Gentle illustrated giraffe looks up at a small blue bird

By @Sealine · Sep 25, 2026

21 likes · 25 comments

Any guesses for this one?

About this image

This cozy whimsical watercolor illustration features a soft spotted giraffe gazing warmly at a tiny blue songbird perched on a leafy tree branch. The muted warm palette uses pale cream textured paper, pale yellow sun, wispy blue clouds, and tiny pastel wildflowers for a calm nostalgic mood. Handwritten text reading meeting someone new adds a sweet, uplifting narrative perfect for nursery or greeting card design.

Comments (25)

@DavidP · Sep 26, 2026
Just read all the comments. What a great contribution @Sealine and thanks for sharing more links @CaylaCatz
@CaylaCatz · Sep 25, 2026
Laura Rigo? mostly because she illustrated a nursery rhyme and children's books in 2011. Since you said you helped your kid with homework recently, I'm thinking a decade when they were kids if they might be a teen now. This seems a little earlier than that tho. Reminds me of 1950s. Anita Jeram might be too young but she seems similar except for the giraffe eyes. I like Potter's watercolors but the eyes seem different with pupils filling the eyes. I like Arnold Lobel too but I don't think his watercolors are as gentle. Tough one
@DavidP · Sep 26, 2026
Such a lovely illustration, the soft style, the childlike quality make it adorable. I had no ida so had to 'phone a friend'. Came up with two options EH Shepard who illustrated Winnie-the-Pooh and more modern Lisa Glanz. Then I confess I saw the musician clue, which led me to John Lennon. And reading the replies I see it is indeed Lennon. I am not surprised to learn he was also an artist, but my sense of Lennon make me surprised at the subject.
@CaylaCatz · Sep 25, 2026
well, that's been a bit of a rabbit hole. I had no idea John Lennon, Joan Baez, and Carly Simon all drew children's book. So cool. Not your style tho, but cool, lol.--- Sighs no more rabbit holes for at the moment, I'm off to do RL adulting stuff. Although now I'm thinking of doing a rabbit hole image for magical friends and a cute bunny. This has been a fun detour and I've enjoyed it.
@Sealine · Sep 26, 2026
My understanding is the line of items branded for nursery decor where from drawings he made for his son. I bought a baby book to put milestones in for one son from this line and that's how I learned of his art.
@Sealine · Sep 25, 2026
You actually hit it! John Lennon did a variety of art including these that is what my piece is inspired by. https://artofjohnlennon.com/nature-and-more/ Also the dreamer nursery line featured animals https://www.pinterest.com/bettydolan/nursery-john-lennon-baby-collection/ AI did not want to give me the more imperfect drawings.
@Sealine · Sep 25, 2026
Pretty good powers of deduction, but I was helping my youngest study for a college exam. Going to have to look some of them up. Going to add a clue in comments.
@Sealine · Sep 26, 2026
Thank you! And @CaylaCatz was indeed fabulous with her contributions!
@DavidP · Sep 26, 2026
It was a great start to my day
@CaylaCatz · Sep 25, 2026
Also thank you for choosing him. Finding out some of these singers had other talents was fun. I didn't realize Joan Baez started and identified as an artist, painter before she became a musician and returned to art later in her career. I found a cool article where she talks about it. She sold her first art for 3 cents in third grade of a very famous character -- bugs bunny! https://www.cbsnews.com/news/joan-baez-on-her-paintings-of-mischief-makers/