girlfringe diaries #3 ★ october art diary, day 3: gilmore girls fall aka la la la season <3
TODAY’S MIXTAPE:
TODAY’S PROMPT: GILMORE FALL
INSPIRATION, AUTUMN LUV & A PEEK INTO MY SKETCHES
Now that fall is officially here and the cozy vibes are ON, I’m rewatching one of my fave shows, Gilmore Girls, and there’s no better time to make an illustration inspired by it. As someone completely obsessed with autumn, I feel totally connected with the show’s aesthetic — there’s just something about the falling leaves, hot coffee and small-town charm that hits perfectly when the air turns crisp. If you haven’t seen it yet idk what you’re waiting for bc it’s hands down the cutest and coziest show ever.
So let’s start with some snapshots from the show to get into the vibe xx
Now, a bit about the illustration idea. I had this debate in my head between two different approaches: should I illustrate something from the show, maybe a fav scene or a place, or should I draw myself watching the show? Even though the first option seemed more challenging (and kind of exciting to see how I would recreate a scene in my style), I went with the second idea: drawing myself watching the show in full autumn — a cozy atmosphere with a girl sitting at her desk, surrounded by cute home decor and watching Gilmore Girls.
The sketching stages are a bit funny because I wanted to add so many elements and I kept redrawing it until I finally managed to include everything.
ELEMENTS
I wanted this illustration to SCREAM autumn — autumn show, autumn vibes, autumn objects, basically everything autumn. So I packed that cozy feeling into every details and elements I added.
For the objects and decor, I thought of everything that gives me that warm, cozy, desk vibe: candles, trinkets, books, cookies, pie, apples, decorative pumpkins and leaves. I think this mix of objects really brings out vibe I was aiming for.
As for the girl’s outfit, I originally went with something fancy, like a sparkly pink shirt, then I switched to something more basic, then I realized I wanted to go all in with the coziness, so I dressed her in cute pajamas. I thought it might be a bit too simple and considered adding some pattern on her shirt, but I didn’t want to take the attention away from all the intricate details happening on the desk.
And finally, because this is still a “Gilmore fall” illustration, I couldn’t resist adding a little nod for the fans, so I added a little portrait of Cinnamon, Babette’s beloved cat from the show. AND before you come for me, I know Cinnamon was an orange cat, but with all the orange going on, I lightened her fur just a bit, haha.
COLOR PALETTE PARTY
When it came to choosing the color palette, I had four different ideas. The first was a red and greenish combo, giving off a cozy, homey vibe. The second was full of pink tones for a sweet, girly, candy-like mood. Then there was the third option, a blue gradient with warm yellow candlelight to give off that binge-watching-the-show-with-the-lights-off mood. And the fourth option which is also the winner, an all-orange palette, super warm, because, well... autumn <3
I do wish I’d explored the third option more, because it had a different vibe and a lot of potential. But to be honest I probably would’ve ended up choosing the all-orange one anyway, bc I really wanted to stay on point and create a classic, warm autumn scene. I think the color palette really helped nail that vibe.
BEFORE AND AFTER TEXTURES
I think I had the most fun playing with the textures in this illustration because I literally tried dozens of combinations until it finally “felt right.” Besides the usual old TV effect + the soft spray paint, I decided to experiment with the gradient map and turn the white areas more yellow, while blending the darker parts. I think I accidentally achieved this “sticky” look that I absolutely adore, which also enhances the whole cozy fall aesthetic.
And pls tell me it’s not just me but doesn’t it smells like baked pumpkin???
AND THERE SHE GOES <3
FINAL PIECE & CLOSEUPS
