Tessera

Metanagon

@metanagon.bsky.social

🇫🇷 Natural History Illustrator 🦴 Southern France - Inspired by the landscapes and history of my region, I explore the diversity of life through art! 📧 metanagon@gmail.com My links: linktr.ee/Metanagon

240 Posts529 Follower 360 Folgt

Emma LeRae @ LAcon V - Worldcon @emmalerae.bsky.social · 2y ago

"Butterfly Effect" is by far my favorite piece I've ever drawn. I know I keep sharing it, but I just hope it brings joy when people see it. (Plus I don't have a whole lot of new art to share.) #paleoart #sciart

Artwork of a Stegosaurus gleefully bounding after a monarch butterfly. The Stegosaurus has orange and black patterning that matches the butterfly and the plates on its back look like monarch wings.

Metanagon @metanagon.bsky.social · 3d ago

I am glad to present to you what I have poured my heart and soul into! My entry for the Marseille Natural History Museum's drawing challenge of the upcoming exhibition "Provence dinosaurs"! 🦕 My reconstruction of Rhabdodon priscus, an herbivore of the Late Cretaceous! #paleoart #SciArt #dinosaur

A family of three quadrupedal dinosaurs gathers by a lake at sunset. Their bellies, necks, and tails are blue, their legs brown, and their eyes and backs orange. The colors are warm, with the sky featuring shades of orange and pink. The scene is peaceful. A baby dinosaur is playing with its mother's tail; she turns back toward her offspring, clearly displeased by the nip. In the foreground, another Rhabdodon searches the ground for a tasty plant to munch on. The vegetation is lush but interspersed with ferns and cycads.

A-D-J @antoine-dino-j.bsky.social · 2w ago

Congrats to my friend for hitting half a thousand ! If you want to see very cool paleo and animal art, don’t hesitate to check their profile :D ✨️

Metanagon@metanagon.bsky.social · 2w ago

What do I see here? 500 followers?! Do you know what that means? It’s giveaway time! 🎉 To enter, tell me your favorite dinosaur in the comments below... 🦖👇 ...and I’ll draw it for you! The winner will receive an illustration! RT, like and spread the word! #paleoart #dinosaur #SciArt

Metanagon @metanagon.bsky.social · 2w ago

Kiabugboy @kiabugboy.bsky.social · 2w ago

Deltoblastus from Permian Nusa Tenggara Timur #3danimation #Blender3D #SciArt #paleoart

Metanagon @metanagon.bsky.social · 3w ago

Commission! The horned lizard! 🦖 Ceratosaurus nasicornis was a carnivorous theropod from the Late Jurassic. It was known for its prominent nasal horn, paired ridges above the eyes. Its forelimbs retained four fingers. It lived particularly in the Morrison Formation. #SciArt #paleoart #dinosaur

Ceratosaurus nasicornis was a carnivorous theropod dinosaur that lived during the Late Jurassic, approximately 150 million years ago. It reached around 6–7 metres in length, although estimates of its body mass vary considerably.

It is recognisable by the prominent bony horn on its snout, paired ridges above the eyes, and a row of osteoderms along the midline of its body. Unlike most later theropods, its forelimbs retained four fingers, although the fourth digit was reduced.

Ceratosaurus is best known from the Morrison Formation of western North America, where it lived alongside other large theropods such as Allosaurus. Ceratosaurus fossils have also been reported from Europe, although the taxonomic status and identification of some European specimens remain debated.

Its precise diet is uncertain. It was probably an opportunistic carnivore that preyed on a variety of animals, including smaller dinosaurs and aquatic or semi-aquatic prey, and may also have scavenged carcasses. Its long, deep skull and relatively robust jaws suggest a feeding strategy distinct from that of some of its contemporary theropods.

The characteristic horn and osteoderms may have played a role in visual display or species recognition, although their exact function remains uncertain.

I paid particular attention to the landscape surrounding our dinosaur, filled with cycads, ginkgoes, and ferns. Palaeobotany is an essential field for understanding how extinct species lived. Without it, there would be no palaeoart! I think it’s a shame that it is so underrepresented.
Gathering references was quite the ordeal: an overwhelming amount of reading on ResearchGate and various obscure websites, forgotten here and there. I eventually managed to find a book on the subject in my native language at a local bookstore, and I almost cried when I saw it! 🫠

Marcus McAllister @marcusmcallister.bsky.social · 3w ago

Marcus McAllister “Serene” - 2024 - acrylic on canvas - 24x18cm #painting #contemporarypainting #bird #SciArt

Acrylic painting of a green bird perched in a glowing teardrop shape, over a pattern of stars

Metanagon @metanagon.bsky.social · 4w ago

🔥 "No deaths from these fires have been reported" Common Swift 28/07/2026 "When they have cut down the last tree, polluted the last stream, and caught the last fish, only then will they realize that money cannot be eaten." #wildlife #gironde #nature #fire #SciArt

In memory of every living being that continues to suffer because of our mistakes, our destructive actions, our thirst for power, and our willingness to reduce the world to ashes.

Biodiversity is an interconnected whole. Every species is essential. Human beings are neither more intelligent than other species, nor superior, nor the rightful masters of the Earth.

On the contrary, we are remarkably foolish: while some animals have existed for over 600 million years, we have managed to devastate the very foundation of our natural heritage in the span of a mere 3 million years...

An illustration of a small bird, a common swift, dying amidst the flames. Fire consumes its body, licking at its wings. It lies motionless on the ground, its pupils wide, the flames reflected in its corneas. Charred, rusted scraps of metal in the foreground slowly burn away. The color palette is dark, ranging from vivid red to a purplish-blue, a cruel complementary contrast, evoking the cold indifference shown to a life deemed insignificant in the eyes of humanity.

Metanagon @metanagon.bsky.social · last mo.

Bonjour ! Je vous parle aujourd'hui de la liste des ESOD 2026-2027: www.consultations-publiques.developpement-durable.gouv.fr/projet-d-arr... Les espèces concernées: Renard roux, Martre, Fouine, Belette d'Europe, Pie bavarde, Geai des chênes, Corneille noire, Corbeau freux et Étourneau sansonnet.

Projet d'arrêté pris pour l’application de l’article R. 427-6 du code de l’environnement et fixant la liste, les périodes et les modalités de destruction des espèces susceptibles d’occasionner des dég...

Le projet d’arrêté soumis à la consultation du public est relatif au projet d’arrêté pris pour l’application de l’article R. 427-6 du code de (…)

consultations-publiques.developpement-durable.gouv.fr

Old Paul @manticore-aw.bsky.social · last mo.

Still one of my favourite paintings I did for my wife's birthday in 2019 #octopus #acrylics

A large red octopus approaches you underwater, lit from the left

Sophie M.@sophiesaurus98.bsky.social · last mo.

Today's four random pieces of palaeoart: @sharkbitesteve.bsky.social's Tyrannosaurus, Rod Ruth's Compsognathus, Michael Long's Varanosaurus, and @bobnichollsart.bsky.social's Tanystropheus!

Portrait of a Tyrannosaurus with rugose ridges above its eyes, running down the snout. It carries a huge chunk of flesh in its jaws.

A pair of scaly brown Compsognathus stalk a woodland thick with ferns.

A wrinkly, pinkish Varanosaurus in a lizard-like pose. It looks back over its shoulder, showing off its long snout.

An erect-necked Tanystropheus sits half-emerged from a conifer-lined waterway.

TRAGIC SHESTERRNI @shesterrni.bsky.social · last mo.

#artfightㅤ Attack for Sonek 🌺

Metanagon @metanagon.bsky.social · last mo.

🪽 Morus bassanus The northern gannet is the largest seabird in Europe. It fishing technique is surprising: after having flown very high it dives as much as 100km/hour! It takes advantage of the impact produced to swallow the stunned fish up to 20 meters underwater. #SciArt #bird #wildlife #provence

Large seabird of the Atlantic with long, pointed bill, wings, and tail. Adults bright white with cream-colored head and black wingtips. Takes several years to reach adult plumage; juveniles are all sooty-brown and slowly acquire more white as they mature. Nests in enormous colonies on cliffs in the North Atlantic. Spends most of its life at sea, although often fairly close to land, so they are often visible from shore or on whale watching boats. Dives torpedolike into the ocean for fish. Gathers in large feeding flocks, but sometimes solitary.

Metanagon @metanagon.bsky.social · last mo.

Commission: 13/07/2026 "Sunflowers" 🌻 A countryside gateway with Umbreon and Sylveon. The summer sun warms their fur as the Pokemons enjoy a beautiful day. Three curious Pidove approach our protagonists to greet them! #art #furryart #digitalart #pokemon

Green field with sunflowers. Bright yellow and blue sky; two quadrupedal Pokemon are playing together. A pink fox (Sylveon) and a black fox (Umbreon). Three Pidoves (flying birds) are watching them.

Metanagon @metanagon.bsky.social · 2mo ago

Thank you all for your support and your kind words! It makes me so happy! This motivates me even more to pursue my dreams and create beautiful illustrations. Nature is precious. The part of my job I like best is seeing that every little animal and every plant is wonderful in its own way ♥️ #SciArt

BranArtworks|🐳🐬🦭🎨@branartworks.bsky.social · 2mo ago

Protocetid #paleoart

Metanagon @metanagon.bsky.social · 2mo ago

Commission! 🐟🦖 Austroraptor was a large dromaeosaur from Argentina that lived during the Late Cretaceous. Probably fish-eating, it used its long legs for fast movement and became extinct during the mass extinction event 66 million years ago. #SciArt #paleoart #dinosaur #nature #artist

Austroraptor was a large carnivorous dinosaur belonging to the dromaeosaur family that lived in Argentina approximately 69 to 66 million years ago. Measuring 5 to 6 meters (16 to 20 feet) in length, it had long legs that allowed it to run quickly and a curved claw used to capture its prey.
Its long snout and conical teeth suggest that it fed primarily on fish, although it may also have hunted small terrestrial animals. It may have resembled a gigantic prehistoric heron covered in feathers.
Like other non-avian dinosaurs, Austroraptor became extinct during the mass extinction event caused by an asteroid impact 66 million years ago. Today, its fossils are preserved in Argentina, and it was popularized by the documentary series Prehistoric Planet.

Kate Davies @katedaviesmakes.bsky.social · 2mo ago

Here's the finished painting that I posted a progress picture of yesterday. Mayapples, Virgina bluebells and bloodroot on a spring forest floor. Drawn from photos I've taken on my walks in ravines. Watercolours and gouache on paper 8x10" #sciart #botanicalart

A painting of plants of various shades of green on a forest floor covered in dead leaves. Trees and shrubs are in the background.

Cannop Workings. @cannopworkings.bsky.social · 2mo ago

The trees are heat waving. #sciart #trees

Metanagon @metanagon.bsky.social · 2mo ago

🦎 "Timon lepidus" The ocellated lizard is an impressive Mediterranean reptile, recognizable by its striking blue ocelli. An important predator in the dry ecosystems of southern Europe, it is now protected due to the decline and fragmentation of its habitats. #wildlife #SciArt #herps #reptile #art

🦎 Ocellated Lizard (Timon lepidus)

The largest lizard of the Lacertidae family in Europe. It generally measures between 45 and 70 cm in length, with a large part of that being the tail, although exceptional individuals can reach 80 to 90 cm. Males are more robust than females, with a broad head and powerful limbs.

Identification:

- Generally green to brownish coloration.
- Back covered with small scales giving it a pearly appearance.
- Fine black reticulated pattern covering the body.
- Flanks adorned with characteristic blue spots called “ocelli”, particularly visible in males.
- Juveniles display a different coloration, with black ocelli featuring yellowish centers on an olive-green background.

A typically Mediterranean species, it favors warm and dry habitats such as garrigue scrublands, roadsides, and olive groves. It occurs from sea level up to 1,000 meters in the Alps and the Pyrenees, and even up to 2,100 meters in southern Spain.

It can be found across the Iberian Peninsula, southern France, northwestern Italy, and Africa!

An opportunistic predator, it feeds mainly on large insects (beetles, grasshoppers, crickets), spiders, and other invertebrates, but will also occasionally prey on small vertebrates (lizards, young snakes, nestlings, small mammals) and consume sweet fruits.

Mating takes place in spring (April-May). The female lays between 6 and 12 eggs from May to July. After approximately three months of incubation, the young hatch measuring 10 to 12 cm in length. Sexual maturity is reached at around 2 to 3 years of age.

Species protected under the French Nature Protection Act of 10 July 1976 and the decree of 22 July 1993: throughout French territory and at all times, it is prohibited to destroy or remove eggs or nests; to destroy, injure, capture, remove, or preserve specimens, whether alive or dead; and to transport, trade, use, or commercially exploit this species.

Metanagon @metanagon.bsky.social · 2mo ago

🪻 Ophrys provincialis The Provence Ophrys is a small wild orchid that is very common in the Bouches-du-Rhône region. It blooms in spring in garrigue shrublands and open pine forests. To reproduce, it mimics the appearance and chemical signals of a solitary bee 😆 #art #SciArt #orchid #nature

🪻 Ophrys provincialis

The Provence Ophrys is a small wild orchid that is very common in the Bouches-du-Rhône region, except in the wetter areas to the west.

It blooms in spring in garrigue shrublands, dry grasslands, and open pine forests. Its flowers are distinguished by their green sepals, velvety brown lip (labellum), and a bluish-violet marking edged with pale tones.

To reproduce, it mimics the appearance and chemical signals of a solitary bee. Attracted males attempt a pseudocopulation and, in doing so, carry pollen from one flower to another.

Subtle yet elegant, this orchid is characteristic of Mediterranean limestone landscapes and is a favorite subject of observation for botanists and natural history illustrators!

Javier Lazaro - scientific illustration @lazaroillustration.bsky.social · 2mo ago

A few more illustrations for the birding app. This first drawing: fighting males. #sciart #sparrows #appdesign #uiux #uidesign #mobiledesign

Illustration of two mail sparrows fighting

Javier Lazaro - scientific illustration@lazaroillustration.bsky.social · 3mo ago

Here is the final illustration of the sparrow flock. This will be used as homepage background for a mobile app. I will share more details when the app is released. #sciart #birds #art #app

Metanagon @metanagon.bsky.social · 2mo ago

🏖️ The Marseille milkvetch is an endemic plant of the limestone coasts of Provence. It is perfectly adapted to the harsh conditions of the Calanques coastline. Its cushion-shaped growth form and hairy leaves help reduce water loss and protect it from the elements. #art #SciArt #wildlife #provence

🪾 Marseille Milkvetch (Astragalus tragacantha)

The Marseille milkvetch is an endemic plant of the limestone coasts of Provence, perfectly adapted to the extreme conditions of the Calanques shoreline: strong mistral winds, drought, and aridity. Its cushion-shaped growth form and small hairy leaves help reduce water loss and protect it from the elements. In spring, it produces delicate white flowers, while in summer its foliage partially dries out, revealing a spiny shrub locally nicknamed the “mother-in-law’s cushion.”

The species has experienced a significant decline due to coastal urbanization, trampling, the spread of invasive exotic plants, and pollution carried by sea spray.

Protected at the national level, the Marseille milkvetch was classified as “Vulnerable” in France by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) in 2018.

An individual Marseille milkvetch plant can take up to 40 years to reach 1 metre in diameter. Because it grows so slowly, it is particularly vulnerable to threats. Despite its modest appearance, it provides many valuable ecosystem services, including erosion control, support for pollinators, carbon dioxide capture, pollutant filtration, and oxygen production.

Today, nearly 90% of the French population of the species is found within the Calanques National Park. The best places to observe it are Mont Rose and the Frioul Islands.

Flowering period: May to June

🦋 Yellow-banded Grizzled Skipper (Pyrgus sidae)

The Yellow-banded Grizzled Skipper is found only in southeastern France. The underside of its hindwing is particularly distinctive, featuring two orange bands that make the species easy to recognize.

A-D-J @antoine-dino-j.bsky.social · 2mo ago

Sardines ! 🐟 --- #illustration #art #artwork #kidlitart #doodle

A mosaïc of sardines coupled with different food elements and bubbles !

Metanagon @metanagon.bsky.social · 3mo ago

A deeply personal piece: autism as a source of creativity and wonder! From the cup flows ebony ink, giving life to freedom. The sunflower is a tribute to my grandmother. Despite the effects of Alzheimer's disease on her life today, her influence remains with me every day. #art #autism #furry #horse

The autism symbol, depicted on the cup, occupies a central place in this illustration. I wanted to show that, despite the challenges it can bring, it is also a source of wonder, sensitivity, and creativity in my life. A different way of seeing the world, one that fuels my imagination every day.

From this vessel flows a stream of ebony ink, from which majestic Przewalski's horses emerge, the closest living relatives of prehistoric horses. These noble animals have always fascinated me!

The sunflower is a tribute to my grandmother. It was her favorite flower, along with roses and irises. A painter herself, she awakened my love of art from a very young age and always encouraged my passion. I loved spending time in her studio, filled with the scent of oil paints and dried varnish. Sadly, Alzheimer's disease has gradually erased her memories. Now living in a nursing home, she can no longer walk or eat on her own. Drawing has become a thing of the past. I think of her every day and visit her whenever I can. I hope she is proud of her granddaughter.

The choice of colors also carries a special meaning. Yellow symbolizes joy, warmth, energy, and light. The blue of the water embodies calm, serenity, and tranquility. These complementary colors echo and balance one another, reflecting different facets of the same shared story.

Metanagon @metanagon.bsky.social · 3mo ago

🐾 "REPTILITES" 🐍 PYTHON × CELESTINE "Chase your biggest dream" 7/10 This illustration carries a very particular flavor. I never stopped once to take a break, swept away somewhere else by the music. But that's alright. I enjoyed creating it! #herps #snake #art #reptile #modernart

🐾 Continuing "REPTILITES", my series of mineral-scaled chimeras. A tribute to my region, where light shapes the land just as much as the beings that inhabit it.

🐍 PYTHON × CELESTINE
"Chase your biggest dream"
7/10

This illustration carries a very particular flavor, the kind that completely takes over during the creative process. I never stopped once to take a break, swept away somewhere else by the music. The hours slipped by throughout the night. Like the curves of this python, the colors danced, imperfect and shimmering, weaving patterns through my mind, and I simply let them come to life on the canvas.

There is something magical about watching an idea emerge from what was once nothing but emptiness. And then, once the moment has passed, you find yourself standing before your own imperfections. I could point out every detail that feels off in this painting: the anatomical flaws, the random highlights, the neck that's too thick.

But that's alright. I enjoyed creating it, and that's what matters most. Learning is a journey with no finish line.

A-D-J @antoine-dino-j.bsky.social · 3mo ago

Sun rays in the deep forest ☀️ --- #furry #furryart #art #illustration

A digital artwork of a deer sunbathing in the deep forest.
It's surrounded by multiple types of plants.
Orange bugs also flies above to enjoy the warmth of the sun.

Good Trailcams@goodtrailcams.bsky.social · 5mo ago

Metanagon @metanagon.bsky.social · 3mo ago

DTIYS @sophiefourcade on Instagram High up in the sky lived a Carnotaurus. Its shimmering scales lit up the darkest nights, its horns scraped against the moon, and its titan-like footsteps struck the earth so powerfully that galaxies were born from its celestial tracks. #paleoart #sciart #dinosaur

“High up in the sky lived a legendary Carnotaurus. Its shimmering scales lit up the darkest nights, its horns scraped against the moon, and its titan-like footsteps struck the earth so powerfully that galaxies were born from its celestial tracks. Sometimes, by looking up through the attic window, one could glimpse its constellation on warm summer evenings, when the crickets sang and Monday was nothing more than a distant memory. Then, everyone knew it was time to switch off the flashlight and put away that wonderful dinosaur book. The world of dreams was opening its gates.”

A blue theropod with two yellow horns into a starry landscape. He looks up at three yellow stars. He walks forward with a confident stride, and his body forms a constellation.

Metanagon @metanagon.bsky.social · 3mo ago

WIP of a starry Carnotaurus sastrei for the DTIYS of @sophiefourcade on Instagram! 🦖 #paleoart #sciart #dinosaur

Sketch of a Carnotaurus sastrei looking at the sky!

Hugo Paleoart @hugopaleoart.bsky.social · 3mo ago

My biggest illustration ever ! The small dinosaur Zhongjianosaurus observes its surroundings. It can see two Moganopterus fighting, Caudipteryx wandering about, and a Sinornithosaurus stalking its prey. #dinosaur #cretaceous #paleoart #SciArt #china #yixian

Zhongjianosaurus yangi & Yixian Formation