, cherry blossom, cherry blossoms, pond, moon, bonsai, bonsaitree, bonsaitrees, kimono, moonlitpond, pond, japanesepond, japaneseart, orientalart, koi, koifish, procreateartist, japaneseinspiredart, digital illustration, ornate flair, Lesley Smitheringale — Cherry Blossom Bonsai – Detail 2

Bonsai illustration by Lesley Smitheringale detail 1, jehanesgoldenthreadbonsai, jehanesgoldenthread, jehanesgoldenthread2024, sakura, sakurablossom, sakurabloom, cherry blossom, cherry blossoms, pond, moon, bonsai, bonsaitree, bonsaitrees, kimono, moonlitpond, pond, japanesepond, japaneseart, orientalart, koi, koifish, procreateartist, japaneseinspiredart, digital illustration, ornate flair, Lesley Smitheringale — Cherry Blossom Bonsai – Detail 1

Moonlit Ikebana illustration by Lesley Smitheringale, Japanese-inspired art, art for licensing, brisbane artist — Moonlit Ikebana

Week 12: Ikebana

My response to the brief in Week 12 of Jehane’s @jehane_ltd Golden Thread Challenge featuring Ikebana which is the centuries-old Japanese art of arranging flowers.

I’ve called this one “Moonlit Ikebana”.

I wanted to keep things very simple and uncluttered in this illustration with a serene atmosphere. I’ve woven in the cracked ceramic container from last week’s prompt and re-introduced the sakura blossom and moon. 😊