Samyazan Scion

I don't remember making this but I apparently did at 12:41 am back in july?

"The Beetle's moon", 2025

Dynastes tityus, the Eastern Hercules beetle, is one of the largest beetle species found in North America -- they also happen to be my favorite!

I originally planned to make a purely ecosystem-focused piece for this species (and I may still do a more scientific-illustration-style piece later). But, as I toyed around the the composition, I realized that I really wanted to make the beetle grub feel like the 'moon' and pivoted my focus from there. I still stuck with a more natural tone for the background theming and drew the old tree stump to represent its place as a frequent habitat for this species and several morel mushrooms to bring that forest floor feeling.