It’s still June and that means we need some Birthstone Dragons for all the folks born this month — I promise I didn’t forget about you!  Enjoy these amazing dragons (and an extra one because I’m late!) starting with Pearl Dragon Portrait by American professional artist Katie Croonenberghs, posting as Kamakru.  Don’t you love the sparkles? 🙂

Katie also posted a really neat set of photos showing her process, if you’d like to see how she painted this portrait back in 2011!  Be sure to check out her gallery and official website, support her artwork on Patreon, follow her on Instagram and Twitter, and check out the other times I’ve featured her amazing work!

From the International Gem Society:

Historically, the birthstone for June was the pearl. This organic gemstone has a long history of jewelry use that continues to this day. Many myths and legends have grown around pearls, as well.  [Yes, this is unusually brief, read on…]

Up next is Pearl Dragon Sculpture by American professional artist and crafter Brittany Zerkle, posting as BeeZee-Art.  This multi-talented creator has one of the most amazing bios I’ve ever read, posted last year in the form of a 31-Question “Meet the Maker” article on her website — I got seriously derailed while trying to get this posted just reading the first few entries, so be sure to check it out yourself!

As much as I love this little sculpture and the beautiful details, it turns out that Brittany’s real passion is plushies and the patterns for making them, which she has turned into a full-time career!  Check out this amazing Shoulder Dragon Plush Sewing Pattern at her official website, and you can also find her on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Tumblr, and Twitter!

Then we have Mother of Pearl Dragon by U.K. professional artist Kaya Oldaker, posting as Kayas-Kosmos.  I love the play of colors in this one, and you can see how Kaya created the effect in a speedpaint video on her YouTube channel.  You can also check out her gallery and official website, and follow her on Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr, and purchase her artwork on Redbubble.

But while you’d think Pearl Dragons would be super common, it turns out most artists just draw dragons holding pearls!  So I’m adding a few of June’s other birthstones in to finish this post.

Again, from the International Gem Society:

[A]lexandrite, a relative newcomer to the gem world, has taken [pearl’s] place on the modern list [of birthstones]. First discovered in Russia in the 19^th century, alexandrite was named after the future Czar Alexander II. This incredibly rare gem can also change colors. Alexandrite appears green in daylight but changes to a purple-red color beneath incandescent lighting.  Alexandrite has no ancient meanings. However, some people associate it with heightened intuition and pleasure.

Showing off all its various colors, here is Alexandrite Dragon by Russian deviantartist Tanya, posting as The-CrowFox.   It reminds me a bit of the Satanic Leaf Tailed Gecko I posted back in August 2016… oof!  I was apparently in a mood when I wrote that post, sorry!  ^_^;  I like to think I’ve gotten better at letting my own self-imposed deadlines woosh by… this month is a great case in point!  Anyway, not to neglect my artist — please check out Tanya’s really eclectic gallery for more!

And for your bonus piece, I found this beautiful Alexandrite Guardian Dragon necklace by American professional artist Aubrey Bouck, posting as Brandavir.  Made with “Russian lab grown Alexandrite … Sterling silver wire and beads, complete with a tail,” it’s just one example of her lovely jewelry that you can find in her Etsy shop, and she also shows off some amazing nail art (of course I’m partial to the Rainbow set!) in her gallery.

Once again, happy not-exactly belated birthday to all the June babies, and I hope you forgive my missed posts — it’s summer and I’m out enjoying it!  Also, did you know there’s a new mobile game out from the makers of Pokemon Go?  It’s called Harry Potter: Wizards Unite, and it’s super fun, and you should add me as your friend if you’re playing.  5959 7215 8336

Before the month is out, I’ll have at least one (and hopefully two!) posts up full of rainbows for Pride month, so stay tuned for that.  Until we meet again, take care and stay creative, everyone!

Image credits:
+ Pearl Dragon Portrait by Katie Croonenberghs, posting as Kamakru
+  Pearl image from the International Gem Society article What is my Birthstone?
+ Pearl Dragon Sculpture by Brittany Zerkle, posting as BeeZee-Art
+ Mother of Pearl Dragon by Kaya Oldaker, posting as Kayas-Kosmos
+ Alexandrite Dragon by The-CrowFox
+ Alexandrite Guardian Dragon by artist Aubrey Bouck, posting as Brandavir