🛥️

Little 15 minute sketch I did. Idk who it’s supposed to be, since it’s from imagination, but my quick sketches usually look much worse, so I’m happy. Sorta reminds me of the face I image for an OC I haven’t drawn yet, so maybe it’s them.

It’s done! I’m actually really happy about it. There’s some parts that don’t work at all, but overall I think it turned out well.

A plant study I did in watercolour. I actually really like it. It’s the first time I’ve done watercolour in a bit, and I’m happy how it turned out for the most part.

Another progress pic. Unfortunately, since I’m a novice, there’s probably a 50/50 chance I ruin it before it’s done tbh, but I’ve been enjoying the process.

I’ve been really in my head recently, and haven’t been drawing as much since I haven’t been getting good results with my art in the past week. To get out of it, I decided to try and draw in ink and cross hatch(I looked up tutorials). I think even though these aren’t good, it was helpful to try something different from what I generally do, and something which I know for sure I’ll be bad at. It takes some pressure off.

One Mountain, Two Tigers: A New Species of Gloydius (Serpentes: Viperidae) from the Upper Lancang Valley in Xizang, China, with Comments on the Diagnostic Characters and Evolution of the G. strauchi (Bedriaga, 1912) Species Complex

Jinlong REN, Junjie HUANG, Wei WU, Ke JIANG, Jiatang LI

Abstract

The Hengduan Mountains Region (HMR) in China, a globally significant biodiversity hotspot, has garnered attention for its potential to harbor cryptic species within the Asian pit viper genus Gloydius Hoge & Romano-Hoge, 1981. Based on comprehensive morphological comparisons and molecular phylogenetic analysis of the Gloydius strauchi complex, this study identified a previously unrecognized species of Asian pit viper. Discovered in the upper Lancang (Mekong) hot dry valley of Xizang, China, this species is geographically proximate to G. huangi but exhibits clear morphological distinctions from other members of the genus, representing the second Gloydius species identified along the upper Lancang River. We describe here this new species and highlight the significance of skull and hemipenis morphology, which were instrumental in its diagnosis and in resolving taxonomic boundaries and ambiguities within the G. strauchi complex. This study provides insights into the phylogenetic relationships and evolutionary history of this newly described species, enhancing our understanding of diversification patterns in this genus.

Read the paper here:

One Mountain, Two Tigers: A New Species of <italic>Gloydius</italic> (Serpentes: Viperidae) from the Upper Lancang Valley in Xizang, China, with Comments on the Diagnostic Characters and Evolution of the <italic>G</italic>. <italic>strauchi</italic> (Bedriaga, 1912) Species Complex

Started as a pose study from Pinterest, but I think I want to turn it into something more. This is just the sketch before I do the watercolours over it, but I probably won’t get to colouring for a bit, since I’m fairly busy this week.

The right edge was a bit wonky on the previous version, so I decided to post a slightly updated version. I made the skull linger a bit more as well. I think it’s definitely an improvement on the previous version.

Irrelevant personal tangent under the cut

I’ve honestly been really happy so far with my forays into digital art and animation. I haven’t had much time to practise properly, so I’m not improving as fast as I would have liked, but nonetheless, it’s been fun.

I’m sort of in a bottle phase right now, so my next piece is probably going to be a ship in a bottle.

Just got some markers. These are my first two times using them. I still have a lot to learn, but they’re pretty fun.

Reference: https://www.pintrest.com/pin/20200919--70437486273223/

(Although I still haven’t quite learned how to do likenesses, so it doesn’t look that much like him)

Did a portrait from a Pinterest reference today. I’ve been trying to get the hang of digital drawing, and I think it’s been working. Of course, I still have a lot to learn(for example, the eyes are a bit wonky) but I’m fairly pleased.