Self Directed - Final Calendar Mock-Up

A layout of all of the months with their photos. Each row is coloured to be seasonal. I decided on a square layout as I didn't want the writing to cover the photos and liked the simplicity of one white edge. It also allowed the majority of the horses to fit in the space well. I chose the layout that included a space for writing, whilst keeping it on the same page as the illustration to reduce printing costs.

Spring

Ko-Ko Nelson Tyrone

I chose these colours which are a combination of bright and soft pastels. I thought these colours best-represented spring, the bright green for grass, the lilac for bluebell fields (although they actually bloom in April, I wanted to use Nelson for February as his owners Birthday is February 13th), and pale pink for cherry blossom trees that start to bloom in late March. The background colours are picked from a colour within the horse's coat to blend and make the colours look softer.

Summer

Lexington Phillie Missy

I chose these colours for the backgrounds after looking at some summer mood boards. The blue reminded me of a swimming pool or a tropical sea (if you're lucky enough to be on holiday in April), the peachy pink reminded me of a rubber ring or a flamingo, and the green reminded me of palm leaves and mint icecream. The colours are not picked from the horses coat but compliment the colours whilst being bright and fun. I used Missy for June as my Birthday is in June and she is my favourite horses from my old stables.

Autumn

Pegasus Goldrush Tequila

I chose red as a strong contrast to the grey of the horse, and in autumn there are lots of red maple leaves. I had also seen photos of Pegasus wearing a commemorative Poppy on his bridle, as well as a red ribbon in his tail when hunting (this is used as a warning for other riders that he kicks.) The other two background colours were picked from a colour in the horses' eyes. The golden colour represents the orangey-yellow tones of leaves and sun shining through the trees, and the purple of the lavender fields and morning mist.

Winter

Gordon Morph Star

For October, I decided to accept the stereotypical colour for Halloween, especially as it matched the horse. I originally had a pale blue background but wanted to use a bluey-grey for Morph instead. This pale colour reminded me of snowy skies and frozen rivers (not that we get much snow in the UK). I wanted to use a dark green or red background for December at first, and then I found this picture of Star the donkey and decided she would be perfect for December. However, I didn't love a red or green background and so I went for black to highlight her eyes and cuteness!