Kanzashi Pins and Buttons

Inspired by the designer hair ornaments/kanzashi of Japanese designer Sakae.

Kanzashi is a hairpin with small ornaments. Traditionally it used in Japanese traditional hairstyle with kimono setup, but nowadays it also used in casual occasions among young girls.

A colourful play of contrasts defines the second in a series of portraits inspired by floral hair ornaments.

I fell in love with the Angel on the Street

Third in a series inspired by kanzashi hair pins, taking delicate florals and pairing them with bold colour choices.

Bio: Luke Gray is a surrealist/symbolist illustrator and painter. Born color blind he was forced to use an almost exclusively black and white colour palette, working with patterns and textures rather than color. Influenced by multicultural art techniques he works in traditional mediums of Graphite and Ink often combining and integrating techniques and patterns from different countries and cultures into his work.

Based on an original watercolor painting by Maria J. William.

Bio: Luke Gray is a surrealist/symbolist illustrator and painter. Born color blind he was forced to use an almost exclusively black and white colour palette, working with patterns and textures rather than color. Influenced by multicultural art techniques he works in traditional mediums of Graphite and Ink often combining and integrating techniques and patterns from different countries and cultures into his work.

Based on an original watercolor painting by Maria J. William.