Jonalyn Crisologo - Drawing Phoenix: How to Draw Mystical Creatures For the Beginner

Jonalyn Crisologo

And

John Davidson

~~~

Smashwords Edition

Learn to Draw Book Series

JD- Biz Publishing

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By: Jonalyn Crisologo and 123RF.com

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The legend of the phoenix appears almost inevery culture: A mystical bird (usually associated with a woman)who takes off to the heavens in a fiery blaze.

The character has probably been most famousby the animated comics and animated series X-Men. Laterturned into a film, Jean Grays allure and superb psychic powersare put in the spotlight when she magnificently transforms,unleashing her true potential as the prophesied Phoenix.

The Phoenix is associated with great power,and it is because of the massive potentialities she is endowed withthat the battle between good and evil ensueswhere good hopes shecould tame the power, but evil intends to take control and use itto further spread malevolence.

The third of the How to Draw MythicalCreatures series, Phoenix takes on another mysticalexploration. The first part tackles historical and mythicalaccounts on the existence of such a creature.

The second section provides basic drawingessentials designed to instruct the absolute beginner. Prior tofocusing on the subject at hand, you will have the opportunity toequip yourself with rudimentary basic processes. Included is adiscussion on rendering, which will guide you on how to establishlighting, contrast, and shadingtopics among which can beintimidating for the novice.

Without further ado, I welcome you to join meon this mystical adventure. Welcome aboard!

First and foremost, Phoenix is the name of aspecific creaturenot a particular breed of birds. A proper noun,it is spelled with a capital P. similar to Pegasus, who is aspecific flying horse, and unlike the unicorns and dragons, thatbelong to particular groups of supernatural species.

As a child, I had been fascinated by X-MensPhoenix. In fact, it was through this character that I was firstmade aware of the mythical bird in flames. Even then, I resonatedmost with the Marvel character. I think possessing tremendouspowers is awesome, and the legendary creature is not asmesmerizing.

Years later, my eldest sister asked me todraw a Phoenix. I was taken aback by her request. I found it a bitabsurd because, for me, the dragon was the image of fierceness.Moreover, I thought it was more logical choice because she was bornin a Year of the Dragon.

I made several attempts, but I could not doit any justice. Mostly, this was because I merely perceived it as abird in flames, unlike the comic book character with whom Iconnected with.

In the effort to conjure a Phoenix image thatI felt strongly about, I decided I needed to know more about thiscreature. Where does the Phoenix come from? How did its story cometo be? Did it really make an appearance on Earth?

Like most creatures, I was certain tabletsand scrolls have the answers. To my surprise, the Phoenix is justas revered as dragons and unicornsperhaps with a better repute.Why so? Unlike their contemporaries that were slaughtered or leftforgotten as mere fables, the Phoenix has astonishingly enjoyed theattention from an audience consisting of religious figures,historians, astronomers, and many others all of whom who, foreons, have been futilely pursued it.

There is an anonymous fable that has this tosay of the Phoenix:

A rumor spread among the birds. According to thisrumor, there exists a Paradise. And this Paradise is in the sun.Naturally, the birds were afraid to take on such a daring ventureand discover the authenticity of the rumor. However, there was alone bird named Phoenix, who dared to fly all the way to the sun.All the rest of the flock threw all sorts of expletives at thesoaring bird.

But the bird fell to the ground, wings burnt andall. Phoenix's malevolent kin, who coveted the courage the birdpossessed, ate what was left of the lifeless body.

Just then, the unsuspecting flock were taken abackand enthralled by the most glorious sight: Phoenix rose from theashes in a most brilliant, fiery form.

In spite of slight variations, the abovenarrative encapsulates the many various accounts about the Phoenix.Moreover, many historians, poets, and even statesmen seem to beconvinced that the bird reappears every 500 years. The bird doesnot go in hiding (though no historical accounts of sightings havebeen made available to the populace to prove its legitimacy), butlives for the entire cycle, a lifespan of 500 years, and thenprepares itself a sepulcher where it lays down to rest. Then, itarises from its own remains to take its casket to a temple in thesun. All this is said to recur every 500 years. It does not breed,nor has it any descendants of its exactness. But it dies andresurrects itself. Thus, there exists no other, but one Phoenix atany given time.

The Chase

Fabled flaming feathered creatures appearalmost in every nation. The Benu of Egypt, Garuda in India, FengHuang in China, Ho-oo in Japan, Fire Bird in Germany, Sarimanok inthe Philippines. Whether they merely resemble or are localversions, the Phoenix is directly referred to not only inmythology, but also in religious and historical texts around theworld. However, unlike dragons and unicorns, the fiery fowl enjoysa certain popularity. Prominent figures down the ages haveastoundingly chased after the creaturenot in an attempt toslaughter itbut to prove its authenticity.

Some believe that Hesiods famous riddle isthe first authentic non-fictional account, which mentions thePhoenix. The Greek poet lived around 7 or 8 BC. Excerpted fromThe Precepts of Chiron, the riddle goes:

Nine generations long is the life of the crow andits cawing,

nine generations of vigorous men.

The lives of four crows together equal the life of astag,

and three stags the old age of a raven;

nine of the lives of the raven the life of thePhoenix do equal,

ten of the Phoenix we Nymphs, fair daughters of Zeusof the aegis.