The artist also posted the picture on this thread: http://ks.renai.us/viewtopic.php?f=51&t=5030

Some commentary from the artist :

Guest on Tue Jan 10, 2012 7:57 pm
The pastel/watercolor look is really nice, with good choice of colors. The pink umbrella, especially, contrasts nicely with the otherwise cool palette, and complements her scars. Speaking of which, some of the best/most "realistic" scar texture that I've seen in any fanart.

Plus I really like her expression and pose; she looks more poised and self-confident than she did in the VN, but still seems true to her basic character. I can easily see her looking like this a year or two after the ending.

elemile on Wed Jan 11, 2012 9:54 am
Glad you like it. I normally do try to bounce colors here and there, over a restricted palette, for a more atmospheric feel. I also wanted to show a higher spirited Hanako, indeed, like in a moment of unaware relaxation achieved thanks to a good come with Hisao (maybe after giggling in the middle of a date, or by seeing him arriving at the cafe).

I wasn't sure about the tea, so I just went for a sweet/red/orange-flavoured variety, similar to that mentioned by Lilly (and maybe with some alleged relaxing qualities, like the one I used to drink during my own highschool days). However, the main point of the portrait was profiting from her feminine and "flowerish" name (Hana-ko) to convey a symbol of her: the vase's design, a little bit in the fashion of Hanako's scars, far from ruining the beauty of the flowers actually frames it, turning them into something special and unique (althought comprimising, by this very process, the very life of the flowers)... just like Hanako herself. Though I might be wrong.