The Pink Moon -April’s Full Moon & the Story Behind My Art
Behind the scenes of April’s full moon illustration.
Did you know full moons have names? Each one is tied to nature, the seasons, and old traditions—ways people once tracked time before calendars. April’s full moon is called the Pink Moon, named after the early spring blooms of wild ground phlox, commonly known as "moss pink," one of the first flowers to color the landscape in spring. It's a time when the world starts to wake up, shaking off the last chill of winter.
Last year, I embarked on a project to illustrate all 12 full moons, capturing their names and meanings in art. The collection is now part of my Full Moon Calendar, and I’m sharing a behind-the-scenes look at each piece throughout the year. Here’s a closer look at my artwork for the Full Pink Moon, and you can read about the moon illustrations for January’s Wolf Moon , February’s Snow Moon, and March’s Worm Moon if you’re interested!
Why Is It Called the Pink Moon?
The Pink Moon isn't about the moon's color, although it could look pink if the light is right. It’s called the Pink Moon because of the early spring appearance of wild ground phlox, a pretty pink flower aslo called “pink moss”.
The Pink Moon had some tough competition when it came to other names historically used for April’s moon . The Frog Moon was a favorite of mine—there’s no sound I love more than spring peepers singing in the springtime. But in the end, I went with Pink Moon since it’s the most widely recognized… and because I love the Nick Drake song. IYKYK
The Inspiration Behind My Pink Moon Illustration
For this piece, I wanted to capture that fresh energy of early spring, especially the nighttime when you can feel the world coming back to life after a long, cold winter.
In front of a bright pink moon, I drew a few Luna moths in flight. They’re one of my favorite night creatures. There is something about their pale green wings and short-lived existence makes them feel almost otherworldly and equally as magical as the moon itself. They also fit perfectly with the themes of spring and transformation.
The border includes night-blooming flowers, plants that only open under the moon’s glow. Beautiful Moonflowers, little resting spots for luna moths in the night, are surrounded by leaves and star details.
Moon phases fill out the space to add to the nighttime theme. I also worked a symmetrical petal-like texture into the background to tie everything together. This was one of those pieces that felt easy to work on. It’s simple but has a lot of little details that made it really fun to draw.
This is the fourth full moon in my series, each with its own unique symbolism and story. I’m excited to share more in the coming months! If you’d like to see the full collection, you can check out the Full Moon Calendar here.
