Every license and permit I know requires adhering to a strict set of rules, except for artistic license. As an artist, there are no rules that apply. As an artist, I can freely draw things I want just about any way possible. Today, I got the urge to draw the beautiful split-leaf maple that has been on our property for decades. But rather than duplicate what I saw, I chose instead to use the tree as inspiration. The changes I made included dropping the background, flipping the tree, simplifying the top and adding a complex root system to match the top.