The grasshopper or “chapolin”, “chapulín” had a high sacred value and represented the power of supernatural for the Aztecs. On some codes like Boturini or The Mendoza code, the "Tlatoanis" drew the icon of a chapulin over a mountain to represents the place in Mexico called Chapultepec, that it means “mountain of grasshoppers”
Above: My illustration of the grasshopper in a palete of harmonic colors from green to yellow and orange. In contrast some black patterns over the insect's body.
Down: This illustration of a sculpture was made by aztecs in carneolita stone, that is why the red tone I used to paint the base. I had used some brushes with finished of chalk and crayons. Then I applied soft blured white dots to give high light on bright points.
Xoloizcuintli ilustration. It’s a kind of dog without hair but only skin. It were breef in the past by aztecs and mayas. It was very liked for that people because they were thinking the “xolo” could lead the soul of dead people through "Apauniayo" the mistic river to arrive the “Mictlán” or “Xibalba” ( a kind of nirvana or heavenly place after live)
Above: Illustration of a Xoloizcuintli dog. I was made it with the Procreate app using plain brushes and fine bluring to smooth the skin.
Down: I did made this illustration in the iPad Pro with Procreate app and then I applied some filters on Adobe Photoshop, This illustration it represents an old clay jar which is exhibited at Museo Nacional de Antropología in Mexico City.
Huitzitzillin was the name in Náhuatl language in Mexico used to describe hummingbird. Ancestral cultures saw this bird with respect because hummingbirds represents the power of the heart.
left: Ilustración made in Procreate. It is a decorated Aztec ceramic dish of clay. This piece it is at exhibition now a days at the MNA in Mexico City.
Right: Ilustration of a hummingbird suspended in the air. I painted this in Procreate with the iPad Pro and the Apple Pencil..
At the southeast of Mexico, the old mayan civilization did take the scarlet macaws as “the trees guardians”
They thoug, when the sun were down every day it took the shape of a male macaw, but by the night the godess of moon took the shape of a female macaws to be with her couple.
They thoug, when the sun were down every day it took the shape of a male macaw, but by the night the godess of moon took the shape of a female macaws to be with her couple.
Left: The Macaw stone. I have made this illustration in the Procreate app using the brush of wasteland from the menu “industrial” in some layers one over the another with a kind of soft blur. Finally apply the shadows and hard lights to give the appearance of stone.
Right: This illustration is a mix of graphic technics. In the background of feather applied the color base, and then, I had trace the waves for the feather shadows. Duplicate the layer of waves and I moved it a little bit left, and then I repeated the process til the effect were complete.
