I have been super lucky to be a collaborator for Gravy since 2021 illustrating for different pieces. This time I was asked to illustrate the cover for the Spring 2024 issue and I could not be more excited about it. I had created some colorful illustrations for a feature article on this same issue ( which I will share on a different post) and the creative brief for the cover - besides being spring - was that it had to complement the illustrations I did for the feature article about Cooking as Art by Adan Medrano.
These are some of the sketches I presented as options and the one chosen represents a pattern of ingredients in a manner of a celebration pattern.
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/408d6594-0f72-4ecb-88e8-4b09fd3091e6/c74ca2d8-67db-46f5-a032-8ee73c7c8443_rw_3840.jpg?h=4ee3e45177352d7f54cf25fbece64375)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/408d6594-0f72-4ecb-88e8-4b09fd3091e6/f643fab0-7a99-46be-8385-8d2486d70a2e_rw_3840.jpg?h=afd6514078a53ee928970024736f5e70)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/408d6594-0f72-4ecb-88e8-4b09fd3091e6/27d31156-3970-46e9-96fd-578120a5839d_rw_1920.jpg?h=18126d7c51f015058382be865c41aa4a)
Once I had the basic elements in position I started making color explorations ... and this was very difficult to decide which one was my favorite - I like them all! :)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/408d6594-0f72-4ecb-88e8-4b09fd3091e6/dbe3ea4f-830f-4932-909b-ac179f224826_rw_1920.jpg?h=40ea75be74484bb4624156c85f6304b7)
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![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/408d6594-0f72-4ecb-88e8-4b09fd3091e6/5200d42d-a5c7-430a-87fa-7affb946b8c0_rw_1920.jpg?h=672f871403c7153293aa5dadccff88d1)
Some of the color combinations had more or less vibration and contrast - some were happier, some more dramatic.
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/408d6594-0f72-4ecb-88e8-4b09fd3091e6/6be9589d-2478-45d3-8b2b-2098db1abd75_rw_1920.jpg?h=4311d9093069c070f0c08fc40e9dabd7)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/408d6594-0f72-4ecb-88e8-4b09fd3091e6/ed9b7766-6b63-4252-9c9d-393ab9905e10_rw_1920.jpg?h=146902b6eb376a09ed0762e98199c1b0)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/408d6594-0f72-4ecb-88e8-4b09fd3091e6/fa1608cc-c1e2-4c2f-b625-0ffa90169f48_rw_1920.jpg?h=31068bfcb0f01cfe84c6fd103163854c)
I felt that blue was the righ background for the contrast against the bright colors of the fruit and vegetables.
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/408d6594-0f72-4ecb-88e8-4b09fd3091e6/b4d5f2aa-b073-45e1-8c26-9d3da731da04_rw_1920.jpg?h=2c08996400666440e4cb561e1d3eedbb)
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![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/408d6594-0f72-4ecb-88e8-4b09fd3091e6/5825d99c-2aa3-4b78-b929-a597247abc3f_rw_1920.jpg?h=9faa33cfbbe4cf0598955bdbc4d31909)
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![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/408d6594-0f72-4ecb-88e8-4b09fd3091e6/d58af4c5-fbea-4d3e-af58-2493c01c5303_rw_1920.jpg?h=8e9623e4c1e5b3fe408586414048f43c)
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![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/408d6594-0f72-4ecb-88e8-4b09fd3091e6/a6d16c12-e55e-43f4-9f96-a833dc5b87c7_rw_1920.jpg?h=bbe5850e7475d33776fb6027039cb118)
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![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/408d6594-0f72-4ecb-88e8-4b09fd3091e6/b9bebf7b-5580-494f-b5a3-0d7d73187be1_rw_1200.jpg?h=cadf8d85725a9ae18e5f9841b8e84874)
I hope you enjoyed looking at this creative process as much as I did creating this cover - Thanks!