[Art] Himalayan Monal as Totem

[moonvoice]

Himalayan Monal as Totem - Impeyan Pheasant

I'm taking a break from the request list to work on my own personal guides/totems. Himalayan monal has been with me for several years now, and it one of my most awesome looking guides anyway. Lol.

The Himalayan monal, also known as the Impeyan pheasant, has the distinction of having the most unbroken iridescence of any bird alive. It is perhaps one of the most brilliant of pheasants; being quite large, having multiple colours of iridescence on its body, and having strong associations in mythology and Indigenous lore. Its feathers have been used in Indigenous costuming, and they are the national bird of Nepal.


Scan



Photo




18.5 x 20.5cm (or 7.4 x 8 in)
illo's board, fineliner, aquarelle, pencil, metallic and iridescent paint

Comments

[nytemuse.livejournal.com]

Lovely.

And, totally random, have you ever done one of a Peacock as totem? The colors on this one reminded me that I hadn't noticed one in the past and wasn't sure.

[moonvoice.livejournal.com]

I've done both species of peacock actually:

Green peacock - http://ravenari.deviantart.com/art/Green-Peacock-as-Totem-98178015

Indian peacock - http://ravenari.deviantart.com/art/Indian-Peacock-as-Totem-102505803

:D

[wolfcatt.livejournal.com]

Gorgeous! There's one of these at the zoo in one of the open cage aviaries but it's TERRIBLY shy and neurotic...poor thing. I've tried to get pictures of it millions of times but the lighting is terrible and it's hard to catch a good glimpse for a nice pic. I LOVE the color choices too on this <3

Edited for spelling DURHUR :B

[corvus-animus.livejournal.com]

Absolutely gorgeous! I've actually been thinking a lot about these guys lately! I'm interested in having them when I'm older, more money, own my own place, etc. etc.

[moonvoice.livejournal.com]

They're actually meant to be pretty easy to raise and look after, so it's shocking if a zoo can't keep them happy. *grumbles*

One day I would LOVE to own a pair, but... yeah, I mean there are lots of animals I'd like to share my life with, I'm happy to visit them in a totem/energy sort of way for now. Lol.

[moonvoice.livejournal.com]

I would be interested in owning them too - they're meant to be pretty easy to keep in pairs (except for their digging habits, and provisions can be made for that anyway) - but with WA's strict quarantine, I'm not sure if we even have them here to get.

[makhsihed.livejournal.com]

:-o

SPARKLIEST OF BIRDS.

I must find out more about this creature.

...*eyes its feathers covetously*

[moonvoice.livejournal.com]

A super no-nonsense, no-bullshit animal guide (like almost all pheasants, though, nothing really surprising there).

I <3333333 pheasants. :D

This icon is a section of their body.

[lupabitch.livejournal.com]

Oooooooh, wow! I had to actually go Wiki that bird to see what the real thing looked like. Good job on capturing it in art form!

[firehauke.livejournal.com]

VORPAL DEER!!! AHH!!!!

funny icon, my heart-sister would love that, maybe :)

[firehauke.livejournal.com]

ooh, pretty! Like Lupa, I looked up the pretty bird - spot on with the coloring...such shimmer and shine!

[corvus-animus.livejournal.com]

Muntjacs are love <3

[moonvoice.livejournal.com]

They are seriously awesome looking birds.

[moonvoice.livejournal.com]

They are pretty much my favourite looking bird for things like colour and shine.

[mirrorred-star.livejournal.com]

*gasp* That bird is shinyshiny and prettypretty!

Its amazing how different the colours are between the photo and the scan.

[flyingfluff.livejournal.com]

wow, that's gorgeous! I love the shininess and the bold colors. Also, I find the two stripes in the back very appealing.

[gemfyre.livejournal.com]

They are sooo gorgeous. I love the footage in Life Of Birds. Stunning creatures.

[sidheblessed.livejournal.com]

I think that's one of the shiniest pieces I've seen you do, which says a lot because they're all shiny.

Himalyan monals are very pretty birds and you've definitely done them justice.

[moonvoice.livejournal.com]

Yeah, my scanner is frustrating me right now. I think it's starting to give up the ghost.

[moonvoice.livejournal.com]

Thank you!

[moonvoice.livejournal.com]

I love the footage in Life of Birds too, it's like 'ooooo, shiny.'

[moonvoice.livejournal.com]

It's one of my personal faves, and probably the shiniest animal totem I've done in a looooong while. Heh.

[aleia-kali.livejournal.com]

That's beautiful, i love the colours

[ariestess]

Very bright and shiny! I like it!

[hazey-sunshine.livejournal.com]

That is gorgeous! I love the colours on the glyph especially :)

Ooh, Another Shiny!

[perzephone.livejournal.com]

It's pretty obvious here that your scanner really doesn't like purple! The glyph and the circles are kind of eh, blue in the scan, but they totally pop out in shiny shiny purple in the photo.

Pretty, shiny bird! Do they holler like peacocks?

[scarletwildfire.livejournal.com]

p-u-r-t-y!

[amorvincitnos.livejournal.com]

I can really feel the love put into this piece, I think. And it's BEAUTIFUL. I love the myriad of colours. And the highlights are great!

[nwallopan.livejournal.com]

so like what are its totem meanings?

[nytemuse.livejournal.com]

I sit corrected *grin* Very nice. Do the different species have different meanings totemically? *curious*
(And yes, would love to see the white/albino if/when you get to it...peacocks rock)

[moonvoice.livejournal.com]

Different species do have different meanings depending on where and how they live... but both peacocks are pretty similar I think for the most part.

I'd love to do a white peacock, they are so beautiful.

[moonvoice.livejournal.com]

*hugs* Thank youuuu. :)

[moonvoice.livejournal.com]

Yay! *bounces*

[moonvoice.livejournal.com]

Thank you! :D

Re: Ooh, Another Shiny!

[moonvoice.livejournal.com]

My scanner loathes purple. I'm not really sure why, and even fixing the 'colour balance' in Photoshop, that will work for everything else, but not for the violet/purple.

So, thankfully, photos!

I don't think they do holler like peacocks, actually. Though I generally appreciate peacock hollering.

[moonvoice.livejournal.com]

:) Thank you.

[moonvoice.livejournal.com]

I know what this animal means for me, but I haven't done a more generic file for it yet. Sorry!

[moonvoice.livejournal.com]

Thank you! :D