Gradient Development of Illustration

I would say this pattern based Illustration is my favourite one, I think the pattern works well as do the colours.

I have now been doing some further development of. I really like the effect of the gradient, it has made the Illustration become more contemporary. I think I want to take this design forward towards a product. I feel doing some more patterned based Illustration has worked well, I now need to take these ideas onboard into the other Illustration that I am working on.

Here I have reversed the colour, having a black background has made the line work of pattern stand out more.