Adventure! That was the theme Janneke and Nathan wanted for their daughter’s birth announcement. Mia’s brother already had an adventure with a dragon and a sword in a forest. So we looked for a different theme for her.
We ended up choosing the modern adventurer, diving for lost treasure on a tropical island. As you can see, she’s recently struck gold! A few palm trees and a cutesy octopus finish the piece.
References
When I started sketching, Nathan and Janneke showed me a small plushie of a whale. They were planning on putting this in Mia’s cot after she’d be born. It is that plushie that I referenced with the whale on the front page.
I really enjoyed making this in Adobe Illustrator. The bright colours and the atmosphere really speak volumes. Secretly I’m most proud of the coins in the chest and of Mia’s hair. I used a trick in Illustrator that saved me from having to copy and paste all of these objects separately.
There is a treasure (ha!) of in-jokes and references in the design. That is to be expected, Mia’s parents and I are common board game buddies. Can you find some of the references?
Looking for a cheerful birth announcement?
I’d love to help you! As you can see, there are lots of possibilities. Tell me what you want, and I’ll whip out my pencils and Adobe apps. Want to gather some more ideas? Have a look at the other birth announcements I’ve made.