The Dragon Cometh

Published on by Laura Bloomsbury

Tomorrow being the Chinese New Year and this the turn of the dragon. A wood dragon to be precise but for this water dragon (and all dragons) the runes look good:

Dragons may find this year to be a soothing journey of self-reflection and personal growth. As their inner energy surges, it is the perfect time for Dragons to gently explore new interests or cultivate their current passions with care. 

And so I gave my inner energy a whirl in the zenbrush3 app. The difficult part is not aiming to draw anything i.e. not letting anything take form even with a theme behind it

Layering with rotated, enlarged, superimposed replicas, varying the shades and contrasts as well as giving it a darker background as the dragon emerging from the wood from which it is made.

The Wood Dragon embodies a fusion of the courageous and ambitious spirit of dragons, with the nurturing qualities associated with wood as an element.

The dragon has supernatural power, able to surge into high sky and dive into deep water.

In portrait rotation, the dragon seems to be rising from out of the water

Though I think I prefer the landscape aspect with the gold bar signifying that the dragon is a revered and auspicious animal (and the only mythical one to be included in the Chinese horoscope).

龙年快乐 — Happy year of the Dragon!

Photoshop Friday and having some fun with edits and apps! 

20 thoughts on “The Dragon Cometh”

  1. I love the vibrancy of the lines, and the feeling of shimmery motion. It feels like, opposed to photography, that motion is something that cannot be snapped in the same way a brush ( digital or otherwise) can do it, and for me, that works so well when mythological creatures are involved.

    1. I really appreciate your words because if nothing else the dragon must be shimmery and lithe – I think, as per your remarks, that the digital arts are a welcome counter to the static freeze of photography – and hence I try to include movement even there

      1. A welcome counter is the best way to describe it; I think all of them are fantastic and magical in their own way, but I do enjoy what you did immensely because it provides the crisp juxtaposition for me!

  6. Happy Year of the Dragon!
    Your Dragons with the gold bar are brilliant but my heart is 100% on the red on white!
    I’ve got to see that app! 😉

    1. Thank you Marina for the good wishes and for especially liking the original
      – you could do wonders with that app – normally I use my finger to draw but it can also be used with stylus pen or pencil

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