“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.
Been some time since I touched the pencil. It wasn't easy to get back to drawing, since I was also distracted by the internet for some time. Lots of things went through my head, while I was out on a trip. Just drew whatever I felt like drawing, and this came alongside some reflections:
I have been stuck on fixing this character concept for a very long time, trying to box it within a classification. Bird, wyvern, dragon, shadow, whatever- I came to a point today, where I felt that it really doesn't matter anymore. This is that sort of character who can be everything.
I spent the entire afternoon trying to arrange all the little ideas and features, following true to creative intuition. Smashing together many of my previous character designs, this appeared. A masked and unnamed figure (???) with traits from many of my previous works.
An avian / draconic / spiritual shapeshifter has always been something with me all this time, even when I tried to create a sona years back (finding it meaningless). True to its nature, it has few lively features except its eyes and requires a mask to display additional signs of life.
Its clear that this character is basically a symbolic self-expression. It wasn't easy to seperate myself from my introjective tendencies, which easily distorts my concept of this figure (took weeks to untangle). Once the confusions loosen, it reappears with noticeably familiar features.
The scribble above still has some room for rearrangement, just limited by the irreversible nature of pencil drawing. The grey markings were too dark, and the feet might look better staying white. The pale golden underbody markings, were actually a surprise.
Drawing of my character I did in May. This sketchbook is almost done. I don't want use my new ones until I draw on every page. The grey and purple is a colored pen.
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.
