#i'm so happy i finally was able to pick a species that i'm genuinely content with aaaaaaaa

[squirrelboidyke]

finally after over half a year trying to figure it out, i have decided on a fursona species! i've just generally been a squirrel, not really able to choose only one species and coat design with such an amazing range of beautiful and interesting squirrels to pick from. but this baby and their pink snoot has won me over!!

it's official- i'm a grizzled giant squirrel, also known as the national animal of sri lanka 🇱🇰🐿

i'm currently working on my first sketch based off of this squirrel, i haven't drawn digitally or traditionally for almost a decade now so i'm rusty and honestly don't even have a distinctive style anymore.. but i'm still going to do my best! i have saved and studied hundreds of references to help me get started again. i started yesterday with a few hours of taking photos of squirrels (especially the faces and complicated feet/paw pads) and breaking them down into shapes over and over to help me get an idea of how expressions would work on a squirrel's face. the grizzled giant squirrel has a slimmer face, naked snout, shorter ears with fur tufts at the tips, slightly different/bigger body proportions, and a longer, thinner tail compared to the eastern grey, fox, and brown squirrels i've been referencing up until this point. but the shapes making up the face as well as the body are the same, so a few adjustments and what i learned yesterday will still be helpful knowledge with my new squirrelsona species. wish me luck, friends! as soon as i get a sketch i'm somewhat happy with i'll post the wip in the first of hopefully many art posts to come! 💞