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Happy Horses Series

Retro Huskies

Dorian Electra's Flamboyant Album Cover Imagining

Happy Horses Process

My process for the Happy Horses series begins with sketching its star placements. In this case I explored simple, nostalgia inspired horse motifs in honor of 2026: Year of the Horse.

Next, the characters come to life in color after choosing their pallets. The personality of each horse is really starting to shine through as my excitement builds. I love working with color!

To complement her carefree early 2000's vibe, I scattered some classic yet fun assets into a versatile pattern. I then added some flowing typography to bring structure and a confident feel to the placement.

Finally, we can clearly imagine the horse-obsessed kiddo in your life running around in this design. They exude a calm, collected, and whimsical energy.

Patterns and Elements

Imaginings

Flamboyant Album Cover

Colorful queer characters and a combination of pixel font and loud hand drawn typography complete the norm challenging themes of Dorian Electra's album: Flamboyant. This is by far one of my favorite musical compilations, and it brought me so much joy to bring my twist to it.

Process

My process started with sketching a basic composition including the typographical elements. (left)Next, I monochromatically detailed two characters who challenge traditional gender norms and masculinity. This is something Flamoyant highlights. (right)I textured the figures and surrounding elements to give the graphics a more organic touch in contrast to their sharp edges.Finally, I utilized a strong, graffiti-like typeface along with a pixel typeface to solidify the rebellious internet culture Electra's album was born out of.

I am honored to have had my illustration Veggie Wolf chosen to be a part of the 2026 Society of Illustrator's annual student gallery. Inspired by the classic tale of Little Red Riding Hood, but with a much happier ending!

Kona's Secret New Imagining

About

I am Layna Malave, a local illustrator from the sunny
beach town of Sarasota, Florida. You can find me working creatively within kids literature and surface design.I create my work through eyes filled with magic, wonder, life... and a bit of humor, too! With a vibrant color pallet, relatable characters, and exciting designs I can easily connect with the inner child inside everyone. It is my goal to cater to that fun side of our humanity by bringing surprise into the mundane.Recently I have spread that joy locally into botanical illustrations for Marie Selby Botanical Gardens; and beyond to New York in the Society of Illustrator's annual student gallery. If you are looking to bring something unexpected to your next project, let's collaborate![email protected]

My Resume