Arikla's Artwork

Love Is Still the Lord of All by Arikla

Fri, 05 Jun 2009 02:09:56 -0000

Inspired by "The English Lady and the Knight" by Loreena McKennit. Originally a poem by Sir Walter Scott. Seemed appropriate to use a Scottish Deerhound and an English Springer Spaniel. First time attempting plaid since I started going mixed media. It worked ok, but I need to find a way to blend it better.

Medium: Watercolor and Colored Pencil
Tags: poem english scottish spaniel springer deerhound loreena mckennit

Sorcha's Sacrifice by Arikla

Fri, 17 Apr 2009 05:05:42 -0000

Inspired by the story of Sorcha, who's six brothers were enchanted into swans. She could only break the curse by weaving a shirt for each of them from nettles, but could not talk while doing so nor tell anyone in any way why she was doing so. A great novel of this story is "Daughter of the Forest" by Juliet Marillier. Only my second attempt at really drawing a human face. Not bad, I think :) I used myself as a model, so any weird anatomy is probably my own :P Overall happy, thought wish the shading on the hands were smoother. The paper was more rough then I like.

Medium: Watercolor and Colored Pencil
Tags: Swan swans myth fable legend sorcha

In the Spirit of the Dance by Arikla

Mon, 02 Feb 2009 04:34:02 -0000

Finally! The last in the "Elements of Music" series I have been working on. Watercolor and colored pencil, foil knotwork.

Medium: watercolor, colored pencil and metallic foil
Tags: snow leopard dance knotwork foil

Plains Thunder by Arikla

Sat, 15 Nov 2008 21:06:58 -0000

Part four of a series that started with "Came a Stark Naked Drummer". This piece actually replaces that one in the series since it was part of a portfolio so I can only make limited prints. This piece representing water, the west (Coyote) and the percussion instruments. The knotwork was done with copper foil.

Medium: Watercolor, Colored Pencil, Metallic Foil
Tags: coyote knot work knots drum sioux

How Black is the Color by Arikla

Thu, 10 Jul 2008 02:10:08 -0000

Inspired by the traditional Irish song "Black is the Color". Ironically painted using no black! I wanted to play with some new blending techniques and acrylic inks as well. Overall, I am quite pleased with the technique, but need to work on the anatomy more (and that huge nose!).

Medium: Watercolor, Colored Pencil and Acrylic Ink
Tags: leopard black panther anthro

Sound the Earthly Horn by Arikla

Thu, 29 May 2008 00:16:18 -0000

Number three in the "Elements of Music" series. Caribou, Earth, North, horn, and green. Still not happy with how overpowering the foil looks when it scans, as it isn't that glaring in person. Not much I can do about that, though.

Medium: watercolor, colored pencil and metallic foil
Tags: green Earth caribou irish knotwork horn north viking norse

Eastern Air by Arikla

Thu, 24 Jan 2008 23:06:32 -0000

The third in the series I decided to call "Elements of Music". This one representing the east, yellow, air, and wind instruments. The thing she is playing is a Chinese Xun. The knotwork is more simple then other pieces, but I wanted to stick with the asian/eastern idea and so overly complex knotwork just didn't blend right. Knotwork is done in gold pen, which never scans well :P

Medium: Watercolor and Colored Pencil
Tags: Air dog Element knotwork knot work East shiba inu elemental xun

Between the Body and the Soul by Arikla

Tue, 01 Jan 2008 22:39:04 -0000

A combination of two ideas I have had floating through my mind. Both loosely based on the song "Mary's Eyes" by Gaelic Storm.

Medium: watercolor and colored pencil
Tags: wolf werewolf anthro anthropomorphic irish knotwork shifting changing

Hounds of Annwn - Cwn Annwn by Arikla

Thu, 20 Dec 2007 02:55:31 -0000

An experiment with Watercolor Pencils and with a different type of watercolor surface. Not overly fond of the surface, too rough for my tastes, but I am ok with how this came out. The "Cwn Annwn" or Hounds of Annwn are the hounds of the wild hunt. They bring the souls of the dead to the underworld. In Welsh mythology they are white hounds with red ears. I took a bit of artistic license and made them red-eyed instead.

Medium: Watercolor pencils
Tags: snow red hell hound wild saluki hunt eyed

Strings of Fire by Arikla

Sun, 09 Dec 2007 01:46:36 -0000

Part two of a series that started with "Came a Stark Naked Drummer". This piece representing fire, the south (Maned Wolf) and the stringed instruments. The knotwork was done with metallic foil, and scanned oddly.

Medium: watercolor, colroed pencil and metallic foil
Tags: wolf Fire music violin irish knotwork maned foil viola fiddle

All Souls Night by Arikla

Thu, 22 Nov 2007 00:17:47 -0000

Inspired by the Lorrena McKennitt song "All Souls Night". Another day of playing with scratchboard. Not a media I often use, but every now and then the bug bites me to play :)

Medium: Scratchboard
Tags: fox halloween wolf Fire all souls mckennitt beltain samhain

Through by Arikla

Sun, 12 Aug 2007 02:28:19 -0000

Started with the foot/hand in the bottom left...and it sort of evolved from there. Rather fond of it, as I don't draw "meanies" very often, but it came out alright :) I put the design on a few shirts over at CafePress, and should I get the time maybe I'll make the "butt" side for the backs of the Tees :)

Medium: Pen and Ink
Tags: wolf werewolf Rage fury

Pseudo-alaskan Eagle by Arikla

Sun, 11 Mar 2007 22:23:46 -0000

Playing around with some different tribal styles. Kinda fun, may have to work with a few other creatures this way :)

Medium: Micron inkpens
Tags: tribal Eagle alaska