Doodles, Details & Soulful Eyes: How I Create My Animal Art

My animal art isn’t about realism—it’s about essence. While the shapes may resemble the real thing, and the eyes are as true as I can get them (because I believe they’re the window to the soul), everything else is a dive into imagination.

A Dance Between Real and Imagined

I begin with the outline of the animal—its posture, proportions, and expression. I want it to feel grounded in reality so that even amidst the whimsy, there’s something familiar and alive. The eyes always come first or very early. They anchor the piece. If I don’t connect with the eyes, the rest doesn’t flow.

Fur, Feathers & Fantasy

Instead of rendering realistic textures, I fill the animal’s body with intricate doodles—patterns that are part Zentangle, part free-form daydreaming. Some are inspired by nature (leaf shapes, waves, scales), others just show up as I work. I don’t follow strict rules; it’s more intuitive, like letting the pen wander and letting the animal slowly reveal its story through these marks.

From Structure to Story

Each piece becomes a blend of structure and spontaneity. There’s always an underlying form—because I want you to recognize the animal—but within that frame, I allow imagination to run wild. It’s both meditative and playful. No two are ever alike, and often, the patterns surprise even me.

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My process is less about capturing how an animal looks and more about how it feels. Through the eyes, the lines, and the patterns, I try to show not just an animal, but a spirit.

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