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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Tag: #WIP
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!
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
ZenCoyote WIP
Thankfully the snowstorm has passed and I can finally get back to my art! I started the color on Coyote and plan to have it finished this weekend. Coyotes actually have a diverse range of colors in there fur and it has been interesting pairing them together. I can’t wait to see what it looks like once it’s finished!
Also, I have been adding a lot of my work in my shops on Society6 and Redbubble. I am so excited with how my art looks on everything and it’s so much fun building my shop. Make sure to check it out. Yesterday I added Blue Jay Totem and I love how the tapestry turned out!
Thanks for stopping by! Stay warm, free spirits!
ZenSkunk WIP
I just finished the ink for my latest totem, the skunk. I am very pleased with how this one came out. Though, this is actually my second attempt. My first attempt was not working at all. The tangles were messy and rushed. The drawing was not flowing and I couldn’t “see” what I wanted to do with it. It stunk! (see what I did there) So I accepted defeat and started a new one. This is the result. Much better. I used flower related tangles because I always think of the skunk from Bambi:
“He can call me flower, if he wants to.”
Next is color, what little color there is. It will be more or less shading. That makes things easy yet difficult. It’s easy because there is not much to it; it’s difficult because the detail can get lost in the black. I will share the finished piece later this week and we will check out the symbolism of the skunk. I am very interested to learn skunk. I have never looked it up in the past and I see them frequently. I wonder what lessons are in store for us!
What do you think about skunks? Have any funny stories? Share them in the comments below. Thanks for stopping by! I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving weekend.
Cura te ipsum, free spirits!
ZenTurkey WIP
I was originally going to start working on skunk as my next totem. I saw so many earlier this year and even though the temperatures are growing colder, they are still appearing to me. They must have a message that I need to receive! I apologize skunk but I will have to complete you next week! I figured this week was appropriate to honor the turkey and discover what lessons they have in store for us. Some of their symbolism is obvious, some is not. I will go into more detail on that in my next post on Thanksgiving Day. The turkey’s symbolism will be accompanied with the completed drawing in color. For now, I have completed the ink portion of the piece. I am pleased with how it turned out. I didn’t have to go to work today, another rain out, so I had a lot of time to myself while my son was at school. I put on some headphones, listened to some tunes and zoned out into my art. That’s the best way for me to do great and efficient work. I get so “in the zone” that when my husband tries to get my attention he scares me every time! I don’t even realize he is there. Luckily, I have grown a super power to not let bumps and jerks affect my drawing hand, so no drawings were harmed in the process.
I hope everyone is ready for Thanksgiving. I know I am! I am going to stuff myself until I pass out! Thanks for stopping by this week. Check back in a couple days and see the completed turkey totem!
Until next time,
“The more you practice the art of thankfulness, the more you have to be thankful for.”
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Ending Quote by Norman Vincent Peale
Zentiger WIP II
Now that Inktober is complete, I can get back on track with my totem animals. I left off with Tiger. This piece is just about finished. I haven’t touched it in a month and the funny thing is it will probably only take me another 20 minutes to complete! Once I have it finished I will share the finished piece and the wisdom that Tiger has to share with us.
Thanks for stopping by! Check back soon for more!
Until next time,
“Painting from nature is not copying the object; it is realizing one’s sensations.” ~ Paul Cézanne
FSM Update: Tiger Teaser
Hey All! I’m getting back on track with my totem animal drawings. I started the sketch to a new one today. I will be taking a break from my “Megtography” so I can start focusing on my artwork more. It is quite a challenge posting a photo a day, especially an interesting photo a day! Kudos to all the photographers out there that can keep up with it! For me though, my artwork is more important so I need to get back in the flow with my drawings! To spice it up, I am working on the mighty tiger. I have a huge adoration for big felines and tigers are one of the most striking!
Check back soon to see the completed piece and learn about tiger symbolism. Thanks for stopping by!
Until next time,
“There is no off switch for a tiger.” -German Proverb
