I’ve decided to take a break from art blogging for a while. It stresses me out and makes be feel guilty when I haven’t created anything to share. I also want to focus on my two other blogging projects.

I update my DeviantArt account whenever I’ve created something, so you can follow me there. I can be found at http://wagyu.deviantart.com/.

My two other blogging projects are An Urban Animist: a record of my attempts to live simply, ethically and spiritually and The Brucehill Cliffs: a project on a local patch of land managed for wildflowers and butterflies.

I’ll see you all later!

White Rhino - Rough sketch

White Rhino - Starting to ink

White Rhino - some more inking

White Rhino - inking is almost done

ACEO - The Murder of Crow

^ Click to purchase

ACEO European Badger

^ Click to purchase

ACEO The Golden Fox

^ Click to purchase

So why ACEOs?

I am not as productive as I would like to be, so I thought regularly working on smaller portraits would help me build up my confidence and skill. They are also really fun to draw!

18th July 2010

2ist July 2010

22nd July 2010

1st August 2010

"Wolf's Child" © July 2010

The first four doodles are from my sketchbook. Years ago (that would be between 5-10 years ago), I used to devoutly keep sketchbooks. I’d store drawings at all stages of completion, flowers, articles, poems and so on that I found to be beautiful. My time studying at art school destroyed that habit, but I want to try again.

The final drawing was the piece I mentioned last week, and I am unhappy with it. The colouring is rotten no matter how hard I tried to replicate the reference photo. I usually don’t share work I am not proud of, but I figure I need to share my mistakes or I won’t learn from them. It won’t be making it to my DeviantArt page.

I am going to try and update every Wednesday. Even if I don’t have any finished work to show, I do have drawings in my sketchbooks and works in progress I can share.

I do like self portraits. I lack confidence when it comes to drawing human subjects, but I don’t have to worry about offending myself with an unflattering portrait. Sharing this portrait with me is the wolf pelt which I have written about in my animism/spiritual blog. I’m not sure when I will finish this piece. My wrists are really painful today, and I had to force myself to get this far.

Wildcat and Grass Snake © July 2010

My long-overdue half of an art trade with Raya Wolfsun. She has an affinity with cats and snakes, so I opted to draw two species native to the UK.

Fineliners and coloured pencils on A4 bristol board.

Hispaniolan Solenodon © June 2010

Hispaniolan Solenodon (photograph) © June 2010

A portrait of a Hispaniolan Solenodon, an adorable but rare critter which has recently been caught on film .

Fineliners, coloured pencils and metallic inks on A4 bristol board.

For sale: £35 (plus postage).

The Golden Fox © May 2010

The Golden Fox (photograph) © May 2010

A portrait of a Red Fox I found dead last weekend.

Fineliners and coloured pencils on A4 bristol board.

For sale: £35 (plus postage).

The Murder of Crow © April 2010

The Murder of Crow (photograph) © April 2010

A portrait of a carrion crow, specifically the carrion crow I saved earlier in the week which was murdered by our national animal welfare charity. You can read more about the story so far by going here: [link]

Fineliners and coloured pencils on A4 canson illustration paper.

For sale: £35 (plus postage). The money will go to Corvid Aid: [link]

Scottish Badgers is a charity very dear to my heart. The European Badger is a firm favourite of British wildlife fans, yet due to traffic accidents, snaring, baiting and misinformation about them spreading TB to cattle, they are regularly under threat.

Scottish Badgers works hard to protect the Badger from the threats we present by:

• being politically active, and keeping on top of laws that may help/hinder the badger population
• surveying across Scotland, to discover and monitor badger populations
• by assisting the police and Scottish SPCA in investigations involving crimes against badgers
• by educating the public on the wonder of Scotland’s largest apex predator

My love affair with the badger began two winters ago. I am a volunteer with my local park ranger service, and we were due to conduct a survey. However our plans were interrupted as the the team surveying the night before came across a sett that had been dug down and used for badger baiting.

That really got to me. I couldn’t understand how anybody could do such a thing.

From that point, I have done my best to actively support the work of Scottish Badgers.

And now I need you to help out!

On Sunday 9th of May, I will be taking part in the Glasgow Women’s 10 K Run … while dressed as a badger. And I am looking for people like you to sponsor me!

If you would like to support me, and Scottish Badgers there are three ways to help:

1) You can go to the Charity Choice website and donate directly to Scottish Badgers.(Please message me to let me know you’ve done this!)

2) You can ask for my paypal address and donate. After the run, I’ll write a cheque for the full amount.

3) You can share this link around and spread the word!

* * *

Donations so far:

• Rabeya Merenkov £20 ♥
• Paul Wilson £5 ♥
• Potia £20 ♥
• Peter Hanratty £100 ♥
• My work colleagues £40
• My best mate’s work colleagues £27
• Elaine Rainey £5 ♥
• Julia K Walton £10 ♥
• Ann McKillop £10 ♥

Total Paid: £170 ♥

Total Pledged (payment pending): £67

Grand Total: £237