Whale tale - finding my spirit animal

I've been in the process of trying to get back on track with my writing and drawing. It seems like 'life' over the last year took the wheel. But, I decided to dive head first into the process of reclaiming the joy in my creativity and bought 'The Artist's Way' by Julia Cameron for myself for Christmas.

Two weeks in it's already seen it's ups and downs. But, one of the ups has been going back through my notebook for the last few months. Turns out I've been writing and drawing and creating the whole time through. There's lots of half started and half finished musings. But, the 'creative' me has never stopped - maybe just gone a bit quiet.

In some ways I've been ramping up for this journey for a few months. This summer I finally 'got in touch' with my spirit animal. I know, that sounds lame.

My spirit animal is blue whale who I've named Sandra Oh (because Sandra Oh is amazing).

Finding Sandra Oh
Years ago on a writing retreat there was a shaman (I can't remember if this is what she officially called herself) who walked us through the process of finding our spirit animal.

To my disbelief I discovered mine was a blue whale. When the shaman asked us to reveal our animals the conversation went something like this:

Shaman: What animal do you see?

Me: Um... this can't be right. I see a whale?

Shaman: And, what's wrong with that?

Me: Well for one, I'm terrified of whales.

Shaman: Why is that?

Me: They're huge! The idea of being stuck in the water with one is terrifying.

Shaman: Hmm... that means that there's something inside of you that you're not ready to accept. Someday, when you need, just meditate on the whale. It will reveal its relevance to you.

Me: Uh-huh *eye roll* So, lunch then?

Meditating on whales
After losing a family member in March I was gearing up to move house later in the summer. I HATE moving house. I knew it would be stressful and in an attempt to pre-empt some of the stress the shaman's words came back to me. I decided to 'meditate' on a blue whale the best way I know how - drawing.

Mostly I just did image searches of whales and started drawing them. The thing I felt particularly drawn to / freaked out by were their big ass creepy eyes. Then I started doing a bit of reading about blue whales and their more astonishing features.

Maybe it was just having something to focus on other than the ever growing to do list in real life. But, as I drew whales and continued to learn more about them I found a sense of calm. Blue whales are amazing animals.

Some facts about blue whales:

• They are the largest animal to have ever lived on earth
• They can survive at depths up to 500m (For scale that's roughly 711 pounds per square inch (psi) and it only take 15 psi to break a human skull)
• They usually swim alone or in pairs
• Their calls are the loudest of any creature on the planet and can be heard at distances up to 1600 km
• They are considered to feel emotions and are known to protect other creatures

The thing that I found most striking is how strong they are. However, despite how deep they dive, despite all the pressure they can withstand, they still need to come up for air.

What does a whale spirit animal means (to me):

• Take a deep breath and start again - It means I'm good at handling pressure. But, I also need the wisdom to come up for air when needed.
• Reach out - The whale is a great communicator. It may swim relatively solitarily, but it needs to keep in touch with others, even remotely.
• Be the big, bold, beautiful me I'm meant to be - I should never fear my own power and voice. My strength, my energy is a force for good. If others fear it then I'll just swim on.
• Use my power for good - (some) whales are known to protect others. When I have the strength, I should take others along for the ride.

So why does Sandra Oh have wings?
Because I want my whale to have wings, that's why? How am I supposed to walk with my spirit animal if it only lives in the water? So, she has two forms. And, legit, why shouldn't she have a unicorn horn when she transform into super majestic flying form?

I took inspiration from Native American drawings of whales and eagles for her markings. I think she looks far more majestic as an actual whale, but I personally like imagining her as the cartoony version at the top :)

How do you find your spirit animal? No idea. I wrote off what I was learning at the time as hokum. And, I wouldn't recommend an online quiz as anything meaningful (though they can be fun). But, learning and 'meditating' on mine has been immensely helpful over the last few months. It provides a point of focus in the noise of life. So, if you have the chance, why not find yours. Or just pick an animal you like, and learn about it and see what lessons you can learn.

Hope you enjoy!
‽

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Bestiary - Eachy Peachy

Meet the Eachy (pronounce Eeky) - the horse headed monster of Scottish mythology.

I'm easing myself back into the writing game and fighting back against my shadowy inner critic by dipping into my first love - drawing. So, the bestiary has become my refuge where I get to write and draw and fantasise about all the fantastic mythological creatures of Scotland. And I'm pretty sure understanding the eachy might be the key to figuring out one of Scotland's greatest myths. Can you tell what it is yet?

I've managed to typset a few other pages as well. There's something incredibly satisfying about seeing my words and pictures side by side in a more finished state.

Check out more from the Bestiary here!

• Giants giants giants
• Cat sidhe
• Gargoyles
• Chimaera
• Kelpie
• Dragons, sidhe (fairies), and trows

Hope you enjoy!
‽

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Giants giants giants

I've started work on my entry for Giants in Merlin's Bestiary. Here's my first stab at the first two kinds - Stone and wood giants.

Iron giant meets stone!

Stone giants - Ailbhach - are the ancient behemoths that formed hills and mountain ranges like giant's causeway and Arthur's Seat. I actually grew up in the shadow of a mountain called Sleeping Giant (it basically looks like Te Fiti in Moana except on its back) and I always wondered what would happen if that giant woke up. Also, how did it get there? What happened to the land when if finally laid down to rest?

In the drawing the stones of this giant are the same basalt rock that form the Giant's Causeway in Northern Ireland. My favourite detail of the drawing is are the tiny birds making nests and circling around the giant's head. They're up there keeping warm up there from the steam generated by the molten core that powers it.

Wood giants - Lusant - have been some of my favourites to draw and dream about. I've always loved walking through the woods and finding bits of nature that look like things that could begin to move around and what they would do if they could.

On a recent trip to Exeter I spent an afternoon walking around picking up chestnut casings which looked like burst face-hugger eggs. What if they weren't actually seed pods but some kind of giant trap? What would happen if one of those little pods landed on your head and sealed it self back up?

Giants sprout huge seeds on their heads that eventually fall off and grow another wood giant. They actually grow from the top down into the earth until the new wood giant is fully formed. Then it digs itself out of the soil and goes on its way.

I still have lots of drawing to do because I don't think I've got them quite right. But, I like the ideas in the drawing so far. I just need to head out into nature and get some more inspiration! :)

Check out more from the Bestiary here!

• Eachy
• Cat sidhe
• Gargoyles
• Chimaera
• Kelpie
• Dragons, sidhe (fairies), and trows

Hope you enjoy!
‽

Buy 'Black Star' or 'Spirit Shear' on Amazon in the UK and US
Check out Themo on Twitter and Facebook

Merlin's Bestiary 3 - Fairy cat memes business

The latest entry in Merlin's bestiary. This ain't your friendly neighbourhood bongo cat! I introduce to you the cat sidhe! (pronounced "cat sidhe")

The fairy kitty - pencil on paper

I've actually started writing a short story about Merlin and his relationship with the fey creature. So, I decided that doing a more detailed study for his bestiary was in order.

An early sketch

The cat sidhe is a Celtic creature that stalks the Scottish highlands and is believed to be either a type of fairy creature or a witch that could transform herself into a cat. Either way, it's not a creature you want to mess with. When Merlin encounters one, this cat means business.

Merlin describes the cat as, "black as pitch with the exception of the shock of white fur that burst from beneath its chin. Yet, its coat shimmered and moved, showing off its unusual stripes, the deepest, most empty blackness like the voids of the night sky. It had large blue-green eyes that shone like two moons and fixed me in a chilling stare. However, the thing that showed its true sidhe nature were its miraculous ears that twitched and flapped like bat wings... As it moved, its form billowed like so many swirls of campfire smoke, it’s midnight figure a flickering shadowy flame."

Sketch of Scottish wildcat

My cat sidhe is actually a combination of a Scottish wildcat and the Kellas cat (which is actually a hybrid of wilcat and domestic cat). However, what sets the cat sidhe apart are its over-sized fairy wing ears and large saucer shaped eyes I also thought that Celtic swirl stripes would add to its other-worldly.

I enjoyed doing the drawings in pencil as well as it allowed me to play about with shading, smudges and an eraser to achieve smoke like affects.

I'm having a great time working my way through the bestiary. I love the synergy between the writing and drawing. I always start with a quick draft of ideas then I begin to draw. Then, as I draw I come up with wee details that I then find ways to work into the writing. It's how I prefer to write and it probably takes longer than if I just sat down and bashed out a draft but it makes the experience richer and more exciting for me.

The full story of Merlin's cat sidhe will be in the bestiary when it's done but I hope you enjoy this tiny taster. You can check out some of the other pages from Merlin's bestiary about the sidhe (fairies) and wyrms and gargoyles as well. Next will be GIANTS!!!

Check out more from the Bestiary here!

• Eachy
• Giants giants giants
• Gargoyles
• Chimaera
• Kelpie
• Dragons, sidhe (fairies), and trows

Hope you enjoy!

‽

Buy 'Black Star' or 'Spirit Shear' on Amazon in the UK and US

• Check out Themo on Twitter and Facebook

Lego galaxy

As per usual on my trip to London in the spring time I stopped by the Lego store!!!

I thought it was time to create some of my favourite characters in Lego and Lego stores have these great bins that have a plethora of hair and clothes and faces where you can create your own mini figures (And I may have had a few pieces already at home).

Introducing the characters of Emersus Project in LEGO!!!

L-R: Mhetli, Lauta, Ila, Gemmy, Sem

I've used Lego before to help with modelling when I directed a show. And I've always loved how lego inspires me to create and create the things in the worlds in my head in real life. And let's be honest, the little yellow plastic smiley people just bring me joy.

So, as I get back to working on the drawings for the new edition of Black Star 1.8 New Galaxy Edition (can't get any more Kingdom Hearts than that!!) I have my new Lego buddies to look out for me, keep me smiling and keep me on track.

Hope you enjoy!
‽

Buy 'Black Star' or 'Spirit Shear' on Amazon in the UK and US
Check out Themo on Twitter and Facebook

Fantastic Bestiary - Part 2

I started this post back in March over the holiday weekend. While working on drawings for Black Star 1.8 I decided to warm up by dipping my toes back into Ash and Ana's mythical world.

What started as a warm up turned into a fun afternoon of drawing and writing and I LOVE what it turned out. The first page of the bestiary that I typeset was just to try out the fonts. So, I made some tweaks to the style and format. For example, Ash is a lefty, so his annotations are slightly skewed as, without ruled paper, he finds it difficult to keep text in line. I've gone back and updated the first page.

I think I do some of my best work when I don't give myself an 'assignment' and just draw whatever strikes my fancy. I'm a firm believer that great art is 10% inspiration 10% talent and 80% technique and discipline. Recently I've burned myself out on the discipline and haven't left enough room for inspiration and enjoyment!

Looking through my sketch book and notes I've actually written and drawn over a dozen entries for the bestiary (There are trows decorating the margins of just about every notebook I own). But, I never got around to setting them because, at the time, they weren't my focus. Seeing how well the gargoyles page turned out, my instinct is to construct a regimen of typsetting the entries and set an end date for delivery. But, the rest of me thinks... just do it when the mood strikes. There's no magic formula for success and pressuring myself to do it is only going to send me back into a spiral of frustration. There will be time for dilligence later.

If you're curious, here are some of the other fun creatures that you'll encounter in Merlin's bestiary.

Check out more from the Bestiary here!

• Eachy
• Giants giants giants
• Cat sidhe
• Chimaera
• Kelpie
• Dragons, sidhe (fairies), and trows

Hope you enjoy!
‽

Buy 'Black Star' or 'Spirit Shear' on Amazon in the UK and US
Check out Themo on Twitter and Facebook

20 years in the making - Christmas 2018

I've started working on my Holiday card for 2018 and it suddenly occurred to me that I've made a card every year for the last 20 years!

 

1998 watercolour card

My first holiday card was in 1998 and I've made one every year since (except 2005 when I'd first moved to Scotland and I was super broke).

Looking to the first card for inspiration it made me really excited. It was done in watercolour and ink and was beautiful! I was actually really good. These were the days before photoshop so the only way to colour anything was by hand and watercolours were my favourite medium.

It was painted on a giant A2 sheet of paper and had to be reduced at copy shop. It was actually too big for the machine so you can see the edges were cropped. Paying for the printing turned out to be way more expensive than I thought so I could only afford to get 20 made. But, I wanted to have something to give to family and friends who I couldn't afford to get a gift for.

I can't remember the last time I'd used my watercolours so I decided it was time to get them out and get practicing. I started with a picture of a rose from our garden this summer. And I'm pleased with how it turned out... for a warm up!

It took a while to decide what exactly I was going to do for the card though. I considered doing an updated version of the first card (geez, I wished I'd used modelling in 1998 to get proportions right!).  Or did I just want to tap into the spirit of the card and do something new in watercolour?

For the theme of my card holiday card I like to think of what my wish for the year ahead is. After lots of sketching I decided to stop agonising over sentiment and meaning and just have fun. 2018 has been a packed year with lots of ups and downs. And reflecting on that 16 year old kid who just wanted to do something nice for his family and friends during the holiday is enough for me. Also, the fact that I've been doing anything for 20 years is a huge achievement! There's no need to force it. And actually a bit of whimsy and fun is what everyone needs.

So this year I'm going SUPER CHIBI!!!

Some sketches and a new design for Wishmaker

Why? Well why not?!! I decided to got the crazy manga route while I was watching Netflix's She-Ra and The Princesses of Power. The glittering glimmering transformation reignited my long dormant love of Sailor Moon and the desire for a little bit of kawaii in my life. (Side note: I totally applaud the show for its positive portrayals - for example that Glimmer and Spinerrella aren't stick thin and are still warriors. Even little things like She-Ra wearing shorts under her skirt make it endearing. I love that it's creating something all girls can see themselves in and characters I'd be happy for all of my nieces to emulate).

Eat it, haters!

So, what will the final product of the card be? Well, you'll just have to wait and see!

Hope you enjoy!
‽

Buy 'Black Star' or 'Spirit Shear' on Amazon in the UK and US
Check out Themo on Twitter and Facebook