An Ode to Santa Barbara Fall - Princess Illustration

There is something about the transition into fall here in Santa Barbara that gets me excited and drawing again (usually fall related illustrations and richly colored patterns and watercolor experiments).

I can't really say its the sudden changes in weather or the massive landscapes of changing leaves that do it, because (quite frankly) that doesn't happen here. Don't get me wrong, we do experience a fall - of sorts - but it is a slow and gradual shift in more than one way. The first sign is the shortening of days and the odd change in light as shadows appear and disappear in strange ways, followed by what I have deemed as "spider season".  Then the pumpkins begin appearing at my local Trader Joe's. The fog slowly starts to creep back in the Santa Barbara morning air. My apartment turns into a freezing cave of despair and the fuzzy slippers come out of hiding.

Fall in Santa Barbara is mild and it's beautiful - so I drew a mild and pretty Fall Princess that represents the seasons subtleties in color.