Remember this guy? I never did get around to finishing the color. It’s time. And now it’s a green giraffe. Because I said so.
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Category: Work In Progress
Flamingo WIP + Updates
Happy Monday everyone! Was your Monday as blah as mine was? Sometimes, days are just like that. Rain doesn’t help those days either. You just want to curl up on the couch and watch a movie until you pass out. Any how, I survived the Monday blues long enough to write my post tonight. There are a couple updates I wanted to share.
First of all, I have added more color to my Flamingo Totem. It’s becoming very bright and I’m excited to finish it! I have always avoided pink in the past since it was far from my favorite color. Lately, I have had more of an open mind with my work and have used it for my Flying Squirrel Totem and now flamingo. It’s nice to change things up every once and a while. Plus, I have always put limits on myself and my work, unintentionally. I use to “make rules” or guidelines to my art that I wasn’t allowed to teeter from. Like I was forced to stay within a certain style of art or subject. I have no idea how I picked up this terrible habit but I am proud to say I have kicked it and now create whatever I want, whenever I want, however I want. My art has improved greatly because of it! I’m even going to pick up painting again, which I am excited for. I just need to get some more supplies, first.
Secondly, I wanted to share that I’m back to my full time job as a landscaper. I’m going to have to make some changes to my future content. As you can guess, Spring and Summer are the busiest months for a landscaper! Last year, I tried to keep up with my Totem Animal posts the best I could. I always shoot for one post a week but it can be difficult keeping up with everything. Not only do I need to create the drawing itself but I put a lot of time and energy into the research for each totem. Then when I have an understanding of it, I need to type it out for my blog. This is done in between my landscaping job, family responsibilities, social obligations, appointments and every once and a while….sleep. Not to mention any other efforts that need to be put into my business as an artist such as marketing and social media, editing my work for products and uploading it to my online shops (Redbubble and Society6) and how about just talking and connecting with people! I always tend to lose my mind a bit when Spring comes around! I have to lighten the load.
I do not want my artwork to suffer and obviously I can not take time away from my family or my job that is currently paying the bills. Therefore, I am going to halt new Totem Animal symbolism posts. I will continue to create the drawings like I have been but I won’t be able to go over each one in detail about their symbolism. The art is more important than the writing and I don’t want to become discouraged because I can’t keep up with both! Don’t worry, I will still continue to keep my blog. I just won’t be able to write such lengthy posts for a little while!
I hope you like the Flamingo Totem so far. Let me know what you think in the comments below! Thanks for stopping by this week.
Happy Spring, free spirits!
Flamingo WIP
My next totem that I am working on is the flamingo! They are a very bright colored bird and have odd proportions. The weather is finally starting to get warm and act like spring so I thought a nice tropical creature could help get us in the mood! It’s going to be beach season soon! Beach or not, I just want to be outside!
Here is the completed ink for flamingo. The entire animal is done in tangles unlike my recent horse and orca totems. I can’t help but use zentangle when creating feathers! They are too perfect for the occasion.
I will also be incorporating the legs but have decided a new and fun approach. I am drawing the flamingo on three different sheets of paper. Then, when I scan them into the computer, I can piece them together making one long print! It’s going to be cool! I like trying something new with each piece that I do so let’s see how it turns out!
Thanks for stopping by this week! Check back next week to see the finished flamingo in all it’s florescent feathers!
Stay flashy, free spirits!
Horse WIP
I am surprised it has taken me this long to do my favorite animal as a totem. I’ve been wanting to tackle it for a while now but it kept getting put off. I finally made time for it and present you with the ink for the horse totem. I know I say this for every drawing but I am really enjoying this one. The mane has been fun to play around with. I can’t wait to get the color done. Once again, I did not add any tangles to the animal. It just didn’t call for it I guess. I wanted the mane to be the “wild” part about this piece. What do you think?
Check back next Monday to learn about the symbolism the majestic horse holds! Thanks for stopping by!
Stay wild, free spirits!
Orca WIP
I recently held a poll to choose which totem animal I would draw next. It was a close vote but the orca won! I’m pretty excited too because the orca is my favorite marine animal. I have always admired them, ever since I was a kid. My original idea for this piece was to do a yin yang style with the orcas but the more I worked on it, the more it unfolded into something else. I will come up with another idea to use the yin yang. I didn’t want to add any tangles to the orcas because I want their skin to stay smooth. I’ll be shading it with colored pencils to get a really nice value scale. I can’t wait to share the finished piece with you! Stop by next week to check it out and to learn about orca symbolism!
Just keep swimming, free spirits!
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~Totem Animal art by Free Spirit Meg~
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Zenbooby WIP
Hey Everyone!
I’ve been trying to get as much drawing as I can done, in between all these snow storms. I do snow removal overnight when it storms so it can be quite exhausting. Sometimes I just need a day to sleep! I was almost able to complete my latest totem drawing today, the blue footed booby. It’s coming out quite nicely and I’m excited to finish it. I worked on it today while I watched movies. I watched 1922 and began watching Dances with Wolves. Both are great movies.
I have quite a few totems I would like to get done in March. After a recent poll I did (which is still open until I finish the blue footed booby) it looks like my next totem drawing is going to be an orca. The orca is my favorite marine animal. I’m really excited to start that one. The poll is still going though so it could change. Jaguar is a close second! After the poll winner, I will be doing the horse. It is my top favorite animal so it is insane that I haven’t done it already. Plus, I have had a lot of requests for horse lately (which is also in the poll if you want to vote for the horse and see that one sooner!) After that, a friend of mine suggested doing a flamingo since it is a vivid and colorful animal. Also, everyone’s getting excited for warmer seasons so it’s the perfect animal to add some Summer vibes!
Thanks for stopping by today! Check back soon for a lot more totems to come!
Stay warm, free spirits!
#1 Pencil sketch 
#2 Ink 
#3 Color pencil 
#4 Color pencil and Prismacolor markers
ZenSquirrel WIP
My latest totem is certainly one of the most interesting. The creature I was inspired to do this time is a flying squirrel. I know I have already completed the Squirrel Totem but I had to add this one to the collection. I recently read an article from National Geographic about the recent discovery that certain species of flying squirrels glow a vibrant pink when under ultraviolet light. Scientists are still trying to figure out why this happens and if it useful to the animals or not. The colors were beautiful with the hot pink in the light areas and a shade of blue in the darker areas. I decided I had to this for my next totem piece. I have the ink finished and will start the color on it today. With just the line art though it is already vivid and bright! It’s fun using different colors than I normally would. Especially pink which is a color I use the least.
Next week I will post the symbolism behind the flying squirrel. I wonder how different or similar it will be to a common squirrel. If you are interested in reading the article from Nat Geo, I posted the link at the bottom of this post. Thanks for stopping by today! Check back often for new work!
Shine bright, free spirits!
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Related Posts: Squirrel
National Geographic Article:
Flying squirrels secretly glow pink, thanks to fluorescence
Free Spirit WIP II
I am on to my next piece. I’m working on another dog portrait to be displayed at a local “Dogcare”. I have four pieces already finished, this will be the fifth. I am a little behind as far as matting and framing them all. These drawings are odd sizes so I have to custom cut all the mats. What a pain! When my son took me to the art shop on Mother’s Day, I bought a new pad of paper that is a standard size. Therefore, I can just get pre-cut mats and make my life much easier from now on!
Also, I’ve decided to start streaming as I work on my projects. The site I am using is PicartoTv. If your not familiar with streaming, it’s basically my own online art channel. I’ll work on my projects in front of a camera, live for all to see! While I work I can answer questions and chat with my viewers. I did a trial run last night. I’m still new to the streaming scene, so it will take me some time to learn the ropes. I’m very excited! I do not have a set streaming schedule at this time but for now I will mostly be streaming at night. Once I mess around with it a little more, I’ll do a separate post to go more in depth about my channel.
Well, that about wraps up my midweek updates. Hope your enjoying some sunshine where you are!
Until next time…
“Our lives are defined by opportunities, even the ones we miss.”
