Tag: fineart

Traditional Art

Turtle Totem Finished Piece

Free Spirit Meg

This piece was a challenge. I do not know why though. It was not fluid. I never really found a flow to the drawing. Usually I know what I want to do just by looking at it. Not this time. I had no idea what I wanted to incorporate of how I wanted to execute it. Perhaps a small bit of it was that I am still learning how to use the watercolor pencils. It takes time and practice. I know this but it is still frustrating when something doesn’t look the way you want it to.

I feel like I could have added a lot more detail with my ink work also. I have noticed that I have slowly slipped away from adding pointillism to my pieces to incorporate shadows. In my earlier drawings, I used this technique frequently. I should have used it with the turtle to allow it to blend more and become more real.

Although, I encountered a problem with my pens. The ink from the pen activated the watercolor pencil on the paper, therefore, it gets gunk on the tip of my pen and stops working. I thought it would be easy to add the ink after the color but it doesn’t really work. Maybe I should try doing the ink first and then use the watercolor pencils. Or else I will have to try a different type of pen.

I also grew very bored and tired of the piece. I had so many other ideas that had popped in my head that I would have rather been doing. I should have just abandoned the piece and came back to it later. I think the end result would have been better. I was just in a rush to finish it by the end. I was ready to move on. This definitely did not help the outcome.

It is not my best work but it is far from my worst. I still like the whimsical feel of this turtle. I really enjoy the smile and added that feature for a good reason. The reason I wanted to draw the turtle in the first place was because of an incident that recently happened to me. I was driving down the road with my brother in law and we saw a snapping turtle trying to cross the road. It had almost been hit a handful of times so we pulled over to rescue it. It was challenging trying to move it without getting snapped at but we were successful and got the turtle to the other side with the help of another driver passing by. We felt like super heroes and referenced a funny quote from one of our favorite TV shows, Futurama. “I saved a turtle today. What have you done with your life?” I was thrilled to be able to save the turtle and wanted to create this design to go with the phrase.

Have you saved any turtles lately? Share your story in the comments below! I would love to hear more success stories about our turtle friends! If you like this piece, you can find this and others in my shop at Redbubble!

Thanks for stopping by!

Take care, free spirits!

Traditional Art

Birthday Blooms

Free Spirit Meg

Yesterday was my boss’s birthday at my landscaping job. Our birthdays are only four days apart! I’ve been with the company for a while now and she’s become someone I really look up to. She’s an amazing entrepreneur who works her “arse” off and is strong willed. I decided to draw her a picture and surprise her with it! I tried to figure out what her favorite flower was but no one knew. I chose an Iris since it is in bloom on her birthday. She was very happy to receive it! It was nice to get back to some realism work. I will have to do more in the near future!

Like what you see? You can get this image on apparel, home décor or a print of your own! Find it in my Redbubble store!

Megtography

#14 – Lacrosse Practice & Drawing Time

Free Spirit Meg

This was the only photo I took today. Wednesdays are busy for my family but I always get a chance to draw during practice!

Megtography, Work In Progress

#6 – Green Giraffe

Free Spirit Meg

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.

Events, Traditional Art, Zentangle Inspired Art (ZIA)

Mother Bear – Happy Mother’s Day!

Free Spirit Meg

Happy Mother’s Day to all! I completed my Mother’s Day inspired drawing entitled, “Mother Bear”. I am so happy with how this turned out. Blue and orange hues together are some of my favorite colors! They really *POP* together. I have also been wanting to create a drawing of a mama bear and her cub for a very long time now. I finally got around to it and I’m happy I finally did it!

You can find it in my shop at Redbubble here. Available for prints, apparel, home décor and more! Check it out and get one for your Mother Bear!

You can also read about bear symbolism here on a post I created previously with my Bear Totem drawing.

Thanks for stopping by today. I hope your have a great day with your mother and/or children. Plus, wish Mother Earth a happy Mother’s Day! Plant a tree, a flower or just enjoy a nice nature hike!

Carpe diem, free spirit!

Traditional Art, Zentangle Inspired Art (ZIA)

Flamingo Totem Drawing

Free Spirit Meg

My Flamingo Totem is complete! It seemed like it took forever. Landscaping season started back up for me while I was half way finished with it. I can’t dedicate as much time in the day to drawing as I could over the winter. It really made the flamingo drag on but I forced myself to finish it and I’m glad I did. I am really happy with the outcome.

I actually have two versions of the flamingo. The first version, pictured above, was my initial idea of just doing the body so I had plenty of room to create the patterns and tangles within the feathers. Feathers are a lot of fun to create using Zentangle. While I was working on the body, I realized, aside from their color, one of the flamingos most distinctive features are their long legs. I thought it would be neat to incorporate the legs into the drawing making one big project. I used three sheets of my drawing paper to create one huge piece of the flamingo with it’s legs. I scanned the three images to my computer and pieced them together creating this long legged beauty!

I am really happy with how it looks as a full image. My only complaint is my scanner. Unfortunately, it couldn’t capture the really HOT pink color I was using so some of the areas are more dull compared to the original. Without comparing it though, the scanned image still looks pretty sweet!

I have both of these versions available in my shop at Redbubble. Click the links below to check out apparel, home décor, stationary and more!

Flamingo Totem (Body Only)

Flamingo Totem (with Long Legs)

You can also check out two patterns that I created from these pieces. The pretty blue background compliments the pink nicely. You can find these in my shop here and here.

Which design or drawing is your favorite? Leave a comment below! Thanks for stopping by today! I have quite a few ideas for my next couple projects so check back often for new work. I hope you are enjoying some nice weather!

Stay flashy, free spirits!

Work In Progress

Flamingo WIP

Free Spirit Meg

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!

Totem Animals, Traditional Art

Totem Animal: Horse

Free Spirit Meg

I am happy with how his piece turned out. The mane was a lot of fun to draw. It resembles fire which is funny because I have always struggled with drawing fire, yet this came easily for me. Now that I have this concept in mind, I will have to experiment with fire again. I had to change my perspective a little to figure it out.

Like the orca, I did not add any tangles to this totem. I don’t know why. I easily could have but I just wanted to play around with the fading colors and the shape of the mane. I wanted the mane to be the focus of the entire piece. It’s wild and free just like the horse, which will lead us to our symbolism.

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HORSE SYMBOLISM

The horse has been an amazing companion throughout the history of mankind. No other animal has made a bigger impact in the lives of humans than the horse. They’ve aided us with traveling long distances, they’ve carried men through wars, provided the power needed for agriculture and entertained us with racing and horse shows. Horses have been by our side since cavemen. If you have horse for a totem, consider yourself extremely lucky.

The horse is a symbol of travel. They have always carried us where we need to go, making travel between cities and families easier. They also were used to deliver goods and news from place to place. They were the first to show us what it is like to have wings. If the horse has crossed your path, it may be time for you to take a trip. Are you stressed? Do you need to get away for a while? Let the horse take you away and show you what it’s like to fly. They will show you what it’s like to feel free again.

I loved riding my horse, Skyler, through the open fields by my childhood house. Once they have the open space, they will run as fast as their thundering hooves can carry them! The tears streak from your eyes! It’s a rush. The horse is a strong symbol of freedom. Remember to keep this spirit with you always. Do not stay tied down, no matter how domesticated you feel. Even domestic horses let go and let the wind guide them, their manes flowing wildly. Use this energy in your own journey to freedom. Live a little.

Horses are the greatest symbol of power. Each color of the horse represents an individual strength. The black horse rules dreams and the dark. They will guide you and show you how to find the light. The chestnut shows us the power of remaining playful and remembering the joys of life. They show us how to have fun. The palomino shows us the power of teaching others and sharing our enlightenment. It is important to help others when we can and guide them to find their own strength. Finally we have the white, or gray, horse. They are the unity of all the powers and your mount to and from the spirit realm. The white horse teaches wisdom and that wisdom cannot be obtained if power is abused. Keep all this in mind as you trot down your path in life. It will take you far!

Last but not least, the horse represents sexuality. The stallion is a strong representation of this. The stud. Need I say more. Strut your stuff, honey! You look mighty fine. Just don’t get too cocky. Wouldn’t want to take a kick to the face.

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I hope you enjoyed this week’s totem. It has been a long time coming. Horses are my favorite animal and have played a huge role in my life. They have truly changed my outlook on life. Do you have any great horse tales? Share your story in the comments below! Thanks for stopping by!

Stay wild, free spirits!

Find Horse Totem prints and other products @Redbubble

Sources

Totem Animals, Zentangle Inspired Art (ZIA)

Twitterpated

Free Spirit Meg

Spring has finally arrived! The weather is trying to make the shift from cold and frigid to into warm and inviting. I can hear the birds throughout the day. It was silent during the winter then one day, it seemed all the birds came out at once to sing their songs! I love it! I always think of the scene from the movie Bambi when the owl explains that all the birds are twitterpated! Twitterpated? Yes.

“Nearly everybody gets twitterpated in the springtime. For example, you’re walking along minding your own business, you’re looking neither to the left, nor to the right, when all of the sudden, you run smack into a pretty face. WHOO-WHOO! You begin to get weak in the knees, your head’s in a whirl! And then you feel light as feather, and before you know it you’re walking on air! And then you know what? You’re knocked for a loop! And you completely lose your head!” -Friend Owl

It makes me laugh every time I think about it. So in honor of springtime and a great movie, here is a collection of all the avian totems I have drawn so far.

There are still quite a few I need to cover but it’s a pretty great collection to start. I have the flamingo in the works right now. It’s going to be fun playing around with the different shades of pink. For now though, we have these beauties! You can read about each birds symbolism by clicking the links below.

You can also find prints and other cool products with these images @Redbubble and @Society6!

Which drawing is your favorite? Is there a bird not pictured here that you would like to see? Drop a suggestion in the comments below! Thanks for stopping by today!

Fly high, free spirits!

Totem Animals, Zentangle Inspired Art (ZIA)

Totem Animal: Orca

Free Spirit Meg

I had so much fun creating this piece. I always have an idea in mind but as I draw I let the piece create itself. My original thought was to have each orca resemble each half of a yin yang symbol. They originally were going to be done in zentangle and one porpoise would be black, the other white. The more I worked on it, my entire idea changed. The orcas’ skin is so smooth and shiny, I didn’t want to take away from that by adding patterns. I thought, instead, it would be a fun opportunity to play with the value scale and get some nice blue hues in replace of the orcas’ natural black. To fill in the space between, I created a neat design to represent the waves of water splashing around them. It’s a very calming piece. I feel like I can hear the water splashing when I look at it.

The orca has always fascinated me, ever since I was a child. They are my favorite marine animal and they have a lot to boast. So let’s dive on in and learn about their symbolism! (…see what I did there…)

Orca Symbolism

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First of all, lets get this out of the way so there is no confusion. Orcas are also known as killer whales. They are not actually whales, however. They are the largest porpoise (like dolphins) species in existence.

Orcas are highly intelligent creatures. They have the second largest brain in the ocean and can figure out any dilemma they come across. Have you ever seen those videos on youtube of the killer whales hunting? Pretty crazy stuff! Their ability to work together and problem solve is remarkable. This is a key point we should take from the orca. If they have swam into your consciousness, it may be time to start using that big brain of yours. Keep yourself mentally active and healthy. The better you take care of yourself, the better you can take on any obstacle in life!

Orcas are a strong symbol of family. They live in huge “pods” sometimes of 40 family members! The females lead the pod, passing it down from generation to generation. They have great respect towards their grandmothers and mothers. We, too, should remember to respect our own family members who have cared for us and taught us what they know.

It is also important to work together. Killer whales know they can accomplish more when they are together. They are phenomenal hunters. Orcas have often been referred to as the wolves of the water because of the way they work as a pack to catch their prey. Make sure you are being a good team player. Help each other to obtain a common goal. The success rate is higher when you work together. It is much easier to make waves with many whales than it is with one. Imagine what you can do if everyone is in tune with each other. Communication helps with this.

Orcas are very vocal and rely heavily on sound. They use echolocation to navigate the world around them. Plus their songs are beautiful and melodious. If you hear the call of the orca, remember to use your own voice. Communicate with others to achieve harmony. Sing your song and enjoy the music of others. A calming tone can do wonders!

Some Native Americans believed that each orca was a reincarnation of a loved one. They showed a great respect for the animal and never hunted them. They were a sign from the spirit realm that a love one that has passed is still with you, watching over you. If you have lost someone recently, perhaps they have come to comfort you in the form of orca.

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The orca is such a powerful totem and they represent so much more than what I covered here. Make sure to check out other sources to get a full interpretation of your totem. Thanks for stopping by this week! Say hi in the comments below and let me know what you think of the orca totem!

Make a splash, free spirit!

Find Orca Totem prints and other products @Redbubble