Bear was most respected animal in Finnish mythology
It was born in the skies on the shoulders of the seven stars of the Great Bear
From there, the bear was let down to earth in a golden cradle with silver straps, into the forest
Bearskullpine
A new bigger version of my earlier drawing
In the Finnish mythology killing of a bear was followed by a great feast in honour of the bear (peijaiset), where a substantial part of the celebrations consisted of convincing the bear's spirit that it had died accidentally and hadn't been murdered. Afterwards, the bear's skull was hung high upon a pine tree so its spirit could re-enter the heavens. The bones of the bear were then buried under the pine.
I try to do a couple of birds a week (obviously don't post them all). This is based on an on-line photo reference drawn with a "soft" Palomino Blackwing pencil and a 4B Koh-I-Noor Hardtmuth Progress woodless pencil. Hence the dark velvety black.
⚡Flash Back Friday⚡ Going back to a blackbook doodle from a few years ago. Why am I showing you this? Because graffiti art is, and has been, one of my greatest influences (aside from M.C. Escher). It is an art form I love, and I gain much inspiration from the graffiti scene (legal and illegal). I don’t really show this side of my art to the world, but it is fun for me to create, and it definitely informs my other pieces of work.
Had some doubts on this one. Originally planned for more in the back and foreground. Felt it might take away from the wolf as the focal point. Graphite pencils. Black was charcoal pencils.
(HB pencil on 181mm x 87mm paper) Another work I did for the Christmas cards I give to people each year. With this one, it shows a "chickydoll" Christmas elf by the name of Trixie. These Christmas cards always come with a story attached to them. It can be read here: https://www.skavart.co.uk/2021/12/merry-christmas-2021-black-feather.html
Beer Label design incorporating lots of local facts/things to do with the area it's brewed in. Sailing, windsurfing, big lake, spitfire plane, invading shrimps, highland cattle, sunken church, snakes, beer swilling octopus (ok I made that one up).
