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Rachael Mayo @rachaelmayo.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

This is "Path Between Stars 5C" - one of three projects resulting from the Brick of Inspiration hitting me with devastating effect one day. The 80s-90s synthpop aesthetic is deliberate! Mixed media. 11x14. 2026.

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Rachael Mayo @rachaelmayo.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

This is "Dragons of the Twilight Dream: Horse" - one of a series of 12 dragons whose themes are the 12 colors on the color wheel, and the Chinese Zodiac. Mixed media. 11x14 inches. 2026.

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Rachael Mayo @rachaelmayo.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

This is "Dragons of the Twilight Dream: Dog" - one of a series of 12 dragons whose themes are the 12 colors on the color wheel, and the Chinese Zodiac. Mixed media. 11x14 inches. 2026.

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Rachael Mayo @rachaelmayo.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

This is "Dragons of Every Dawn: Rabbit" - one of a series of 12 dragons whose themes are the 12 colors on the color wheel, and the Chinese Zodiac. Mixed media. 11x14 inches. 2026.

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Rachael Mayo @rachaelmayo.bsky.social · 19/08/2026

This is the final illustration for the Mercuria TTRPG. This was by far the most challenging of the bunch, as I never do robots! They ended up fairly organic anyway! I used Staedtler pens on 8x10 Strathmore drawing paper.

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Rachael Mayo @rachaelmayo.bsky.social · 03/07/2026

Illustration for the Mercaria TTRPG; a werecat lady. Done with Staedtler ink pens on paper.

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Rachael Mayo @rachaelmayo.bsky.social · 07/06/2026

This is an illustration for the Mercaria TTRPG; it features some werebeasts in a haunted forest who are planning a mission. I used Staedtler pens on 8x10 Strathmore drawing paper. It felt like it took a long time to finish, but I probably spent 12-16 hours over the course of several weekends.

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Rachael Mayo @rachaelmayo.bsky.social · 09/05/2026

Here's the next illustration for HeroQuest. This is a cover spot for the Book of Magic. I used Staedtler pens for the inking.

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Rachael Mayo @rachaelmayo.bsky.social · 25/04/2026

Here's some recent work for HeroQuest: Two vampire halflings - half terrifying and half ridiculous. Also, a were-beast transformation. We already have a werewolf illustration, so I thought I'd do a bear for the transformation sequence. Paul wanted it to evoke Animorphs.

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Rachael Mayo @rachaelmayo.bsky.social · 19/03/2026

I now have my kid-friendly Dragon Adventure coloring book live on Amazon: www.amazon.com/Dragon-Adven...

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Rachael Mayo @rachaelmayo.bsky.social · 09/02/2026

Here are some more HeroQuest illustrations.

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Rachael Mayo @rachaelmayo.bsky.social · 01/02/2026

This is the second version of Path Between Stars 5. It fought me just about every step of the way. You can't see it, cuz I am ADAPTIVE. :D

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Rachael Mayo @rachaelmayo.bsky.social · 01/02/2026

Another entry in the Stone Dragon series, and still a work in progress. This is the Horse Dragon from Dragons of the Twilight Dream. It'll be cut and mounted so that I can embellish it.

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Rachael Mayo @rachaelmayo.bsky.social · 01/02/2026

Here are the rest of the new HeroQuest images so far.

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Rachael Mayo @rachaelmayo.bsky.social · 01/02/2026

Twenty years ago, I made a bunch of art for a friend's TTRPG called HeroQuest. He got back with me a few months ago to commission some new work. Here are some of them.

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Reposted by Rachael Mayo

Weird Sisters Publishing @artdog.bsky.social · 11/12/2025

Do you love #dragons? Do you love #ColoringBooks for #kids or #adults? Then you might love the wonderful coloring books of my friend and fellow KC #artist @rachaelmayo.bsky.social! Use the QR codes to access her books. See her #art #fantasyart at cara.app/rachaelmayo

This colorful design says “Dragon Coloring Books By Rachael Mayo!” and shows the covers of her four “Dragon Adventures Coloring Books” with a QR code next to each, which takes viewers to the Amazon page of each. All artwork is © by Rachael Mayo.

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Rachael Mayo @rachaelmayo.bsky.social · 26/11/2025

This is "Path Between Stars 5a", first of three variations on this dragon design. Phillipe Druillet's spot illustrations inspired the technique I used here, with a mostly black and white drawing and spot color in watercolor.

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Rachael Mayo @rachaelmayo.bsky.social · 20/09/2025

Three versions of Path Between Stars 5. All are still works in progress.

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Rachael Mayo @rachaelmayo.bsky.social · 10/08/2025

This is "Champion Floribunda". It is 5x7 inches. Here's the final version of the fourth project in the Champions series. The dragon is made with Prismacolor pencils and gel pens over a watercolor underpainting. There are many semiprecious stones and other 3D embellishments.

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Rachael Mayo @rachaelmayo.bsky.social · 10/08/2025

Here is a set of details from Yantra of Dubious Provenance 2 so that you can see all the lovely eyes. Prismacolor pencil over an ink drawing.

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Rachael Mayo @rachaelmayo.bsky.social · 08/08/2025

This is "Yantra of Dubious Provenance 2". It is not a meditation aid, as the geometry is deliberately skewed. And it's made of bones, eyes, teeth, and wings. I used Prismacolor pencils over ink to make this monstrosity. There are black agates, lapis lazuli, and manmade turquoise stones.

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Rachael Mayo @rachaelmayo.bsky.social · 24/05/2025

This is "AvP: Dragonslayer". Finally finished after about 75 hours effort (drawing, inking, coloring). Prismacolor pencils over watercolor wash over ink drawing. Love me some monstrous details!

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Rachael Mayo @rachaelmayo.bsky.social · 03/05/2025

Years ago, a friend wrote an Aliens-themed "Three Little Pigs" fable in which neither piggies nor Big Bad Wolf came off well at the end...

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Rachael Mayo @rachaelmayo.bsky.social · 03/05/2025

Spot illustrations for Tremorworks Demongate bestiary. Today: Bakeneko, Baku (art director's notes, not historically sourced...), Cerberus, and Chalkydri. Made with Zig and Micron pens on paper.

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Rachael Mayo @rachaelmayo.bsky.social · 16/04/2025

Lineart done in 2013 for a DeviantArt contest. Mashup of TRON and the Firebird ballet's pas de deux. I colored it later with Prismacolors, then added circuit boards on a lower layer. The glow is a simple Photoshop effect.

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Rachael Mayo @rachaelmayo.bsky.social · 16/04/2025

Spot illustrations for Tremorworks: Demongate High bestiary, which included angels, demons, and other entities. These are four of the demons. I used Microns to ink them. #ink #drawing #art #traditional #demon #angel

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Rachael Mayo @rachaelmayo.bsky.social · 06/04/2025

This is the dragon design for the fourth in my Champions series. I haven't settled on a title just yet. Prismacolor pencils and gel pen over watercolor. Inspired by Mom's orchids and also nudibranchs. #dragons #traditionalart #drawing

A very colorful, highly detailed, and rather psychedelic dragon floats through a misty, vague background. The picture is still a work in progress, in that the dragon will be cut out of the background and placed into a new environment where there will be 3D elements and a layering effect to make the dragon pop out.

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Rachael Mayo @rachaelmayo.bsky.social · 13/03/2025

This is "Dragons of Every Dawn: Rat". Yes, I've been busy this week! #traditionalart #dragon #rat #mixedmedia #coloredpencil

A busy composition has a central figure of a red dragon that has ratlike features. Surrounding it are a variety of 3D embellishments that consist of semiprecious stones, metal beads, and acrylic tiles and rhinestones.

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Rachael Mayo @rachaelmayo.bsky.social · 13/03/2025

Finished version of "Champion Terrani et Vermiculi". Not my usual color palette, and therefore a good challenge. #traditionalart #traditionalmedia #mixedmedia #dragon #coloredpencil #stones

This is a small-format project at 5x7 inches. A brown dragon is packed into the composition. It has finny wings in shades of gold, brown and orange toward the top of the picture. Its body is covered in plate scales like a desert lizard. Along the borders of the piece are a variety of color-coordinated stones such as aragonite, tiger eye, and jasper. Near the dragon's head is spiral ammonite fossil.

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Rachael Mayo @rachaelmayo.bsky.social · 11/03/2025

This is "Dragons of Every Dawn: Serpent". It will be one of twelve, all of them dragons based on the Chinese Zodiac. Colored pencils on paper, plus gel pen and semiprecious stones. #traditionalart #mixedmedia #coloredpencils #dragon #stones

This is an image of a yellow-green, scaly dragon with serpent overtones. It has frills on its dorsal ridge, hips, ankles, arms, and tail that resemble leaves. It sits in a composition that contains patterned scrapbook papers and numerous semiprecious stones. The stones are green, black, and yellow, and come in several shapes and sizes.

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Rachael Mayo @rachaelmayo.bsky.social · 03/03/2025

This is the third in my "Champions" series, and is still a work in progress. I'll be assembling a background with 3D embellishments soon. Colored pencils on paper - among other things. #art #traditionalart #coloredpencils #mixedmedia #dragon #earthtones

A dragon is packed into a 5x7 inch format. The dragon has scale/plates that resemble those of certain desert-dwelling lizards. But it also has a lot of fin-like design elements. The wings are rather finny. The tail is definitely finny. The artist was probably thinking of two things at the same time, so it came out as a mashup of desert and ocean. The dragon was colored with Prismacolor pencils over watercolor, and it has detailing in gel pens.

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Rachael Mayo @rachaelmayo.bsky.social · 24/02/2025

This is "Tapestry of the Vigilant", an image that comes from my "Dragon Adventure 4" coloring book. I've enlarged it to 14x17 so I could really play with the detail. #coloredpencil #art #traditionalart #traditionalmedia #fantasy #dragon #featheredserpent #quetzalcoatl #colorful

A colorful winged and feathered serpent-dragon is the central image. Its tongue is sticking out, because the artist likes drawing tongues. Its feathers contain all the colors of the rainbow, but don't follow anything like standard avian morphology. Its tail has feathers of different sizes, and the longest of them curl across the bottom third of the picture. In the background are highly stylized leaf and flower shapes. The dragon was colored with Prismacolor pencils, and there are glittery gel pen accents and details. The background is a watercolor wash with salt mottling, and Prismacolor pencil to bring out the detail of the leaves and flowers.

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Rachael Mayo @rachaelmayo.bsky.social · 21/02/2025

These are "Path Between Stars 3" and "Path Between Stars 4". Stipple shading takes some effort, but I love the end result. #ink #dragons #space #stars #flght #art #traditionalart #penandink #indiaink #stipple #drawing

A stipple-shaded dragon floats through space with its wings spread wide. Behind it is a top-view of a spiral galaxy painted with pearly white acrylic.

A stipple-shaded dragon flies through an abstract space. It is surrounded by a black border, which anchors the body parts, which are cut out. Behind the dragon and border layer is an abstracted star field that consists of silver acrylic painted onto black glitter paper. The dragon holds a small opal.

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Rachael Mayo @rachaelmayo.bsky.social · 17/02/2025

This is "Expressions of Light 19", which lineart was completed in 2022. I've added watercolor since then, but haven't gotten around to full color yet. I used Micron pens, then cleanup in Photoshop. ~15x15 inches. #lineart #angel #wings #ink #fantasyart #art #costume

A humanoid figure dressed in semi-abstract folds of cloth moves through an abstract mosaic space. The figure is an interpretation of an angel. The figure has three pairs of complicated wings, or winglike forms, and very long, curly hair. The figure holds a sphere that appears translucent. Behind the figure and above it is a conglomeration of wings, petals, leaves, teeth, eyes, and spines - an abstract angel.

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Rachael Mayo @rachaelmayo.bsky.social · 17/02/2025

This is Dragon Dance 3. The lineart appears in Dragon Adventure 2, and the colored one was just me having fun. #art #dragons #fantasy #lineart #coloringbook #traditionalmedia

A complicated knot of a dragon defies the laws of physics as it manages to fly. It has a somewhat oriental face and scales, but has wings that consist of both feathers and membranes. It has a great many more than two wings. Its body weaves in and around itself, with wings popping out at exactly the right place to be useful. The dragon drawing was made with pen and ink then cleaned up with Photoshop. The background is an abstract design gleaned from a mashup of stencils and clipart, and is unique to this piece.

A complex knot of a dragon defies the laws of physics as it flies. The dragon was drawn with pencil, then inked with Micron pens. The whole sheet was given a watercolor underpainting, then colored with Prismacolor pencils and detailed with gel pens. The paper was partly cut away at the edges so that pieces of the dragon's body and wings stick out beyond the edges. The dragon was placed onto a sheet of red glitter paper with foam tape. The dragon holds a fiber optic stone.

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Rachael Mayo @rachaelmayo.bsky.social · 17/02/2025

Bugs bugs bugs bugs. These are 2005 spot illustrations for the miniatures game "Hive, Queen, and Country". #ink #drawing #traditionalart #shading #crosshatch #Micron #RPG #creaturedesign

This is a pen and ink drawing of a fantasy arthropod that is designed for swimming. It has features that bring to mind a lobster, a praying mantis, a mantis shrimp, a water beetle, and an ant. It is one of four designs, and it is the smallest of those four. It is about the size of a large dog.

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Reposted by Rachael Mayo

Firey Ocean @fireyocean92.bsky.social · 10/02/2025

Putting this here for my fellow Android users.

A post that reads "You remember #Apple scanning all images on your #mobile device?

If you have an #Android #phone, a new app that doesn't appear in your menu has been automatically and silently installed (or soon will be) by #Google. It is called #AndroidSystemSafetyCore and does exactly the same - scan all images on your device as well as all incoming ones (via messaging). The new spin is that it does so "to protect your #privacy".

You can uninstall this app safely via System -> Apps."

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Rachael Mayo @rachaelmayo.bsky.social · 11/02/2025

Hot off the drawing table, this is a Strange Angel - a semi-abstract collection of wings and fire. I will be coloring the drawing later; I'll add a bunch of eyes at that point. I made this with Micron pens on drawing paper. It is 9x12 inches. #ink #drawing #traditionalart #angel

This is a line drawing of a semi-abstract creature that plays with the "biblically accurate angel" concept. It is an assemblage of fantasy wing-shapes with different kinds of feathers and decorations. There are flame shapes in the background. In the middle of the wings is a set of circular teeth or mandibles. The line drawing is complete, but it wants color. The artist will be adding lots of color later. The drawing was made with Micron pens on paper.

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Rachael Mayo @rachaelmayo.bsky.social · 08/02/2025

Here's another bird! This is "Song in the Sky 6". I've reused this phoenix design several times, because it is relatively simple and lots of fun to color. I used Prismacolor pencils and gel pens. There are acrylic "rain dots", too. #art #traditionalart #coloredpencils #drawing #phoenix

A green, black, and white phoenix flies through an abstract space. Its feathers are decorated with lines and dots to make it look complex. Acrylic dots surround its head, as if it is exploding with color. Except it's mostly green on blue, because the artist was just in one of those moods that day. The drawing was made with Prismacolor pencils and white and silver gel pens.

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Rachael Mayo @rachaelmayo.bsky.social · 08/02/2025

How about an oldy-moldy? This is an Aliens vs Predator piece called "In Her Majesty's Service", from 2004. I had a lot looser inking style back in the day.

The Predator crouches in a heroic pose with his double-ended spear. At his feet is an Aliens Facehugger that is clearly deceased. Behind the Predator are numerous adult Aliens which behave as if the Predator is one of them. The implication is that the Facehugger has successfully infected the Predator with an Alien embryo, and the adult Aliens are protective of the host of their new little sister. The drawing was made with Zig Millenium pens and is in a loose, scratchy and scumbly inking style.

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Rachael Mayo @rachaelmayo.bsky.social · 01/02/2025

I made this for my dad years ago. He's a fan of Salvador Dali, and "Persistence of Memory" is one of his favorite pieces. He described this spoof idea to me, and once my skills caught up, I drew this for him. "Persistence of Star Trek". #Spoof #StarTrek #Surrealism #Dali #soft

A spoof of Salvador Dali's "Persistence of Memory". A golden block on the left holds a broken olive tree, and draped over its branch is a soft, squishy Starship Enterprise NC117-A from Star Trek. Draped off of the table is another soft Enterprise. Next to it is a golden pocket watch being investigated by ants. In the middle of the brown plain of the image is a warped object that resembles a sleeping face, with a single visible eye that has long eyelashes. Draped over it, almost like a blanket, is a third soft Enterprise. In the background is a low mountain, and before the mountain is a tiny rendering of the Guardian of Forever. The sea comes up to meet the mountain, and the se reflects a sky that has the look of early dawn. The piece was made with Prismacolor pencils over a watercolor underpainting.

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Rachael Mayo @rachaelmayo.bsky.social · 01/02/2025

Recently read Tanith Lee's "Tales of the Flat Earth" series (halfway through v5). Rumored to be the "source" for Sandman, but not like Sandman at all. Very much unique, opulent, magnificent, and weird. Might have a crush on Azhrarn. Feeling *yowza*; might make art later. Read it if you haven't!

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Rachael Mayo @rachaelmayo.bsky.social · 01/02/2025

This is "Night Forest Dragon". I don't often make portraits, so this was a fun exercise. I could let my detailing fancy loose on individual scales. #dragon #portrait #fantasy #traditionalart

A dragon's portrait faces left. The dragon's green scales and ruff resemble the leaves of a plant, perhaps some type of succulent. The scales are decorated with spots of lavender/carmine and also tiny dots. The background is a sort of leafy mandala, darkest green against black. The dragon is an ink drawing colored with Prismacolor pencils and gel pens.

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Rachael Mayo @rachaelmayo.bsky.social · 01/02/2025

This is "Fields of Gold 2", a piece I used to experiment with layering. While I typically use two or three layers, this is a rare case where I have layered the subject itself. Takes more work, but love the effect and so plan to do more.

A long, elaborate, somewhat oriental dragon stalks toward the right. The dorsal fluff is made of large individual curls which resemble leaves, or feathers, and are stylized. The dail curls around itself on the left and has elaborate scale-plates, curling leaf-feathers, and red spines. The dragon's closest front leg and back leg and head are on an upper cut-out layer. The torso is on a second cut-out layer. The tail and the farther front and back legs are on a third cut-out layer. The bottom layer is a background board that has been painted with acrylics, using stencils. The dragon was colored with watercolor, Prismacolor pencils, and gel pens.

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Rachael Mayo @rachaelmayo.bsky.social · 28/01/2025

As much as I like space monsters, I haven't drawn any in quite a long time. Got a backlog of dragons to dig through before I can get back to my favorite, the Predator. This one is "Shogun", done as a prize drawing for a DA friend several years ago.

The Predator, armored in a way that evokes a Samurai, stalks toward the viewer through a foggy environment. Behind the Predator is a deep red sun-like symbol. The armor was inspired by Todd McFarlane's Samurai Spawn action figures. The Predator was colored with Prismacolor pencils over a watercolor wash and ink drawing.

The ink drawing features the Predator in armor and helmet that resembles an ornate Samurai. The armor is inspired by Todd McFarlane's Samurai Spawn action figures. The Predator stalks forward, with his legs and feet partly obscured by mist. A sun-like symbol rises behind him.

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Rachael Mayo @rachaelmayo.bsky.social · 27/01/2025

This is "Champion Maris", the image that appears on my profile, behind my avatar. It is a small project at 5x7 inches, and is part of a planned series of small projects.

A left-facing dragon holds a pearl in each hand as a larimar cabochon floats in front of its face. The dragon is colored with Prismacolor pencils and gel pens over a watercolor underpainting, then cut out and attached to a base board with foam tape. Along the margins on top, right, and bottom, there are tiny seashells, sea stars, amethysts, and acrylic rhinestones.

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Rachael Mayo @rachaelmayo.bsky.social · 27/01/2025

This is a small piece at 5x7 inches. It is called "Champion Flamme" and is part of a planned series of small dragons with included bibbles. Smaller = more affordable!

A dragon, facing to the right, holds an ammolite jewel on a chain. Its wings are spread above to show off their colors. The dragon was colored with Prismacolor pencils over watercolor. The dragon image was cut out and placed onto a 5x7 inch board with foam tape to give the art some depth. There are metal beads and decorations, papercut shapes, agate stones, coral, and acrylic rhinestones used all along the margins.

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Rachael Mayo @rachaelmayo.bsky.social · 26/01/2025

Here's the full dragon that I used for my avatar image. This is "Turquoise Paramount", and it is one of the earliest Stone Dragons that uses 3D elements. (Also a personal favorite.) Dragon was colored with Prismacolors over watercolor base. #art #dragon #fantasy #traditionalart

A dragon is packed into the composition, and faces left. Wings are leather-like feathers, partly spread. Body is long and the tail loops through the composition. The borders contain 3D elements that are bits of jewelry and findings, acrylic rhinestones, watch gears, acrylic tiles, and thin segments of matboard. The dragon has been colored with Prismacolor pencils over an ink drawing and a watercolor underpainting. There is gold paint pen detailing throughout.

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Rachael Mayo @rachaelmayo.bsky.social · 26/01/2025

Birdy-things make me happy. I have both line art and a colored version of this phoenix-like critter, "Distant Star 6". Line art is for my coloring book series, "Dragon Adventure". Colored version was done with Prismacolor pencils over watercolor. #fantasy #art #phoenix #bird

A semi-abstract fantasy bird based on a type of hornbill. Wings are a bit like leather and a bit like flame and a bit like feathers. Heavily stylized design for coloring.

Fantasy bird that borrows from the phoenix and from hornbills. Wings have elements of feathers, leather, flames, water. Heavily stylized. Background design is a watercolor wash, with small, round, enamel accents.

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