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Commemorative
3D Card.

To commemorate the Fullerton Arboretum, I was asked to create a 3D pop-up card that visitors could construct for themselves during a special event.

Client Fullerton Arboretum
Disciplines Illustration · Product · Graphic Design
Tools Affinity Studio · Drawing Tablet

Card Layers.

four planes of depth —
Background layer — illustrated arboretum landscape
Layer 01
Background
The full painted landscape — the base scene across which the 3D elements would be layered, capturing the arboretum's varied biomes in a single panorama.
Gazebo element
Layer 02
Gazebo
The gazebo is one of the Arboretum's most recognisable landmarks. Illustrated and cut as a mid-plane stand-up piece.
Windmill element
Layer 03
Windmill
The historic windmill acts as a secondary foreground anchor, adding vertical rhythm to the composition and a nod to the Arboretum's working heritage.
Plant element
Layer 04
Plants
Foreground flora — the closest layer to the viewer, giving the pop-up its sense of depth and framing the scene with lush, characteristic greenery.

Process & Notes.

how it came together —

The illustration began as a rough compositional sketch and paper model to work out how the four layers would sit together. Each element had to read clearly in isolation, while also contributing to a coherent whole when assembled.

The painting style aimed for something that felt hand-made and warm, rather than polished or commercial. I was particularly inspired by the works of Tove Jansson and Mary Blair.

Final construction was designed to be achievable by our guests using only scissors and glue.

"

The painting was a labor of love, taking many hours of overpainting to capture the essence of the various biomes at the Arboretum. I've been taking my own children there since they were very small — it was often a place we visited when we didn't have a lot of money. I felt very grateful to be able to offer this artwork in homage.

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