moonvoice: (Default)
moonvoice ([personal profile] moonvoice) wrote2010-02-01 02:22 pm

[Art] Kea and Kiwi as Totems

I am really stoked with these, and together with Takahe (in the icon), they make a really nice trio of greeny New Zealand birds.

Was actually a really fun commission. :)







Kiwi as Totem

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

Scan



Photo with Flash (which obligatorily washes out the black, ARGH).




*

KIWI

The kiwi is a flightless ratite (the smallest in the world), endemic to New Zealand where it is the national symbol of the country. There are five species of kiwi, with varying conservation statuses ranging from not threatened, to Endangered. They have the largest egg in proportion to their body size in the world (approximately 1/3 of their body size). They have an exceptional sense of smell, and their nostrils are located at the end of their beak to assist in the location of prey such as worms and invertebrates. They are shy, often nocturnal (particularly in areas where feral animals and human habitation is high), and monogamous in nature. Some kiwi are severely threatened by predation from feral animals such as cats, stoats and dogs.

KIWI – Knowing When To Give.

Inspiring affection and protective qualities in others, having a good nose (literally and metaphorically), being quite sensitive, being able to give birth to large, expansive ideas, putting your all into a project, using walking as a healing and meditative tool, forest wisdom, knowing when to give, and when to receive.








Kea as Totem

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

Scan



Photo with Flash (which obligatorily washes out the black, ARGH).




*

KEA

The kea is a large parrot endemic to New Zealand (almost exclusively the South Island, though vagrants make it up to the North), that is currently listed as Vulnerable. Unusually, the kea is an alpine parrot (unusual for parrots), though is also found in lowland regions as well. The kea is perhaps most well-known for its mischievousness; which combined with its neophilia, can make it a pest in many tourist areas (where it will steal things, destroy the rubber and fixings on cars, and generally explore in a destructive manner). The kea has an unusually high mortality rate in its first few years, though it has survived for longer than fifty years in captivity. They are generally polygamous, semi-nocturnal, and are omnivores with a varied diet.

KEA – The Rapscallion

Clowning around, neophilia (love of new things), novelty, Aquarian energy, mischievousness, cheekiness, being a rapscallion, alpine wisdom and mythology, teasing others and being teased, good-natured ribbing, life is short, enjoying the moment while it lasts.

[identity profile] makhsihed.livejournal.com 2010-02-01 06:32 am (UTC)(link)
Ahhhhh kea kea kea! I love the glint in its eye and the almost chaotic coloring.

Good thing it's a commission, otherwise I would've been tempted to buy it, and I has not the moneys right now.

*loves keas so much*

Will there be a print?

[identity profile] moonvoice.livejournal.com 2010-02-01 06:37 am (UTC)(link)
Yup, they're already available as prints. Kea is here:

http://www.deviantart.com/print/10465386/

:)

[identity profile] gemfyre.livejournal.com 2010-02-01 06:45 am (UTC)(link)
Gorgeous!

Aren't keas the only parrots that eat meat?

[identity profile] moonvoice.livejournal.com 2010-02-01 06:48 am (UTC)(link)
Yup, they've even been known to attack sheep and eat their back fat (something which was thought to be a myth, until it was documented / filmed).

[identity profile] makhsihed.livejournal.com 2010-02-01 08:30 pm (UTC)(link)
Is SO CREEPY. D: I saw a picture of that and it was really disconcerting.

Keas are so awesome. <3

[identity profile] moonvoice.livejournal.com 2010-02-01 06:49 am (UTC)(link)
Well, I think they are anyway. I thought of Pesquet's Parrot for a moment, and then I remembered that even though they have bald heads like vultures, it's not for eating meat, it's to get fruit and seeds out of cassowary poo.

Mmmmmmmm.

[identity profile] a-kosmos.livejournal.com 2010-02-01 06:49 am (UTC)(link)
I'm not a big fan of birds, and vice versa, but I love the detail work on these!

[identity profile] moonvoice.livejournal.com 2010-02-01 06:50 am (UTC)(link)
Aw really? Not even adorable, fluffy, ground-dwelling kiwi?

[identity profile] a-kosmos.livejournal.com 2010-02-01 06:55 am (UTC)(link)
I've never encountered Kiwi, however, I've been bitten by everyone's pet birds that never bite, I've been chased by robins and geese, have been swooped at by Mississippi Kites, have been menaced by hummingbirds, have been stalked by hotel swans, and I have had seagulls steal food from my plate. They behave unusually aggressively toward me and always have.... I could probably inspire ferociousness in the meekest of kiwi.

[identity profile] moonvoice.livejournal.com 2010-02-01 06:56 am (UTC)(link)
Awww. That sucks. See, I've been bitten by a lot of things, but because I'm a bird person, I have this cavalier 'whatever' attitude.

Until the day my pet budgerigah attached herself to the little fleshy bit between my nostrils and wouldn't let go of course. Um.

I will use a nice mammal icon for you. :)

[identity profile] a-kosmos.livejournal.com 2010-02-01 07:02 am (UTC)(link)
They also sort of seek me out. My husband thought I was exaggerating until he saw it in action. Weird magnetism.
fadedwings: (poppy flower mug/out of tea)

[personal profile] fadedwings 2010-02-01 08:05 am (UTC)(link)
These are both so gorgeous! I especially like the Kea! Lovely.

[identity profile] myrrhmade.livejournal.com 2010-02-01 08:45 am (UTC)(link)
Uuufff.. so damn gorgeous! Also, I just want you to know, I'm still percolating the story... good things take time. I want it to be excellent, ie worthy of your work! <3

[identity profile] darakat-ewr.livejournal.com 2010-02-01 09:48 am (UTC)(link)
Those Keas are pretty smart

[identity profile] paleo.livejournal.com 2010-02-01 09:54 am (UTC)(link)
One if these days I'm going to buy a downloadable copy of your totem files, provided you are okay with that.
Of all the totem meaning books and websites, yours is by far the most thought out and enlightening.

[identity profile] moonvoice.livejournal.com 2010-02-01 09:56 am (UTC)(link)
I was idly thinking today, that if I could find someone to format it for me, it would be awesome to release 'illustrated guides to the totem animals of X location.' Geez, that would be wicked cool.

[identity profile] hrafn.livejournal.com 2010-02-01 08:13 pm (UTC)(link)
Do you have some sort of design/layout/whatever in mind? Cause I have some graphic design skills and I'd be happy to at least toss around ideas for formatting and stuff w/you. (I have some of the appropriate type of software for the making of documents, too.)

[identity profile] moonvoice.livejournal.com 2010-02-01 11:30 pm (UTC)(link)
Unfortunately not really, I was thinking something like a book which is very simplified - totem picture at the top of the page, keywords, and then a description of the animal - just page after page. Maybe with some 'spotlight' essays at the end. But with a picture on every page, it'd be high cost / need good paper.

[identity profile] hrafn.livejournal.com 2010-02-01 11:55 pm (UTC)(link)
I haven't looked into the paper quality, but I know there are some different print-on-demand online places (Lulu is the one I am most familiar with) that do photo books as well as text, so I'd expect their paper to be pretty good.

You could also do downloadable e-books, though I know nothing whatsoever about what sort of system would have to be set up to handle the selling of them.

[identity profile] kehleyr.livejournal.com 2010-02-01 12:03 pm (UTC)(link)
WOW... amazing as usual!!

[identity profile] enigmaticmagpie.livejournal.com 2010-02-01 01:35 pm (UTC)(link)
They are delightful! I love Kiwi, with that sensible beak. Kea looks like he's hiding a joke I'm not in on. Lovely birds!

[identity profile] goth-kittie.livejournal.com 2010-02-01 01:39 pm (UTC)(link)
I love Kiwi! :D <3

[identity profile] silverjackal.livejournal.com 2010-02-01 02:44 pm (UTC)(link)
I really like the greens, and the detail of the Kea's feathers. And this might be an odd question, but why are the Kiwi's spirals so precise and almost architectual? I would have expected them to be less even and more... organic? Or am I misunderstanding the bird entirely?

[identity profile] moonvoice.livejournal.com 2010-02-01 03:00 pm (UTC)(link)
You know, they started that way. I had to redraw the spirals three times, because kiwi wasn't happy with what I wanted. And I ended up with that, neat, precise spirals, more than one 'spiral' in the actual end point (that was a must), and yeah.

I completely agree with you, actually. The original spirals were way different, but it was not to be. I have no idea why.
ariestess: (Default)

[personal profile] ariestess 2010-02-01 03:03 pm (UTC)(link)
I love the coloring and the way the feathers stand out so individualistically on both birds. VERY nicely done!

[identity profile] anrui-ichido.livejournal.com 2010-02-01 03:38 pm (UTC)(link)
Wow! The subtle transitions of colour in these are really amazing. :)

I love Kiwi. I want to cuddle it.

[identity profile] sistahraven.livejournal.com 2010-02-01 06:38 pm (UTC)(link)
Gorgeous!

[identity profile] hrafn.livejournal.com 2010-02-01 08:14 pm (UTC)(link)
That is a very nice trio. I like how they're facing in different directions, and all the different shades of green.

[identity profile] mirrorred-star.livejournal.com 2010-02-01 11:20 pm (UTC)(link)
Ooh, likey Kea, the purple and green suits hir so well.

[identity profile] ginasketch.livejournal.com 2010-03-25 11:16 am (UTC)(link)
Aggh I love New Zealand birds! These are so awesome. The kiwi is my favorite.