Illustration by Matt Hayton

Matt Hayton on Etsy / Instagram

I’m excited to finally show you all my finished Merman sculpt. I’m really proud of this piece because I tackled a lot of new elements which meant a lot of learning curves. In Finnish mythology, a Vetehinen is said to be a magical, bearded man with the tail of a fish. He can cure illnesses, lift curses and brew potions. 💦‬ #fawnlorn #matthayton #merman #arttoy #sculpture #folklore #mermay #mermay2020 https://www.instagram.com/p/CAfpFmynzzc/?igshid=1w3ikl6kla8di

Happy May the 4th! I finally finished the Mandalorian last week and I absolutely adored it, especially Baby Yoda. Here’s the sculpt I made so I could have my very own Child. I’m really proud of this piece, especially the clothing since I sewed them all myself which was a learning curve. ✨ #fawnlorn #matthayton #sculpting #sculpture #arttoy #starwars #themandalorian #babyyoda #thechild #maythe4thbewithyou #starwarsday https://www.instagram.com/p/B_xPVSrHtne/?igshid=gj2lq6ye1xiq

Snow Cap Gnomes and Krampus Imps are now available in my Etsy shop (https://www.etsy.com/shop/fawnlorn). Each one is hand cast and hand painted. ❄️ #fawnlorn #matthayton #imp #arttoy #sculpture #folklore #krampus https://www.instagram.com/p/B47qaeKnDyN/?igshid=1xyc9v0fwlio

Snow Cap Gnomes and Krampus Imps are now available in my Etsy shop (https://www.etsy.com/shop/fawnlorn). Each one is hand cast and hand painted. ❄️ #fawnlorn #matthayton #imp #arttoy #sculpture #folklore #krampus https://www.instagram.com/p/B42gXYhnZWr/?igshid=tklu4tpx66y0

Snow Cap Gnomes and Krampus Imps are now available in my Etsy shop (https://www.etsy.com/shop/fawnlorn). Each one is hand cast and hand painted. ❄️ #fawnlorn #matthayton #imp #arttoy #sculpture #folklore #krampus https://www.instagram.com/p/B5DtjbMH0rr/?igshid=dtemvy9cq6gh

Inktober is finished, so here’s my entire sketchbook from this year! Which one is your favourite? 🎃 Thank you so much to everyone who has followed along, and for all the kind words. Its always a lot of work but I enjoy drawing spooks everyday. If anyone is interested in any of the pieces this year, let me know! 👻 #inktober2019 #inktober #illustration #fawnlorn #matthayton https://www.instagram.com/p/B4XbO4yHxL-/?igshid=1ccs926rg4saj

Inktober N° 31 — Tatty Bogle. A bogle is a Northern English and Scottish term for a ghost or folkloric being, used for a variety of related folkloric creatures. One type of bogle is known as Tatty Bogle, who would hide himself in potato fields (hence his name) and either attack unwary humans or cause blight within the patch. This bogle was depicted as a scarecrow, “bogle” being an old name for “scarecrow” in various parts of England and Scotland. 🎃 #fawnlorn #matthayton #illustration #inktober #inktober2019 #folklore #bogle #tattybogle #scarecrow https://www.instagram.com/p/B4Sebdqns2p/?igshid=wtcfy6xplp4

Inktober N° 30 — Nuckelavee. The nuckelavee is a horse-like demon from Orcadian mythology that combines equine and human elements. It is considered the most horrible of all the demons of Scotland’s Northern Isles. The nuckelavee’s breath was thought to wilt crops and sicken livestock, and the creature was held responsible for droughts and epidemics. An islander claimed to have survived a confrontation with the beast and, after much cajoling reluctantly gave his description of the monster, the only known first-hand account. According to the islander, the nuckelavee has a man’s torso attached to a horse’s back as if it were a rider. The male torso has no legs, but its arms can reach the ground from its position on top of the equine body. The torso has a large head that rolls back and forth. The monster has two heads; the equine head has an enormous gaping mouth that exudes a smelly toxic vapour, and a single giant eye like a burning red flame. A particularly gruesome detail is that the nuckelavee has no skin. 🎃 #fawnlorn #matthayton #illustration #inktober #inktober2019 #folklore #ghost #demon #nuckelavee https://www.instagram.com/p/B4P8YMVnx93/?igshid=1do3i7ctm7ml2

Inktober N° 29 — Tom Fool. Tom Skelton, aka Tom Fool is said to haunt Muncaster Castle in northern England. Tom was a jester and he was held in high regard around Muncaster Castle during the late 16th and early 17th century, up until his death sometime in 1600. In life he was a spiteful character, who would direct people towards the quicksand when they were looking for directions, if he didn’t like the look of them. He was also believed to be behind the beheading of a local carpenter, who’s only crime was to fall in love with Sir Ferdinand Penningtons daughter, Helwise. The murder was thought to be under Sir Penningtons orders, and Tom, who was keen to increase his status was keen to oblige. Tom Fool I said to still keeps a watchful eye on the castle, and occasionally gets up to more sinister mischief. 🎃 #fawnlorn #matthayton #illustration #inktober #inktober2019 #folklore https://www.instagram.com/p/B4NUMijHzuZ/?igshid=1xytt8jvt03qg

Inktober N° 28 — Peg Powler. Peg Powler is a hag and water spirit in English folklore who inhabits the River Tees and drags children into the water if they get too close to the edge. The 19th century folklorist William Henderson describes Peg Powler as having green hair and “an insatiable desire for human life”, and she is said to lure people into the river to drown or be devoured. The foam or froth which is often seen floating on certain parts of the Tees is called “Peg Powler’s suds” or “Peg Powler’s cream”. 🎃 #fawnlorn #matthayton #illustration #inktober #inktober2019 #folklore #pegpowler https://www.instagram.com/p/B4KwdGQH3be/?igshid=19dq2ff3q6h98

Inktober N° 27 — Black Annis. Black Annis is a bogeyman figure in English folklore. She is imagined as a blue-faced hag or witch with iron claws and a taste for human flesh (especially children). She is said to haunt the countryside of Leicestershire, living in a cave in the Dane Hills with a great oak tree at the entrance. She is said to venture out at night looking for unsuspecting children to eat, then tanning their skins by hanging them on a tree before wearing them around her waist. She would reach inside houses to snatch people. She was also known to hide in the branches of her oak tree waiting to leap upon unsuspecting prey. The legend led to parents warning their children that Black Annis would get them if they did not behave. 💀 #fawnlorn #matthayton #illustration #inktober #inktober2019 #folklore https://www.instagram.com/p/B4IN-ExHO9F/?igshid=4pycxh6vq9ep

Inktober N° 26 — Eachy. An eachy is a name given to a species of lake monster from a variety of locations in Northern England and Scotland. An eachy is typically a large humanoid being of gruesome and slimy appearance seen to occasionally emerge from the lake. An eachy was reported from Windermere in 1873 and Bassenthwaite Lake as late as 1973 when it was supposedly photographed twice. 🎃 #fawnlorn #matthayton #illustration #inktober #inktober2019 #folklore #Eachy #lakemonster #cryptid https://www.instagram.com/p/B4FfeM7HZfo/?igshid=18zy8uts19bch

Inktober N° 25 — Breckland Omen. The Breckland Omen is a huge ghostly white rabbit, with glowing red eyes that is said to guard Thetford Warren Lodge. It is an omen of death to anyone who lays eyes on it. 🎃 #fawnlorn #matthayton #illustration #inktober #inktober2019 #folklore https://www.instagram.com/p/B4C0Sp9ng6D/?igshid=trfv2rndvfy6

Inktober N° 24 — Cockatrice. A cockatrice is a mythical beast, essentially a two-legged dragon or serpent-like creature with a rooster’s head. It has the reputed ability to kill people by either looking at them—"the death-darting eye of Cockatrice"—touching them, or sometimes breathing on them. It was repeated in the late-medieval bestiaries that the weasel is the only animal that is immune to the glance of a cockatrice. 🎃 #fawnlorn #matthayton #illustration #inktober #inktober2019 #folklore #cockatrice #halloween https://www.instagram.com/p/B4AVnX9Hn3D/?igshid=1u3z8y7g8pctm

Must be the season of the witch. One of my Imps spotted in the wild. I have three Imps available in my Etsy shop (https://www.etsy.com/shop/fawnlorn) if you’d like to give one a home. Each one is hand cast and hand painted and make brilliant familiars. Happy haunting! 👻 #fawnlorn #matthayton #imp #arttoy #sculpture #folklore https://www.instagram.com/p/B3__EFzHb19/?igshid=1w4khmkn6kkgy

Inktober N° 22 — Taghairm. Perhaps the most horrible of all recorded magical spells. It consisted of roasting a series of cats on spits until, in the end, a gigantic cat appeared and granted the wishes of the operants. The last known performance of this rite was at the beginning of the 17th century by two men whom wished to secure a boon. The men continue the operation for four days without tasting food. The barn became full of demon cats yelling, and then the master cat, Big Ears, appeared and granted them their wishes. 🎃 #fawnlorn #matthayton #illustration #inktober #inktober2019 #folklore https://www.instagram.com/p/B37LPV_HqZq/?igshid=1ne5g7uaavt0t