The Collective: Delicate Blueberries

Dear Laura,After receiving your newest piece of the collective in the mail (scroll down to see the damage of the package received in the mail- yikes!), I took a walk in my garden seeking what is blue.  Of course, I found the blueberries.  We have been picking them the last few weeks and adding them to all sorts of meals.  Blackberries, figs, lemons, basil, green pepper, and a new avocado tree are all happily growing.  This time of year is always abundant!After reading your notes about contour drawing, I set out to draw.  I outlined my drawing in washi tape only because I was out of my regular drafting tape.  Once I had it in place, I really liked the design element.  It gave an unexpected antique Victorian aesthetic so I decided to keep it on the paper. This decision changed my idea of adding color.  I wanted it to be a simple, elegant drawing similar to your blind contour drawings.  The color and the design on the washi tape seemed like too much in combination for representing these delicate, temporary berries.I played with my line quality to represent the shadows on the stems rather than shading it. The berries and leaf were the only parts I wanted with shading, but even that I kept minimal. Below is the final work...So, I am currently coming up with a better plan to ship this work to you so it arrives safely. This is what it looked like when I got it last :(  The work has water damage and dings in the corner.  I suppose this is simply part of the process right?