Category: flora and fauna

AI Art, AI art, animals, fantasy illustration, flora and fauna, humor, thoughts behind the work

How to love a Moose

Michele B. Naquaiya

As I explore lots of learning challenges in AI, I’m leaning on some of my favorite animals. Today I play with a moose. I’ve never seen a moose in person– in the wild. If you remember the series “Northern Exposure”, I loved the opening where they used quirky music and the big moose walking around downtown Cicely, Alaska. It still makes me smile and the moose always stuck in my head.
Here are three elements of me playing with a moose, to create 2 completely different versions.

This is the first prompt with soft watercolor

I thought this guy was great but wanted to try another version using the same elements but adding a layer of white, to create an intricate texture and a completely different look.

This is the 2nd prompt with additional white
This is the last element of a whimsical, nonsensical watercolor doodle in the background

If you look closely, there is an odd set of legs at the bottom of the first two. You might not ever guess they came from this little guy who is a 3rd watercolor, blended into the first 2 images. He’s not a moose at all but I included him in the mix because of the color palette and whimsical nature as a surprise element. So that’s the story of my evolving learning experience today. It’s about having fun with art and whimsical images. I think of it like cooking. The last element is the unidentiful spice that makes the dish amazing.

animals, fantasy illustration, flora and fauna, Nature, tropical fish

Something cool about TEXTURE

Michele B. Naquaiya

I have been painting fish, faces, and flowers for a long time. I might have more art supplies than your average art store (just kidding, but it’s close). Some ingredients I use over and over are fish and flowers, fish turning into faces, flowers turning into fish. In this painting the basic shapes of koi and waterlilies are colored with colored pencil. No wonder I’m never bored drawing every day.

AI Art

A New Rare Baby Tapir Is Born

Michele B. Naquaiya

A rare Malayan tapir calf was born at the Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium in Tacoma, Washington on February 2, 2025. The calf, which is only the second tapir born at the zoo in its 120-year history, is covered in distinctive white spots and stripes, resembling a “fuzzy walking watermelon”. Both mother Yuna and the calf are reported to be healthy. The calf will remain behind the scenes with its mother, nursing and bonding, and will receive a veterinary checkup later. 

I have always loved these mysterious creatures. How could this animal with such an odd body, long nose and patterns on its body be on the planet for so long….and nobody is paying attention to them. He’s so darned cute and he looks like he has a playful personality. Let’s hope their species will grow from now on.

Inspired by this little guy’s birth, here’s a new artwork I did in AI. I am really enjoying the process. I know many artists don’t like it. I do. Here’s my drawing with a made up character, an impression of a baby tapir in a setting that hopefully will look like a drawing. If you like it and think I’m on a good path, let me know in comments.

AI Art, daily paintings, loving mexico, Odd Little Stories, Pen and Ink Drawing, step by step, how to, Tablet Drawing, whimsy

Overwhelming tmi

Michele B. Naquaiya

Too much information is not good for the creative mind. It blocks, it mocks, it kills free thought. Here is a new work in the making… Lost love teenager in Paris.

AI Art

Growing Orchids 101

Michele B. Naquaiya
My first collection of phalaenopsis orchids and propagation techniques I’m trying

It’s been a hard year. I have been ill often, I’ve had 3 surgeries and a general feeling of not belonging to many…or any positive energies. I have a small garden area that “came with the house” as they say here in Mexico. The first two years I babysat 18 trees (I can’t remember the name of them now). They were weak, grew sporadically and kept dying. The ones that grew, moved up into my roof and caused lots of damage. Darn. I finally took them all out and designed the narrow long space with lovely ceramic pots and lots of flowers, concrete pavers and lava rock. That was almost two years ago. That garden has now found it’s legs and is doing pretty well.

I wanted more…what woman doesn’t. I don’t remember how I got started with orchids, but it was what a missing element I was looking for. The picture here is my house entry where there is shade, room to house my electric trike and table and chairs. These are my first orchids and the beginning of a new adventure and I’m hooked. I’ve been learning, and trying to remember everything I’m learning. It’s been a struggle but this new adventure is making me happy so I’m going for it. I finally have something new and exciting and at last, something to write about.