BumbleBlooms Wildflower Seedballs - and their New Bumblebee Watercolour Logo

 I’m excited to share BumbleBlooms’ new packaging now features one of my bumblebee illustrations. BumbleBlooms are a small business based in Edinburgh, who make mindfully-produced wildflower seed balls which grow flowers that bees absolutely love. This simple product makes it easy to help bees and other pollinators.

“As the world faces a climate crisis and mass extinction of the critical insects that most plants rely on for survival, there has never been a greater need for products that make a real difference. BumbleBlooms does just that!”

They are also proudly vegan and their packaging is fantastically plastic free. I am overjoyed to support and help promote such a wonderful business.

Check out the BumbleBlooms website HERE

Wine Label Illustration // A Homage to Chilean Giant Bumblebee Bombus Dalhbombii

I recently had the pleasure of working with drinks company Urban Beverages who are based in Norway, to create an illustration for the label of a new Chilean wine. For this particular wine, the designers wanted to pay homage to Chile's native critically-endangered giant bumblebee, Bombus Dahlbomii, and hoped to show a traditional style illustration of the bee on the label.

I was asked to supply two versions; in faded vintage-style colours and black and white. I really enjoyed researching old scientific art for this, as one of my top inspirations is old botanical art.

Also called the Patagonian Bumblebee, or "flying mouse", Chile's beloved native bumblebee is said to carry the spirits of the dead. Sadly its numbers are dwindling due to diseases from imported non-native bee species, so scientists are now working hard to save them. 

I'm excited to share photos of the printed label on the new wine when it is released!

Below: initial pencil sketch, colour version, black and white version. 

Artwork © Amy Holliday 2021

www.amyholliday.co.uk

Little Grasshopper // Insect Bug Tattoo Design

I was recently contacted by a lady who has a tattoo inspired by my artwork - one of my little bumblebees on her collar bone. She asked to commission a little green grasshopper to go with the bee she already had. I thought this was a lovely idea and I jumped at the opportunity to draw more bugs! It was a fairly quick and simple commission, with one sketch and no revisions - it really felt like my own artwork from beginning to end with no outside influence/direction for a change, only that it matched the style of my previous bee illustration.   

After confirming that the customer was happy with the sketch - I went ahead with some vivid colour. She also asked to purchase the original artwork from me, so I had to be extra 

careful not to make any mistakes.

The two together: 

Artwork (C) Amy Holliday 2019

www.amyholliday.co.uk

I have illustrated a book! About Bees!

From last October to March this year I had the pleasure of working with Harper Collins books to illustrate a wonderful little book - all about bees! The book is due to be released in the UK and US later this year. Here are some work-in-progress shots from my desk, featuring a small sneak-peek selection of paintings…

Artwork (C) Amy Holliday 2019

www.amyholliday.co.uk

Pattern Design // Honey Bee & Bumble Bees | Watercolour illustration bumblebee patterns

EDIT 03/01/24 - re-added artwork with watermarks. If you would like to use these illustrations and/or patterns please contact me, thank you :)

As a little side project I've been working towards perfecting the art of "repeat patterns", which I hope will help me create a variety of decorative fabrics and products with my illustrations. Some of the first I've put together are based on this small series of pollen-dusted bee paintings. Let me know if you like them.

Fluffy Bumblebees

And I couldn't forget the iconic Honey Bee. I wanted this one to be quite symmetrical to create a more uniform pattern. 

And just for fun, a fat bumblebee!

Images and artwork (C) Amy Holliday 2016

To view more of my work please visit www.amyholliday.co.uk

Sassenach's Honey // Logo Design

A simple logo design for a new small business in Denton, Texas, called "Sassenach's Honey". Made using my existing honey bee illustration with a delicious honey-effect font.

Image (C) Amy Holliday 2015

Personal: Manuka Flower and Honey Bee

Personal Work. A slightly more botanical/scientific illustration of Manuka Flowers and a honey bee. 

Manuka flowers are native to New Zealand and Australia. Their honey, with its "Active UMF Factor", is considered to have antiviral and antibacterial properties. "Most people who buy Manuka honey simply put it on their toast or in their tea, but where it really comes into its own is in treating wounds. In New Zealand, it has long been used in this way and studied extensively. Now, the NHS is doing the same." 

The honey bee proved quite difficult at first as it took many sketches to get the right proportions...and then when it came to adding colour, I had to first experiment with quite a few different techniques 

in the hope of capturing all of his different textures!

Images are (C) Amy Holliday 2013. Do not use without permission.