iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Michael @michael-rainbird.bsky.social · 24/07/2026

The Circe chapter was so tense, so gripping. She carried much pain and trauma, but her power was greater than all that.

Michael @michael-rainbird.bsky.social · 19/03/2026

Love the question! Earth didn’t form with a magnetic field or atmosphere we have today. The asteroids and meteors which brought ice and water could’ve carried resilient microorganisms which eventually fed on volcanic outgassing to help produce the atmosphere we have now. Just took a billion years.

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Michael @michael-rainbird.bsky.social · 23/12/2025

S&S got me into sketching in the first place! I can’t make this one, but maybe another soon.

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Michael @michael-rainbird.bsky.social · 12/12/2025

Once every day or two, and messages only to ask permission to reference a pose for my sketchbook.

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Michael @michael-rainbird.bsky.social · 22/10/2025

Oh! I missed this on first pass! Sweet

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Michael @michael-rainbird.bsky.social · 18/10/2025

Four 5min #sketchbook #doodles of/from @beth-mg.bsky.social (the 3 in black from her website, the red from Bluesky, ph. credit Allyn Saroyan) I’ll make another couple attempts at the top left ballet pose—feels like a bird taking flight. #figuredrawing #draw #inktober

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Michael @michael-rainbird.bsky.social · 28/09/2025

I finally deleted my IG. Decided to be done with that platform: its ad-driven algos and inconsistent hypocrisy. #sketchbook #sketchpad #gesturedrawing #gestures #figuredrawing #timeddrawing #draw #chicagodraws #goodbyeIG

Five pen sketch drawings of female models in various poses.

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Michael @michael-rainbird.bsky.social · 07/07/2025

The era of fast food hasn’t destroyed fine dining. Automated factories have not eliminated craft furniture. I am optimistic.

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Michael @michael-rainbird.bsky.social · 07/07/2025

We will always know real though, when we wait in line for coffee or have a handshake. We drifted away from “real” in photography with all of the artificial glamor and retouching in cosmetics media: False standards leading to false identities. Art—photography and paint—as a craft, will prevail.

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Michael @michael-rainbird.bsky.social · 30/06/2025

#sketchbook Monday with Emory Aletha! Drawing live - even virtually - is refreshing and forces me to consider angles, postures, and gestures that I usually skip in flat reference media.

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Michael @michael-rainbird.bsky.social · 30/06/2025

Currently Intet the Dreamer. I recently made all 5 Planar Chaos dragons as commanders, but every card had to be originally printed before Magic Origins and the OG Khans. So… no new cards from mid 2013 onwards.

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Michael @michael-rainbird.bsky.social · 29/06/2025

Same content moderation happens with amateur (hobbiest) gesture and figure drawings. Such is life.

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Michael @michael-rainbird.bsky.social · 19/06/2025

The evolution of my #sketchbook will be #watercolor. I did these summer 2023, before doubling down on figures and line work once again. #chicago #chicagodraws #urbandrawing

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Michael @michael-rainbird.bsky.social · 13/06/2025

First few #warmupsketches of @whitney-masters.bsky.social from their shadowy #gestures #reference kit! Roughly 3 min timer on each, the foreshortening is going to be a good challenge this time. #sketchbook #pendrawing #chicagodraws #figuredrawing

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Michael @michael-rainbird.bsky.social · 04/06/2025

Did a quick google search to confirm my hypothesis. Bluesky has, at best, 4 million active daily users. IG has half a billion. It’ll take time, and I hope this platform doesn’t succumb to mgmt issues that killed DeviantArt.

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Michael @michael-rainbird.bsky.social · 04/06/2025

Of course! I respect your decision.

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Michael @michael-rainbird.bsky.social · 03/06/2025

Vibrancy and contrast is wonderful. May I draw, paint, and repost versions of this photo (and others in the project)?

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Michael @michael-rainbird.bsky.social · 03/06/2025

…and an abstract doodle from my 4yo.

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Michael @michael-rainbird.bsky.social · 03/06/2025

@jeffmiracola.com inspired #macabredrawing based on his Ink Drawings Vol. 1. This is #notAI but a #drawing #sketchbook homage of an artist and illustrator I’ve admired for 25 years. #doodle #pendrawing #chicagodraws

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Reposted by Michael

Aim.model @aimmodel.bsky.social · 02/06/2025

🇪🇺EU TOUR🗺️ 🇪🇸Spain South & East June 2nd - mid/late June, 🇬🇮Gibraltar 4th-7th June (remote location shoots possible) 🇦🇩Andorra late June📸 🇫🇷🇲🇨South France & Monaco late June - early July, 🇨🇭🇮🇹 Lugano & Italy early - mid July, 🇲🇹Malta mid - late July, 🏝️🇮🇹🇨🇭🇫🇷 🇬🇧 Elba, Italy, Swiss, France, UK early - mid AUG

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Michael @michael-rainbird.bsky.social · 21/05/2025

Another @sarascarletmodel.bsky.social doodle; no photographer credited. 5-min quick #pendoodle #sketchbook with just 3 colours of pencil after my #figuredrawing timer expired. #chicagodraws #fromreference #drawingjournal.

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Reposted by Michael

Sera Rose | Art Model and Photographer @seraroseart.bsky.social · 20/05/2025

Wow, another amazing piece by @xenides.bsky.social inspired by a photo from @aaronrayburnphoto.bsky.social It perfectly captures the essence of the photo and moves into the fantastical :) I love it #art #figuremodel #referencemodel

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Michael @michael-rainbird.bsky.social · 19/05/2025

About 20 minutes of totally Freeform #sketching in my #drawingjournal #sketchbook #pendrawing All done sans reference, too. Feels liberating to just #draw whatever comes to the page. #humanform #justkeepdrawing #silhouetteandshadow #chicagodraw

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Michael @michael-rainbird.bsky.social · 01/05/2025

20-minute warmup doodle of/from @sarascarletmodel.bsky.social with photo by Denis Claes. Continuing my slow journey adding background and objects to my pages #sketchbook #figuredrawing #freehanddrawing #doodle

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Michael @michael-rainbird.bsky.social · 01/05/2025

I miss going to her studio in Chicago. Moved away and haven’t been able to visit again in over a year

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Michael @michael-rainbird.bsky.social · 01/05/2025

Ms Sara! I’d recommend connecting you with @whitney-masters.bsky.social of Silhouette and Shadow. She hosts in person and virtual drawing sessions online.

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Michael @michael-rainbird.bsky.social · 30/03/2025

Longer and larger #sketches than my norm in this #sketchbook. I’m now two years into this drawing hobby—very very slowly losing the chicken scratch; though hands faces and feet are tough. Left #figure inspired by @modeladventurer.bsky.social right #unknownmodel #gesture #drawing #drawingjournal

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Michael @michael-rainbird.bsky.social · 11/03/2025

I felt my #sketches yesterday were total garbage and felt disheartened. Back at it today though and it felt good. 60-second initial timer, post color by crayon #artjournal #sketchbook #gesturedrawing #humanform #timeddrawing #nudegestures quickposes .com #silhouetteandshadowcommunity #chicagoart

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