Tag: #series

Flamingo WIP + Updates

by Free Spirit Meg, posted in Work In Progress

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!

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Totem Animal: Orca

by Free Spirit Meg, posted in Totem Animals, Zentangle Inspired Art (ZIA)

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

Click here to get $10 off your first Redbubble purchase! Prints, canvases, totes, tapestries, apparel and more!


Totem Animal: Blue footed Booby

by Free Spirit Meg, posted in Totem Animals, Zentangle Inspired Art (ZIA)

This post is all about boobies! I’m sorry, I had to! Ok, but seriously though it’s about boobies. The blue footed booby to be exact. It is the latest animal I chose for my totem series. I had a lot of fun with this piece. I really enjoy using zentangle when drawing birds. Their feathers always come out awesome! I was excited to use the blue colors to create the feet, as well. I didn’t use any ink around the feet like I did through out the rest of the piece. I wanted the color to be the only part of the feet you pay attention to. This is also why I didn’t add any tangles to the feet. I kept the colors for this drawing realistic. The blue footed booby is so beautiful on it’s own. I didn’t want to take away from their natural patterns and colors.

The blue footed booby’s symbolism is just as interesting as their appearance. It was difficult to dig up information on this one. It was a unique choice on my part. Not too many people stumble across these guys too often, being that that they are only found in Central and South America. However, I was seeing them repeatedly online and my son brought home some school papers about them so I decided I needed to check this one off the list.

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Blue Footed Booby Symbolism

The word booby comes from the Spanish word “bobo”. Bobo means stupid. Some think this name was given to these birds because of how clumsy they are when on land. Although they bumble around on land to mate and care for their young, they are most graceful in the air and water. They soar through the air, above the ocean hunting for food. They will dive straight down into the water, with speed and elegance, to gobble up unsuspecting schools of fish. When searching for a mate, males use their vibrant feet in a courting dance to show off to females. The brighter the blue, the more attractive the mate. They also use their feet to protect their young and keep them warm. Because of their size, the only predator boobies have
(besides humans) are sharks.

The blue footed booby is a survivor. If one has crossed your path you can expect the same for yourself. No matter what life is throwing at you, you can come out of it stronger than ever! Dive deep within yourself. There are more layers than just the surface. You have strength deep within that will help you get ahead in life.

The booby is fearless. They may look silly as they stumble around, doing a little dance. They may be a bit goofy with big blue feet that don’t quite seem to fit the rest of their body. Though in the end, they are still confident and continue on. So what if your own dance is a little clumsy, it’s yours! Strut your stuff, don’t be afraid to be you! Single? This could be your time to shine and pick up that cutie you’ve been too shy to approach otherwise. In a relationship? Don’t forget to have some fun every once and a while. Remember to dance together, even if you look silly.

The blue footed booby is also a symbol of creativity and dreaming. It might be time to take that dream and make it a reality. The booby is telling you to keep in touch with your creative side. Anything is possible, as long as you can imagine it. Use your creativity to make it happen.

Blue footed boobies live on the coast. This symbolizes unity of all the elements. The sun shines on the coast (fire), the booby birds dance on the shore (earth), they soar through the sky (air) and they dive into the waters(you guessed it, water). They use all the elements to survive and have achieved a balance between them. If we can obtain this balance in our own lives, we too can dive deep into the open water and come out with an abundance of fish….or whatever you are aiming for!

With awkward feet and a name that makes you giggle, it’s surprising how powerful a totem the blue footed booby can be. Balance your life and remember to look within yourself for the strength to survive. Stay silly and spend time with the love of your life.

I hope you were able to gain some insight from the blue footed booby. I was happy to learn as much as I did about them. They are unique and interesting creatures. Have you ever seen one of these birds in person? Share your story in the comments below! Thanks for stopping by this week! Check back soon for my next totem piece, the orca.

Dive on in, free spirits!

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~Totem Animal art by Free Spirit Meg~

Find your own totem animal in the shop!

Prints and Products Available @ Redbubble!

Manatee Totem in the Shop!

by Free Spirit Meg, posted in Free Spirit Merch, Zentangle Inspired Art (ZIA)

Good morning art lovers! I am super excited to announce that my Manatee Totem is now in the shop! I have so much fun designing these products and it adds a little twist to my drawings. I design the backgrounds on photoshop and they really add to the image! I get to play around with so many different colors and it gives me ideas on how I can make my drawings better as well. I use to be strictly a graphite pencil artist but I’ve realized that has changed, a lot! Now I use ink pens, colored pencils, art markers and now photoshop! I’d say I’m more of a mixed media artist now. But don’t worry, I still have a lot of pencil ideas a’brewin! I want to get back into my “Eye” series. I had a lot of fun doing them and people seem to love them! My totem animals just kind of took over! That’s ok, though. The totem animals will be an on-going thing. They will never end, not until I have drawn a totem for every animal in existence. I’m not sure if that is possible in a single lifetime but I will certainly try! Anyways, now I’m rambling.

Here are some of my favorite Manatee products but there are so many to choose from! You can see all the products available in my shops at

Redbubble & Society6

There are also prints (framed and canvas as well), yoga mats, coasters, notebooks and journals, tapestries, serving trays, keepsake boxes and so much more! Any and all sales are greatly appreciated and will help me grow into a full time artist…which means more and better art!

Thanks for stopping by today! I hope you find something you like!

Happy shopping, free spirits!

  • Stickers!
  • Tote bags!
  • Clocks!
  • Pouches!
  • Stools & Furniture!
  • All Over Graphic Tee!
  • Pillows!
  • Water Buddha Shirts!
  • Beach Towels!

Zenbooby WIP

by Free Spirit Meg, posted in Work In Progress

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

Totem Poll (see what I did there)

by Free Spirit Meg, posted in FSM Updates, Totem Animals

Hey All!

I’ve been out of sort for the past week or two, getting a lot of snow removal hours and trying to catch up on some zzzzz’s! I think Mother Nature is going to give me a breather now…for a little while…so I can start my next totem, the blue-footed booby! I real excited to get start because the colors are going to be bright and beautiful! Once I finish the booby, I thought it would be fun to let you guys choose what totem I should do next. I’ve created a poll to let you guys pick which animal you would like to see next. Here are the choices…

Which totem animal should I draw next?

  • Orca
  • Jaguar
  • Sloth
  • Mouse
  • Horse
  • Wolf
  • Kingfisher
  • Buffalo
  • Zebra
  • Dog

Leave a comment below with the animal of your choice.

Thanks for voting! I can’t wait to see who the winner is!

I also have the poll up on twitter and deviant art. Those votes will be counted towards the total as well! Unfortunately, twitter only allows 4 choices so you can only vote on the full list here on my blog and on deviant art.

Take care, free spirits!

Totem Animal: Flying Squirrel

by Free Spirit Meg, posted in Totem Animals, Zentangle Inspired Art (ZIA)

What a goofy, little critter. These strange creatures are unique from other squirrels as they have a flappy membrane from there front to their back feet called a patagium. This is what allows them to fly, or rather glide, through the air. They are clumsy creatures on the ground so the will try to hide until they can return to the tree tops for safety. Another trait that makes them unique is that most of them are nocturnal. The fact that they only come out at night led to the recent discovery that certain species glow under UV light. Their underbellies glow a vibrant pink. After learning about this, I had to draw one for my next totem piece, even though I’ve already completed a red squirrel.

The drawing came out so bright and crazy! It’s very different from my other totems. The pink is so vibrant, I wanted to make sure I captured that unique trait the best I could! The blue and pink work well together. It was a lot of fun creating this piece and I can’t wait to try even more wild colors in the future! Now on to the symbolism!

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FLYING SQUIRREL SYMBOLISM

Flying squirrels over all have the same lessons to teach as all squirrels. You can read general squirrel symbolism in a post I wrote a while back first if you like. Then come back to this one for a cherry on top.

Because they are nocturnal, the flying squirrel is connected to the moon. The moon is a strong symbol for feminine energy and the flying squirrel is known for fertility in some Native American lore. These little critters also teach us about balance. Perhaps it is time to balance our energies in order to glide, effortlessly, though our day to day. Maintaining balance will help us remain fertile in life, not only meaning family but in joys and riches as well.

Flying squirrels have huge, buggy eyes in order to see better in the dark. Make sure that you are aware of your surroundings. Dangers could be right in front of you but if you refuse to see them, they will get you! Just like a hungry owl gets the flying squirrel. You may also want to check out Owl symbolism to see what could be lurking in the shadows.


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I hope you enjoyed my latest totem and were able to gain some insight from the flying squirrel. Have you ever seen a flying squirrel? Share your story in the comments below! Thanks for stopping by this week!

Glide on, free spirits!

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Sources:

Rhino What You’re Thinking!

by Free Spirit Meg, posted in FSM Updates, Zentangle Inspired Art (ZIA)

Hey Everyone! I uploaded the Rhino Totem to my Society6 and my Redbubble. The designs came out really cool! I am enjoying the Redbubble editor. It is so easy and user friendly. It doesn’t take forever to load like Society6 and I can change the color of the background on the editor which gives me a lot of options. I really like the red with the Rhino design.

Society6 has some awesome products though that Redbubble does not. I really like the yoga mats and the furniture is really neat too!

Make sure to give both shops a glance. They are each unique and different like these notebooks. The blue one is from Society6 and the red one is from Redbubble. Like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re going to get! Plus the prices vary between the products. Sometimes one of my shops will be having a sale and the other won’t.

I hope you enjoy the Rhino Totem. There is so much available in the shops it’s crazy! Let me know what you think about each store and what you favorite products are. Do you prefer Society6 or Redbubble? Any feedback is greatly appreciated. Growth is key! Thanks for your support! All profits go right back into my art for supplies, equipment and helps keep the blog running! And remember….

Save the Chubby Unicorns, free spirits!

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Related Posts: Rhino Symbolism | For Sudan and Northern White Rhinos

Totem Animal: Coyote

by Free Spirit Meg, posted in Totem Animals

The Coyote Totem came out very nice. I had a lot of fun with the different tangles and matching them with the coyote’s natural patterns. The colors were also fun to play with, using the different shades of copper, tans and yellows. I also added more of a background this time. With such a great pose from the coyote, I didn’t want it to look like the coyote was floating in mid air. The background is a design I came up with to represent the tall grasses the coyote will hunt in.

Coyote Symbolism

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The coyote is a very unique totem from the others I have studied so far. The coyote is a trickster. So much so that they will even fall for their own tricks. They symbolize self sabotage and making things more difficult for one’s self. If Coyote has presented itself to you be sure that you are not blinded by the obvious. You may be caught in disbelief of a stampede coming towards you that you allow it to trample you. Not believing what just happened, you’ll look again only to get struck once more by the same stampede. It is time to be aware of your surroundings. Are you being fooled by someone? Are you fooling yourself or others? Make sure you have not beguiled yourself and others into believing you know what your doing, when in fact you do not.

Do not be alarmed if Coyote has came across your path. Yes, Coyote’s medicine can be perceived as good or bad but it is still medicine. Coyote holds a great wisdom. Seek out this wisdom when you are down about yourself. Coyote wants you to be able to laugh at yourself. It may be laughter from pain or it may genuinely be funny. If you feel as though you have a flaw, shrug it off and chuckle about it. No one is perfect. If you wish to change that flaw then take the action needed to do so but do not fool anyone into thinking your perfect. Own up to who you are and do not let it bring you down.

Beware. Coyote could also be a sign that something may backfire on you. Perhaps you feel like everything you touch is going to sh*t. Or perhaps someone you have tricked in the past is looking to get you back. Keep a keen sense about you, like Coyote, to ensure you can escape any traps laid out for you. Especially be careful not to fall into your own trap! Do not play tricks on yourself and set yourself up for failure!

They are related to everything whimsical and everything funny. They teach us to stay light hearted and remember to laugh. The reason I chose to do the coyote totem next was because I heard them singing in the woods one night. When a coyote calls it may be because things are becoming too serious. They remind us to remain playful and view the world as if through child eyes. The world is a wonderous place and Coyote teaches us that anything is possible.

If you would like to dive deep into Coyote lore, I suggest checking out the book Native American Myths and Legends by Richard Erdoes and Alfonso Ortiz. There are many great stories in it about Coyote’s magical feats and incredible powers. They are the masters of many skills. Although, they will often seek out ways to benefit without having to use those skills. They are not lazy, quite on the contrary. Though they come off as crazy and foolish, they can also adapt to any situation they are in and any environment as well. They are swift and have many tricks up their sleeves (if they had sleeves) to get out of trouble urgently.

Summary

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Coyote is the wise fool. They have powerful magic that can get them out of any predicament. Though remember that magic doesn’t always work. Do not fall into traps made by yourself and do not fall for anyone else’s either. If you are known to prank others, there might be someone around the corner waiting to get you back. Stay aware of the obvious and do not second guess what is right in front of you! Use your skills to adapt to your surroundings. Remember that we are all flawed, to err is human. So learn to laugh at yourself when you make a silly mistake. Embrace the true you and stop tricking everyone into thinking your perfect because you’re not. No one is. We just are. So have fun, stay playful and fill your eyes with wonderment. Just remember to not let that wonderment turn into a vale over your head.

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I sure learned a lot from Coyote! They couldn’t have showed up at a better time. Did you know their howls can be deceptive as well? When they yip and yap through the woods, their call will bounce off the trees. This makes one coyote sound like two and two sound like four and so on. Many believe this is a tactic used to intimidate potential threats that may be close by. Just another tricky prank they like to pull!

I hope you enjoyed Coyote’s Totem piece and were able to take some Coyote wisdom with you as well. Prints are available in both my shops @ Society6 and Redbubble! Thanks for stopping by today!

Keep laughing, free spirits!

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Related Posts: Coyote WIP

Sources:

Ice Bear WIP

by Free Spirit Meg, posted in Sketchbook, Zentangle Inspired Art (ZIA)

I had so much fun making this one. With each piece that I do it becomes easier and easier for me to “let loose”. I have always set up “rules” for myself, forcing myself to stick to a made up guideline when it came to my drawings. Since working with zentangle and my totem animals though, I am feeling more like a free spirit than I ever have before and my work is better because of it! This piece was fluent. I have been wanting to do a polar bear for a while now but unintentionally waited until winter time to create it. I am still lacking in black ink since inktober happened and so I decided to go with blue. This is the first time I have used a color other than black for the outline and I think it came out pretty cool. I wonder what kind of affect I will get when I add the colored pencil.

Although, I have to say, it looks good in the black too. What do you think? Should I experiment more with different color outlines or just stick with black? Share your thoughts in the comments below! Thanks for stopping by today! Check back later this week to learn about polar bear symbolism and to see the finished drawing!

Take care, free spirits!