#undyingtales

[vyskala]

The last Christmas Island shrew.

Heavily inspired by the Death of rats from Discworld, but this is the Death of shrews, different skull. I learnt they got fun shaped skills with hooked teeth. Anyways, Death came personally to collect the last of a species, a proper send off.

The Christmas Island shrew or musk-shrew (Crocidura trichura) was declared extinct this month. Last confirmed individuals seen back in 1985. References are hard to come by, so I used some other artworks to help. The island itself sits NE of Australia and south of Java.

White markers, black watercolour pencils and normal pencils on brown paper.

A bit spooky drawing for Halloween.

[heatherfranzen]

Red Panda for Undying Tales this year!

Holbein acryla gouache on mystery paper (either Legion Paper Stonehenge or Strathmore Art Journal) cut to ACEO / ATC size.

[pixilation]

Undying Tales day 2 - Hillstar Hummingbird posted on Instagram - https://instagr.am/p/CUizzowL-4K/

[nocek]

So far my #inktober is rather bug themed which is surprising but fun. This one is technically for #inktoberday2 prompt #mindless but since that day I also saw #parasite (amazing! Go see it) and also misremembered #undyingtales prompt of firefly to #dragonfly things happened 😅 #inktober2019 #hobonichi #hobonichicousin https://www.instagram.com/p/B3iAmijj6Y_/?igshid=p2rt4tvqyd7y

[dragonwrangler]

A quick inktober piece. Wanted to do at least one.

[vyskala]

Inktober: long tailed duck.

So this one got more attention as its plumage works well on the brown paper. That and I been meaning to draw one for a while.

White markers, black pens and watercolour pencils on brown paper.

[vyskala]

Inktober Undyingtales Crested Ibis.

I finished other projects so had time for full drawing, plus it's a white bird!

The crested ibis (Nipponia nippon) has been found in ancient texts (The Nihon Shoki, "Chronicles of Japan", which is the second oldest book of classical Japanese history and mythological origins) and imperial tombs in Japan. It is called "toki" and the name in kanji means "peach flower bird" for the pale pink blush of the feathers, and in China, it is known as a bird of good fortune.

Brought to brink of extinction it vanished from Japan. Yet conservation projects and reintroduction breeding projects have seen the bird return. It is mostly seen on Sado island.

White markers, watercolour pencils and gold paint pen.

[vyskala]

Inktober Ethiopian wolf

The Aberdeen Bestiary was written in the 12th century. It is an illuminated manuscript, commissioned by a rich patron. It is gilded with gold and silver and depicts all manner of creatures painted with expensive pigments. On Ethiopian wolves in particular, it says that they have manes in an array of many colors "so diversely coloured, men say, that no hue is lacking". The wolves can leap so high and far, that it is as if they have wings, and they never attack men. The author goes on to muse that the Latin genus of these creatures, "Canis" (which includes wolves, dogs, coyotes, and jackals) might be traced to "canere" which is the latin word "to sing", and might be attributed to the musical howl that a wolf engages in.

Last of my quick ink drawings. I've done a white drawing for the last one.