Heart Beats Hate Illustration

For a local charity fundraising event, the client was looking to have a large colour book activity available for event attendees to colour in using bold, rich and bright paint markers.

The event, known in the Kitchener-Waterloo, Ontario region, is called Stone Soup, and the specific charity fundraiser is called HEARTBEATSHATE.

HEARTBEATSHATE exists in radical defiance of racism and bigotry. We exist to help people understand that there is a better way forward for all of humanity. A better way to build a positive today and create a more promising future for all. That choice is love. exists in radical defiance of racism and bigotry. We exist to help people understand that there is a better way forward for all of humanity. A better way to build a positive today and create a more promising future for all. That choice is love.

The rationale of the design is simple: We wanted to showcase the story concept that life breeds love, and therefore heart beats hate.

The flowers grow from the life shown in the heartbeat spikes. The life (spikes) grows love, the love beats hate (white space).

Our garden is created with Ontario-based flowers, including Bleeding Hearts, Daisies, Lupins, Tulips, Coneflowers, Roses, Trilliums, Black-eyed Susans, Buttercups, and a few others. Visitors should recognize their favourite flowers and may pay specifically to colour the ones they love most. The negative space, once all of the flowers are coloured, will leave a beautiful heart shape.

​​​​​​​The specifications for the artworks are to design the illustration digitally using Adobe Illustrator in vector format, then print it on a 60"x36" canvas. Once printed, people at the event could colour in sections of the artwork using paint markers supplied by the event.