Living, breathing, and creating with nature
When you wake up to the gentle sights and sounds of the pond, trees, plants, birds, bees, and dragonflies, inspiration flows effortlessly. So, when the owner asked for a menu design for @SarayaGoa Art Café, I thought—why not let nature speak for itself?
Using pen and ink, I captured the beauty of my mornings here—each stroke reflecting the lush surroundings that make Saraya unique. Instead of focusing on just food items, I filled the cover and inside pages with illustrations of the vibrant life around us. Dining here means eating among the green, surrounded by the diverse plants of our permaculture gardens.
This study is a tribute to the beauty that shapes every meal at Saraya.
Watercolour painting of a Prickly Hakea. I started drawing different plants last month from the area where I live. This month I am turning them into watercolours, with the Hakea being one of the first.
I've been going through my sketches, both completed and incomplete, and found a drawing of a young Sumatran Tiger that I began working on around two years ago, but never completed. I'm actually relieved that I didn't draw it earlier, as it has allowed me to gain more experience in illustrating this stunning creature, which is unfortunately a species at risk of extinction.
A few facts about the Sumatran Tigers...
The Sumatran tiger Panthera tigris sumatrae*, the smallest tiger subspecies, is critically endangered and stands as the final surviving species of island tigers. Poaching poses a significant danger to Sumatran tigers as hunters target them for their skin, bones, and canines. Additionally, habitat loss caused by oil palm, coffee, and acacia plantations, further endangers these big cats by reducing their prey availability and pushing them closer to human habitations.
It is estimated that there are fewer than 400 mature individual tigers in Sumatra in isolated pockets of protected land. Three of the protected areas are classified as UNESCO World Heritage Sites but all are in danger of losing this status due to threats from poaching, illegal logging, agricultural encroachment, and planned road building. It is for these reasons the Sumatran tiger is classified in the most severe IUCN status: Critically endangered.
Description: The Sumatran tiger is the smallest and darkest tiger subspecies and tends to be more bearded and maned than the other subspecies. Male tigers can expect to reach somewhere in the region of 120kg and 8ft from head to tail vs females who average 91kg and 7ft length.
Breeding: Female tigers are sexually mature at about 3 or 4 years of age, and males at about 4 to 5 years. Mating may occur any time during the year, but it most frequently takes place from November to April. The information was obtained from conservewildcats.org. Thank you.
#indonesia #criticallyendangered #sumatrantiger #amateurartist #tigerdrawing #tigersketch #tigercub #sketchadayapp #october2024
This captivating ink drawing features a fantasy character standing still, deeply rooted to the earth and seamlessly merged with nature. Surrounded by a complex web of trees and plants, the figure embodies the essence of the natural world. In the background, a mesmerizing sunset casts a warm glow over abstract waves of clouds, creating a harmonious blend of light and shadow. This artwork symbolizes the profound connection between humanity and the environment, inviting viewers to reflect on the beauty of nature.
"You flee my dream come the morning
Your scent - berries tart, lilac sweet
To dream of raven locks entwisted, stormy
Of violet eyes, glistening as you weep"
My friend wrote a comfortable and awesome text about Eddie. She came up with a lot of details, I don't even have the words... Eddie grows a lot of plants, gives them names and talks to them. I couldn't help but sketch it out.. Translation: "Sir, Carl! I think you need a bigger house (pot) now!.."
Meadhbh in front of wall of plants. 2024, Ballpoint pens on 5” x 8” (10” x 8” Double page spread) acid free Moleskine sketchbook paper, Adobe Photoshop.
They say Prometheus brought fire from the sun concealed in a hollow fennel stalk. They say tarragon came to be when a flax seed was pushed into the pierced root of a sea onion and planted after dark. The Minotaur simply likes the smell of chopped herbs.”
- Steven Sherrill
For some reason out of all of my drawings, this one went viral on Tumblr. So when I got to the Minotaur on the list of hybrid creatures, I had to (re)make this one.
The sentence is from “Minotaur takes a cigarette break” by Steven Sherrill. It’s wonderful.
Vibrant flowers, including a sunflower and a rose, dominate the forefront of the painting with their bright and colorful petals. Light, sketch-like strokes give the piece a playful and dynamic feel, with an array of greens creating a lively backdrop for the blooms.
I drew this back in October as part of a live Magma session at Magma.com - Drawn on Ipad Pro. I can't remember what the theme was. Maybe Halloween? I don't remember but whatever it was I was in the mood for drawing Joe and Mac (caveman ninja). No tracing, no pressure sensitivity and no Ai.
This is a simple watercolor and pen drawing of a witch hazel tree in winter bloom with an owl perched on top. I love the witch hazel shrub and am thinking of creating a picture book showcasing the plant throughout the seasons.
In our little potted gardens, sometimes our plants thrive, and sometimes they don't. But what remains constant are the pots still being a pot. This reminds me of the Bible verse, which served as the inspiration for this week's post:
-Isaiah 40:8 NIV-
The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God endures forever. //There are 6 Sundays leading up to Good Friday. In observation of Lent, I will be posting 6 works inspired by the theme. This is for the 5th Sunday of Lent.
Leo..wasnt the best at taking pictures for his school page. But at least the cat ones look good, right? No he just stole them from one of his favorite games. Dammit Leo! (still tired and sleepy..honk mimimimimimi but i have no clue what to draw next honsetly. IM THINKING OF STUFF I THINK, THE SIDE PHOTOS ARE CATTAIL FROM PLANTS VZ ZOMBIES. I LIKE CATTAIL!!!!) (just kill me already...............(again))
When I moved into my first apartment, I knew I wanted to create my own wall art. So like any Potterhead artist, I binged Harry Potter movies and painted for many hours straight. This painting is part of a three piece set featuring my favorite plants painted on a soft gradient background. This 8”x10” acrylic painting is made on pre-stretched canvas.
Continuing to look at the mysteries of plants used as bush medicine by Indigenous people in the East Kimberley of Western Australia. These two plants are common throughout the area. The one on the left is used for colds and the right for soap. How many of us would know what to look for?
Many people walk past plants either without noticing them or with just a glance. For the Walmajarri people in the Kimberley region of Western Australia, and many other Indigenous groups, plants provide a source of food and medicine. These outlines are of plants that are used by Walmajarri people as either food or medicine. For most people they remain a mystery, hence the outline only.
This was done a year ago, but it's my favorite because it was basically just dumps of random doodle ideas that I had or had seen. It is a cluster of things that I liked at the time such as my favorite drink, food, animal, patterns, instruments, show, plant, seasons, and much more.