The DM Collection

In Aesop's Fable, The Frogs That Desired a King, the frogs get a lesson in Liberty. ⁣ ⁣ The frogs ask the king of the gods, Zeus for a king, he gives them a log. The frogs leap on the log and make fun of it. They ask Zeus again for a "real king", Zeus sends them a water snake who promptly starts eating the frogs. They appeal to Zeus, but he says they must live with the consequences of their request.⁣ ⁣ So, remember, be careful what you wish for! 🐍⁣ .⁣ .⁣ .⁣ .⁣ .⁣ ⁣#frog #frogs #pond #ponds #illustration #watercolourartist #thedmcollection #watercolourartist #animalart #wildlifeart #animalArt #animalartist #animalpainting #animalcreatives⁣ #greetingscard #greetingscard #wildlifeart #makerstoknow #justacard #illustrators #illustratorlife #meetthemaker #makersmovement #wearethemakers #creativelifehappylife #doitfortheprocess #ukillustrator #artistofig #instapaint #natureartist

What a mess! Out of chaos comes order.. well in my case, kind off... or sometimes , but not all the time!

👑 In Aesop’s fable The Lion and the Mouse, the lion king discovers that by showing mercy he can reap its rewards tenfold. Heeding the mouse’s plea not to be eaten, the lion is later saved from a trap by the mouse who gnaws through the ropes.⁣ ⁣ A lesson that size is not important and kindness can reap great rewards!

How long is a giraffes neck? I googled it! So long that if you draw it i goes right off the paper!

Why do roosters ‘Cock-a-Doodle-doo’ in the morning? The greek myth about Alectryon explains it and naturally it involves an illicit affair and a tragedy!⁣ ⁣ You can read the whole sordid tale on my blog - link to website in bio 👉@The_DMC_collection ⁣ .⁣ .⁣ .⁣ .⁣ .⁣ ⁣ #thedmcollection #wildlifeartist #natureartist #artistofig #animalsinart #britishwildlife #gardenwildlife #ukwildlife #chickensofinstagram #cockerel #rooster #greekmythology #greetingscard #wildlifeart #makerstoknow #justacard #illustrators #illustratorlife #colourfulllife #meetthemaker #makersmovement #wearethemakers #creativelifehappylife #doitfortheprocess #ukillustrator #instapaint

Did you know Melissa the popular girls name comes directly from the Greek word for bee?🐝⁣ ⁣ It is thought that this might be related to the myth that surrounds the greek god Zeus. As a baby his father wanted to eat him for fear of being overthrown by his children, but Zeus' mother had hid him well. ⁣ ⁣ One of those who sheltered the infant was a nymph called Melissa. She cared for the baby and fed him milk and honey. Cronus discovered where Zeus was hiding, and although Melissa got the baby away, she did not escape and was turned into an earthworm.⁣ ⁣ Years later, Zeus did exactly what his father had feared and overthrew him. Now the all-powerful rule of Mount Olympus, Zeus came across his former nanny wriggling through the earth. In gratitude for her care and giving him a taste for the honey he still loved, he transformed her into a graceful bee 💛⁣ .⁣ .⁣ .⁣ .⁣ .⁣ #thedmcollection #wildlifeartist #natureartist #artistofig #animalsinart #bee #beeprint #beeillustration #beepainting #beesofinstagram⁣ #bumblebee #queenbee #bees #insectsofinstagram #britishinsects #honeybees #britishwildlife #britishwildflowers #buttercups #meadowflowers #greekmythology

I did the duck test on this one. If it looks like a duck, swims like a duck, and quacks like a duck, then it probably is a duck. More specifically, these are runner ducks!⁣ .⁣ .⁣ .⁣ .⁣ .⁣ ⁣ #thedmcollection #wildlifeartist #natureartist #artistofig ⁣ #designermaker#thedmcollection#watercolourartist#animalart#wildlifeart⁣ #animalArt#animalartist #animalpainting#animalcreatives #artprints #wallartdecor #ducksofinstagram #ducklover #duckling #runnerducks #runnerducksofinstagram

What happens to butterflies over winter? 🦋 They don't hibernate, they actually become dormant and wait for the first warmth of spring.

What do dinosaurs and roosters have in common? 🦕⁣ To answer that question we need to think where roosters and hens actually come from? Well, it turns out that these domesticated fowl are actually related to a bird known as the Red junglefowl, originating in South East Asia. Noted for their steady supply of eggs and palatable meat. It is said that they first started to domesticate the junglefowl over in India, as far back as 3200 BC: and if we go back even further – and I mean a lot further – we discover that the Red Junglefowl is… (drum roll please) … is … the closest living ancestor to the Tyrannosaurus-Rex! ⁣ So does that mean T-rex's taste like chicken? 😉😂

In the the cosmic hunt mythology, a bear is transformed into the constellation of Ursa Major forming the four stars at the bottom of the plough asterism of Ursa Major. ✨⁣ ⁣ The stars can be really hard to see here in London because of the light pollution, but whenever i'm are out in the countryside I can see what i'm missing!⁣ .⁣ .⁣ .⁣ .⁣ .⁣ #constilation #ursamajor #thegreatbear #bears #greatbear #thedmcollection #wildlifeartist #natureartist #artistofig #winterscene #winterscenery #wildlifeartist #natureartist #artistofig #animalsinart #artinprogress #artinprocess #painting #paintinginprogress #halfdone #watercolourpainting #watercolour #artprocess⁣ #winsorandnewton #illustrationdaily #creativecommunity #createeveryday #creativehappylife #maketimeforart #inspiredbynature

Did you know Ladybird's are universally considered lucky? 🍀⁣ Some say a ladybird landing on you means you will find true love. 💘⁣ In Scotland, this is a bit less vague, where a ladybird landing on an unmarried girl (for some reason it is only girls, boys having nothing to do with this marriage malarky) means she'll be married within a year, and the ladybird flies off in the direction of the betrothed-to-be. 👰💍⁣ .⁣ .⁣ .⁣ .⁣ .⁣ ⁣ #britishwildlife #gardenwildlife #ukwildlife #thedmcollection #wildlifeartist #natureartist #artistofig #animalsinart #ladybirds #ladybirdsofinstagram #ladybirdprint #animalart #animaldrawing #bugsofinstagram #artprint #wallart #prints #watercolourartist #greetingscard #poppy #armisticeday #poppies #lucky #luckycharm #londonartist #designedinlondon #redpoppy

Bit scary when you have to use dark colours straight of the bat with watercolour. I build them up. starting with cerulean blue, then a bit of ultramarine and finally in with the Prussian Blue, lamp black right at the end, but gotta be careful with that stuff as there is no coming back from it!⁣ .⁣ .⁣ .⁣ .⁣ ⁣ #artinprogress #artinprocess #painting #paintinginprogress #halfdone #watercolourpainting #watercolour #watercolor⁣ #watercolour_gallery #winsorandnewton #winsorandnewtonwatercolors⁣ #handpainted #illustrationdaily #creativecommunity #createeveryday #creativehappylife #maketimeforart #inspiredbynature #watercolorart #studioscenes #artprocess #pandas #pandaart #pandabear #giantpanda #panda #pandabears #bamboo

What attracts us to cats? Their indifference perhaps? 🐈⁣ Rudyard Kipling hit the nail on the head in his just so story, “The cat that walked by himself”. Of all the domesticated animals the cat has remained wild. Maybe we like their aloof nature, their inherent wildness.⁣ .⁣ .⁣ .⁣ .⁣ .⁣ ⁣ #catart #catartist #catillustration #catsofinstagram #catstagram #catlover #excellent_cats ⁣ #designermaker #thedmcollection #watercolourartist #animalart#wildlifeart⁣ #animalArt #animalartist #animalpainting#animalcreatives#artprints#wallartdecor #greetingcards #notecards #greetingcarddesign #snailmailrevolution #cardsofinstagram #domesticcat #domesticcatlover #petstagram

Rabbit in progress, been meaning to re tackle this one, the last leaping rabbits I did were a bit unworldly, had a nocturnal vibe going on which did not quite work! ⁣ .⁣ .⁣ .⁣ .⁣ .⁣ #watercolour #animalart #animalcreatives #greetingscard #painting #wildlifeart⁣ #art_we_inspire #watercolourartist #artist #watercolorpainting #animalartist #thedmcollection #artistatwork #woodland #woodlandanimals #animalpainting #designermaker #watercolourpainting #wildlife #artinprogress #illustrationoftheday #greetings #card #bunny #rabbit #inspiring_watercolors #topcreator #watercolour_gallery #illustrationartists #watercolors

The Fox is definitely a bit of a marmite creature, some people love them and some people hate them, but there is no denying their reputation as a crafty creature! 🦊⁣ One of Aesop’s Fables “The Fox and the Crow” illustrates this. It is a caution against listening to flatterers and goes like this….. The fox notices that a crow has a piece of cheese, he flatters the crow, telling him how beautiful he is and whether he has a beautiful voice to match his beautiful looks. The crow lest out a caw, the piece of cheese falls to the ground the fox eats the cheese. ⁣ Fox 1 Crow 0⁣ .⁣ .⁣ .⁣ .⁣ .⁣ #foxillustration #foxart #foxesofinstagram #fox #fox #foxes ⁣ #crow #foxdrawing #craftyfox #beautifulfox #thedmcollection #wildlifeartist #natureartist #artistofig #animalsinart #wildlifeart #makerstoknow #justacard #illustrators #illustratorlife #colourfulllife #meetthemaker #makersmovement #wearethemakers #creativelifehappylife #doitfortheprocess #wildlifeartist #ukillustrator #artistofig #instapaint

All the blues: Prussin blue, ultra marine and cerulean blue feature heavily in this collection of majestic sea creatures. . . . . . #seacreatures #oceanlife #sealifeart #watercolourartist #thedmcollection #animalart #ukillustrator #artistofig #whales #penguins #seagull #turtleart #artisitofinstagram #wildlifeartist #animalart #designermaker #nauticaltheme #nauticalart #walldecor #puffins #artprint

Goldfinches have red cheeks and in the medieval mindset, these were acquired while the bird was trying to remove Christ's crown of thorns in an act of mercy. ⁣ ⁣ Goldfinches also eat thistle seeds and together these two things associate the bird with Christ’s Passion and his crown of thorns. 🌿⁣ ⁣ Another layer of meaning has been attributed to the eating of thistle seeds. In Europe they were used as a medicinal ingredient to combat the plague. ⁣ ⁣ So through this association the goldfinch also became a good luck charm. Bestowing good heath and warding off disease from those who either saw a goldfinch or owned one. ⁣ Fingers crossed we all spot a Gold finch this autumn to ward off those winter colds! 🤧