Oh, dear readers, I apologize for already missing just my second deadline of the New Year, oops!  I bit off more than I could chew with the start of this novel class and this new monthly, multi-artist theme post in the same week, but I’m excited to finally share this artwork starting with Birthstone Dragon: Garnet by deviantartist jeweledphoenix (made for fellow deviantartist StanHoneyThief and later traded to F-enne).  Check out her gallery for more.

As I mentioned a few weeks ago, I wanted to get back to having an actual posting schedule this year, so I’ve decided that the second week of every month will feature dragons based on the birthstone(s) of that month.  As I searched around, I realized this will undoubtedly entail sharing a few images from some of my favorite artists in each successive post, but they’re so great, I’m sure you won’t mind!

According to the Wiki:

The word garnet comes from the 14th‑century Middle English word gernet, meaning ‘dark red’. It is derived from the Latin granatus,from granum (‘grain, seed’). This is possibly a reference to mela granatum or even pomum granatum (‘pomegranate’, Punica granatum), a plant whose fruits contain abundant and vivid red seed covers (arils), which are similar in shape, size, and color to some garnet crystals.

Up next is an awesome cross-stitched pattern called Birthstone Dragon SAL – January/Garnet by American artist and crafter Gayle Tominaga, posting as jijikit, and created from a 2017 Mystery “Stitch-a-Long” pattern by Brittany Church.  You can find the complete set at her Etsy shop InglesideImaginarium.  I’m certainly thinking of picking up these cute (and size-managable!) dragons, and maybe even the new 2018 set that’s just begun called Guardians of Notre Dame — not that I need another project, of course!  (Expect to see a few more of these in the coming months!)

This next one is called, and you’ll start to sense a theme I think, Garnet by Canadian deviantartist Lunoxius, and is also from a ‘birthstone of the month’ feature she started last year (so she’ll show up again later too I bet!).  There are a lot of cool details in the gemstone accents, and I also like how the dimensions of this piece would make a great phone background. 😉 Find more in her gallery!

Then switching up the medium as I am wont to do, here is an adorable crochet called January Dragon by American artist and crafter Amaze-ing Hats.  I featured her adorable Cheesehead Football Dragon before (and you’ll see more of these cuties later also).  You can check out her gallery and Etsy store to order your very own!

Next we have another Garnet by American deviantartist Lauren, posting as Cargorabbit (as a commission for a friend on Tumblr).  Lauren has a lot more adorable creatures in her gallery including dragons, foxes, and ponies, so go check them out!

Then, by now a very familiar art and dragon style reappears, because professional artist Candice C. Sciortino, who posts as Mythka, has a dragon for just about every occasion!  Another of her dragon-a-day series (which features hundreds of designs), this Garnet Dragon was from her June 2016 gemstones theme series.  Check out her amazing gallery, though of course you’ll be seeing more of her later!

Then I just love the creativeness of this next piece, which reminds me of the detail on the book cover I featured on my Finding Dragons page.  This is called Garnet Dragon Spirit Box by American deviantartist Dawn Marie, posting as IntotheDawnDesigns.  It’s just one example of her amazing work (I also love her Moon Lady Spirit Box), so check out the rest in her gallery!

And last, but certainly not least, is one of my all-time favorites — here are two examples of her January Garnet Birthstone Dragon by American professional artist Lindy Briggs, who posts as How Many Dragons?.  As you can see by the dates, the top image is her original design, and the bottom is her “more refined” design from just a year later (her words, not mine).  I happen to like them both, though I can appreciate the small differences.  Lindy has some sage words to end on as well, not just for sculptors, but for all creative types…

I probably sculpt, on average, one or two dragons a day, so this just goes to show how a year of practice can refine your style. I can’t see anything changing from one dragon to the next, but I do make tiny changes here and there either consciously or not, and over time, the end result can look substantially different.

So if you’re just starting out and you’re not happy with how your art looks, I encourage you to keep practicing, as skill and personal style come with time and effort. There’s really no substitute, no shortcuts or secrets. I would not be able to make what I make today if not for the hundreds of dragons that came before.

— Lindy Briggs, How Many Dragons?

Excellent advice.  I’ve gone back to some of my initial posts from two years ago here on Writing Dragons, and occasionally I cringe when I find that I only shared one image, or that I didn’t source my artwork properly, or even when (heaven forbid!) I find a typo…!  But I know that with daily and weekly practice, I’ve gotten better at this blog thing, even though it isn’t what I set out to do initially.  I hope you’ve been enjoying the ride as much as I have been!

So that’s it for my “second week” (shhhh!) of the month January Birthstone Dragons post!  Now hopefully I’ll still be able to post a regular feature later this week, and then I’ll be back on track! I’ve decided to wait until the end of the class to post all the cool things I’m learning (and writing!) in this Finish Your Novel class, so stay tuned for that in February.

Happy birthday to everyone with a Garnet birthstone!  Thanks as always for reading, take care, and stay creative!!

Image credits:
+ Birthstone Dragon 001: Garnet by jeweledphoenix
+ Birthstone Dragon SAL – January/Garnet by Gayle Tominaga, posting as jijikit, created by Brittany Church at InglesideImaginarium
+ Garnet by Lunoxius
+ January Dragon by Amaze-ing Hats
+ Garnet by Cargorabbit
+ Dragon-A-Day 117 (Garnet Dragon) by Candice C. Sciortino, posting as Mythka
+ Garnet Dragon Spirit Box by IntotheDawnDesigns
+ The Difference a Year Can Make (January Garnet Birthstone Dragons) by Lindy Briggs, posting as How Many Dragons?