“I'm not someone who's particularly in touch with the way they feel. I've heard it said that you should be a 'human being' not a 'human doing', but I'm a human doing, very much so.” - Nick Cave.
Today I’m tackling the elusive Tully Monster as a drawing subject!
“It might be either a wormy type thing or a molluscy-like thing but for the most part, comprehensive taxonomies placed the monster in the animal kingdom untethered to any particular phylum, making it essentially unclassifiable. The perplexing nature of these fossils earned them the parochial nickname ‘Tully Monster’.”
This delicate digital illustration captures the quiet charm of a hazel dormouse, portrayed with soft textures and warm, natural tones. Every fine hair and subtle contour has been carefully rendered, bringing a lifelike sense of warmth and vulnerability to this enchanting woodland mammal. The dormouse’s glossy, expressive eyes and gentle posture invite the viewer into its secretive world, hidden among hedgerows and ancient woodlands. Created using digital drawing apps, this piece blends realism with a tender, almost storybook quality — a celebration of one of Britain’s most beloved yet rarely seen native species.
“ Art is very good for you, it really gets to the emotional truth of things, even if the emotional truth of things is a big extra slice of the weirdness cake.”
Very wise words from Burnt Paw I had to include here!
I am illustrating a children's book for an author who is self-publishing. The story is about her granddaughter who wants a guinea pig and has to learn how to care for it.