iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Domenic Pennetta @domenicpennetta.bsky.social · 20/05/2025

I almost stepped on a little roly-poly out on a walk today 😭 Remember folks, look before you step! #krita #digitalart #sciart #scientificillustration #nature #invertebrates #invert #isopods #bugsky

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Domenic Pennetta @domenicpennetta.bsky.social · 19/05/2025

Do you have a favorite #moth? 🦋 Mine is the hummingbird clearwing! These moths are active during the day and are excellent #pollinators of native plants like wild bergamot, buttonbush, milkweed, and thistle. 🌼 ‪ #sciart #scientificillustration #wildlifeart #nature #invert #bugsky

Digital illustration of the clearwing moth, Hemaris thysbe. Art by Domenic Pennetta.

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Domenic Pennetta @domenicpennetta.bsky.social · 06/05/2025

When we think of insect #pollinators, bees or butterflies come to mind. 🐝🌺 But on the island of Réunion, raspy #crickets are known to pollinate #orchid flowers at night. 🦗 Check out my illustration that depicts this interaction! #sciart #scientificillustration #wildlifeart #nature #invert #bugsky

Digital illustration depicting two raspy crickets, Glomeremus orchidophilus, pollinating a species of orchid flower, Angraecum cadetii.

These crickets pollinate at night—feeding on the plant's nectar before their nectar-spurs become lodged on the cricket's head. The crickets then bring the spurs to neighboring orchids for pollination.

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Domenic Pennetta @domenicpennetta.bsky.social · 02/05/2025

Happy #fossilfriday! ❤️ Here's my reconstruction of the Cambrian #sponge, Falospongia ramosa. 🪸 This genus is known from the Burgess Shale—where they once used their 'radiating fronds' to capture food. #digitalart #sciart #scientificillustration #paleoart #paleontology #invertebratebiology #invert

Digital illustration of the early Cambrian sponge, Falospongia ramosa. Art by Domenic Pennetta.

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Domenic Pennetta @domenicpennetta.bsky.social · 22/04/2025

Would you flip a #pillbug isopod over if you found one stuck on its back? 💖 Check out these illustrations depicting four common isopod species of North America. Which one do you like the most?! #sciart #scientificillustration #digitalillustration #wildlifeart #nature #bugsky #isopods #invertebrates

Digital illustration of two common pill bugs, Armadillidium vulgare. Art by Domenic Pennetta.

A digital illustration of an adult brickwork woodlouse, Porcellio spinicornis, by artist Domenic Pennetta.

Digital illustration of the skirted woodlouse, Oniscus asellus, traversing bark. Art by Domenic Pennetta.

Digital illustration of the ant woodlouse, Platyarthrus hoffmannseggi, created by Domenic Pennetta.

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Domenic Pennetta @domenicpennetta.bsky.social · 21/04/2025

I'm infatuated with Meghan's wonderful paintings of #deepsea life! ✨ She's a lifelong artist who is currently working on a book brimming with echinoderms, arthropods, fish, and more! Show her some love and give her account a look: @studio-mbj.bsky.social. #artboost #sciart #nature #acrylicpainting

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Domenic Pennetta @domenicpennetta.bsky.social · 21/04/2025

What do you think of my first-ever art booth!? 🎨 Last Saturday, a local #coffee shop asked me to show off my art. I didn't think I'd sell anything, but to my surprise, I sold lots! 🥹 I still have some stickers left if you want some! www.etsy.com/shop/BugOnHead #sciart #bugsky #nature #artvendor

My new stickers displayed near drawings of an elbow crab. You can purchase stickers for yourself or a loved one online at www.etsy.com/shop/BugOnHead

Photo of my booth at the Brew Coffee bar. I even brought some specimens to display along with my art!

Drawings of an elbow crab on display. I was delighted that the baristas gave me a free coffee! ☕

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Domenic Pennetta @domenicpennetta.bsky.social · 15/04/2025

My last #ink drawing did so well I had to post another one! Here’s a tumbling flower #beetle 🪲 they’re named after the crazy movements they make to avoid predation—first they jump, then they spin as they fall down! #sciart #scientificillustration #wildlifeart #inkart #nature #invert #insect #bugsky

Pen and ink illustration of a tumbling flower beetle, Variimorda villosa. Art by Domenic Pennetta.

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Domenic Pennetta @domenicpennetta.bsky.social · 10/04/2025

The skirted #woodlouse has a shiny, almost metallic look. 💖 Adults are mottled gray, though their colors can vary. The name "woodlouse" likely comes from how it clings to surfaces—just like a true louse! #sciart #scientificillustration #digitalillustration #wildlifeart #nature #bugsky #isopod

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Domenic Pennetta @domenicpennetta.bsky.social · 09/04/2025

Hey everyone! I’m selling handmade insect stickers based on my pen and ink illustrations over on #etsy. ✨ Every purchase directly supports me and helps fund my art! www.etsy.com/shop/BugOnHead #inkart #inkdrawings #stickers #entomology #insect #beetles #invert #bugsky

Amazing insect stickers by Domenic. 🪲 Species as shown: diabolical ironclad beetle (bottom left), tumbling flower beetle (top), African dung beetle (bottom right).

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Domenic Pennetta @domenicpennetta.bsky.social · 08/04/2025

In addition to having the coolest name in existence, diabolical ironclad beetles are notable for their immense durability. 🪲💪 They can withstand forces 39,000 times their body weight... Not even a car can crush them! #sciart #scientificillustration #wildlifeart #nature #invert #insect #bugsky

Pen and ink drawing of an adult diabolical ironclad beetle, Phloeodes diabolicus. Art by Domenic Pennetta.

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Domenic Pennetta @domenicpennetta.bsky.social · 03/04/2025

Hey! If anyone enjoys creature design or #paleoart, give @vincent-girgenti.bsky.social a follow! 💖 He has impressive digital illustration skills and I’m surprised he doesn’t have a larger following here. #artboost #digitalillustration #digitalart #sciart #creaturedesign #specevo

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Domenic Pennetta @domenicpennetta.bsky.social · 03/04/2025

Just wanted to share this detail from my illustration! This guy is Echinocaris punctate, an #arthropod from the late #Devonian period. 🦐 It had a hard protective shell and a hinged carapace—and it likely lived like a shrimp too! ‪ #digitalart #sciart #scientificillustration #paleoart #paleontology

Close up of a reconstruction of Echinocaris punctate, a shrimp-like animal from the Devonian period. Art by Domenic Pennetta.

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Domenic Pennetta @domenicpennetta.bsky.social · 02/04/2025

It's #wormwednesday! Last year, I reconstructed the oldest known bilaterian worm, Uncus dzaugisi, for Wikipedia. This soft-bodied worm was motile and likely fed on early #Ediacaran organisms. #digitalart #sciart #scientificillustration #paleoart #paleontology #invertebratebiology #invert #worm

This is a reconstruction of the early bilaterian worm, Uncus dzaugisi, discovered in Nilpena Ediacara National Park in Australia.

The illustration depicts the worm moving through a mat of algae, as this species was likely fully motile. Digital art by Domenic Pennetta.

Learn more about the animal's discovery here:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uncus_dzaugisi

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Domenic Pennetta @domenicpennetta.bsky.social · 01/04/2025

Do you have a favorite #bug? 🪲 Let me know in the comments! In the meantime, enjoy four digital illustrations of insects I shared last month! ✨ #sciart #scientificillustration #wildlifeart #nature #invert #arthropods #bugsky #insects

Digital illustration of an adult common cotton stainer bug, Dysdercus suturellus. Art by Domenic Pennetta.

Digital illustration of a male scorpionfly, Panorpa communis. Art by Domenic Pennetta.

Digital illustration of the checkered beetle, Trichodes alvearius. Art by Domenic Pennetta.

Digital illustration of a black and yellow Mud Dauber, Sceliphron caementarium. Art by Domenic Pennetta.

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Domenic Pennetta @domenicpennetta.bsky.social · 31/03/2025

Here’s an early sneak-peak at some #invertebrate ink illustrations I’m currently working on! ✨ I plan on turning these illustrations into stickers which I’ve never done before. So if any artists have any advice on making stickers, please let me know! #inkillustration #drawing #bugsky #insect

Progress photo of two ink illustrations done in my sketchbook. Enjoy the mess I made in my art studio!

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Domenic Pennetta @domenicpennetta.bsky.social · 28/03/2025

Happy #fishfriday, everyone! 🐟 Viperfishes are characterized by their long, needle-like teeth and hinged lower jaws. I had lots of fun drawing this fearsome fish! #sciart #scientificillustration #wildlifeart #nature #marinebiology #deepsea #fish #drawing

Graphite illustration of a viperfish on tone paper. Art by Domenic Pennetta.

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Domenic Pennetta @domenicpennetta.bsky.social · 28/03/2025

A superb illustration of cardinalfish and their symbiotes by @lifesciencestudios.bsky.social. ✨ I love how crisp these watercolor illustrations look paired with vector art. Bravo! #artboost #sciart #scientificillustration #watercolor #fish

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Domenic Pennetta @domenicpennetta.bsky.social · 25/03/2025

‪Porcellio spinicornis is a species of #woodlouse in the family Porcellionidae. 💚 This particular species is found in various habitats, including forests, grasslands, and rocky areas. #sciart #scientificillustration #digitalillustration #wildlifeart #nature #bugsky #inverts #isopod

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Domenic Pennetta @domenicpennetta.bsky.social · 21/03/2025

I guess it's #fish #friday? 🐟 Here's a graphite drawing of a mooneye fish on toned gray paper. I love their reflective silver scales! #sciart #scientificillustration #wildlifeart #nature #illustration #drawing

Graphite drawing of a juvenile mooneye fish, Hiodon tergisus. Art by Domenic Pennetta.

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Domenic Pennetta @domenicpennetta.bsky.social · 20/03/2025

Just wanted to share some details in my #chocolate midge illustration, especially since it's difficult to see the cacao flowers (which are quite tiny)! 🌺 #sciart #scientificillustration #digitalart #wildlifeart #nature #pollinator #insect #bugsky

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Domenic Pennetta @domenicpennetta.bsky.social · 19/03/2025

Hope you have a happy #wasp Wednesday! 🐝 Mud dauber wasps may look dangerous with their black and yellow markings, but they are neither aggressive nor prone to sting. Instead, they construct small nests of mud under buildings. #sciart #scientificillustration #wildlifeart #nature #bugsky #insect

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Domenic Pennetta @domenicpennetta.bsky.social · 18/03/2025

Did you know that #chocolate wouldn't be possible without the help of tiny, hard-working flies? 🍫🌸 Chocolate midges are vital #pollinators of the cacao tree (Theobroma cacao), which is the source of our beloved chocolate! #sciart #scientificillustration #wildlifeart #nature #invert #bug #bugsky

A digital illustration depicting a close-up of a chocolate midge, Euprojoannisia spp., pollinating the flowers of a cacao tree. Art by Domenic Pennetta.

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Domenic Pennetta @domenicpennetta.bsky.social · 17/03/2025

Boosting my friend @wwawwroww.bsky.social and this awesome 3D render of Liwia (an arthropod from the Early #Cambrian). I love the details here, especially the setae on Liwia and what looks like a great appendage from a radiodont in the background. Great stuff! #artboost #sciart #paleoart #3dart

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Domenic Pennetta @domenicpennetta.bsky.social · 17/03/2025

Finished a #drawing of an argonaut (a.k.a. the paper nautilus). 🦑 These cephalopods have intricate shells that serve as nurseries for their eggs while also providing the animal with a means of floatation. #sciart #scientificillustration #wildlifeart #nature #marinebiology #deepsea #cephalopod

Graphite drawing of an argonaut (paper nautilus). Art by Domenic Pennetta.

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Domenic Pennetta @domenicpennetta.bsky.social · 14/03/2025

An illustration of Tapejara wellnhoferi published in Prehistoric Times™. It depicts #pterosaurs migrating inland to forage for food among the Early Cretaceous forests of the Crato Formation. #digitalart #sciart #scientificillustration #paleoart #paleontology #brazil

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Domenic Pennetta @domenicpennetta.bsky.social · 13/03/2025

Despite being a minor pest, I love the bright red color of these bugs! ❤️ The common cotton stainer feeds on cotton, hibiscus, and oranges while staining their host plants yellow. Sometimes they cause fruit to drop early too! #sciart #scientificillustration #wildlifeart #nature #invert #bug #bugsky

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Domenic Pennetta @domenicpennetta.bsky.social · 13/03/2025

Just wanted to share this wonderful work of botanical art! ✨ #artboost #sciart #drawing #botany #flowers

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Domenic Pennetta @domenicpennetta.bsky.social · 12/03/2025

Seen these guys before? The common pill bug, Armadillidium vulgare, plays a crucial role in maintaining plant life by ensuring dead plant matter is broken down and returned to the soil. 🌿 #sciart #scientificillustration #wildlifeart #nature #bugsky #inverts #isopod

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Domenic Pennetta @domenicpennetta.bsky.social · 11/03/2025

My take on the dinosaur Mexidracon longimanus. 🐲 Its name means "Mexican dragon" which influenced my choice of color and the inclusion of condensation forming a 'fiery breath'. #illustration #digitalart #sciart #scientificillustration #paleoart #paleontology #mexico #dinosaur

Digital illustration of the dinosaur, Mexidracon longimanus. Art by Domenic Pennetta.

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Domenic Pennetta @domenicpennetta.bsky.social · 10/03/2025

I'm surprised by how many people liked and followed me just because of my first post! ❤️ You guys really know how to give a warm welcome here. Thank you all for the support! 😊 #bluesky #blueskyapp #art #sciart #wildlifeart #insectart

Screenshot of Domenic's first post highlighting the amount of likes. Thanks for the support guys!

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Domenic Pennetta @domenicpennetta.bsky.social · 10/03/2025

Scorpionflies are strange-looking little guys! They scavenge dead insects and frequently steal food from spider webs. 🦂🕸️Although that scorpion-like tail looks scary, males only use it for courtship display. Thank goodness! #sciart #scientificillustration #wildlifeart #natureart #arthropods #insect

Digital illustration of a male scorpionfly, Panorpa communis, created by artist Domenic Pennetta.

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Domenic Pennetta @domenicpennetta.bsky.social · 07/03/2025

Posting some #paleoart today! P. newberry was discovered in the Devonian Chagrin Shale of Ohio and is considered the earliest decapod crustacean. 🦀 I'm not completely happy with my reconstruction (the abdomen can't 'curl' as shown). But maybe I can remake this image someday! #paleotolgy #sciart

Digital illustration of an early crustacean, Palaeopalaemon newberry, traversing the Devonian sea floor of Ohio. Art by Domenic Pennetta.

Composite image of figures taken from "Morphology and paleoecology of the oldest lobster-like decapod, Palaeopalaemon newberryi Whitﬁeld" by Wade Jones, et. al.

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Domenic Pennetta @domenicpennetta.bsky.social · 06/03/2025

Here's an illustration of the ant woodlouse, Platyarthrus hoffmannseggi, published in the Journal Inland Seas™ a few years ago. This illustration was my most popular post on Twitter (I suppose people really love their isopods)! #sciart #scientificillustration #wildlife #ants #isopod

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Domenic Pennetta @domenicpennetta.bsky.social · 06/03/2025

Hello Bluesky! I'm new here so I thought I would introduce myself. I'm an illustrator interested in depicting the natural world. I love insects and prehistoric fauna which are the topics I'm most fond of. I plan on mostly posting my natural science art here, but I may post other art as well! 😊

Digital illustration of the checkered beetle, Trichodes alvearius, by artist Domenic Pennetta.

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