Dragon Mystic

Image via Wikipedia

Author: Jenny Lin

The mighty and magnificent Dragon of mythical folklore never ceases to enchant or stir the imagination. The Dragon is one of the four celestial animals and is important and powerful symbols in Feng Shui.

The Dragon represents the ultimate ‘Yang’ symbol, male vigor, courage and bravery. It is magnanimous and full of vitality and strength. Affiliated with the cardinal direction “East” based on Landscape Feng Shui, the Dragon becomes a very powerful and potent symbol when placed in this sector, although it can be placed in any other directions.

In Chinese culture and in Feng Shui, the dragon is the most auspicious and magnificent, mightiest and most sacred of all creatures and to be treated with great respect. Through generations, the dragon has been the ultimate symbol of power, abundance, good luck and honor. In ancient times, the Emperors of China regarded themselves as the Dragons and the symbol of Dragons can only be used by the them and no one else. (more…)

Author: John M. Lund

When I was young I constantly doodled. I doodled a lot of things…but mainly I doodled dragons. Fast forward a number of years…well…a whole lot of years…and my twin brother is showing me pictures of his pet iguana…pretty cool looking creature…. Then it occurs to me…what a perfect dragon the iguana would make…and now I had the ultimate doodle tool…Photoshop!

With PhotoSshop pictures of an iguana become a photograph of a fire breathing dragon!

Photoshop is an incredibly powerful tool of alchemy…given the right raw materials any new photographic reality can be created. Without those raw materials Photoshop can be an exercise in frustration and a road to mediocrity.

To make sure that I have the raw materials to create my photographic visions it helps to begin with a sketch. Once I have the sketch I can systematically photograph those raw materials, comparing them with the sketch, until I know I have the parts to complete my stock image. (more…)

Dragons have taken on many forms in our world, so it is only right that they have also become a very common subject for art. There are so many different designs today featuring dragons that this is where most of us get our images of them.

These common images have been passed down for centuries and that is why some people believe that dragons may have once roamed the Earth. Yet there is no real evidence to show that this indeed happened.

Paintings are the most common types of dragon art. You can often tell the type of culture and the time frame when it was done too. For those cultures such as the Chinese that have a strong bond with the dragon, this type of art work is even more common. In addition to drawings they also make masks and kites that feature amazing artistic abilities.

Sculptures of dragons are also found around the world. Some of them are very large to help symbolize the size and power that the images of dragons often give. They can be found at museums and art galleries. Some people display them in their homes as well. They are also symbolic in front of restaurants and other types of businesses operated by the Chinese.

On a smaller scale in size but still very common is dragon art in the form of tattoos. While men generally are the recipients of such art work, some women have been known to feature them as well. If you decide to get a dragon tattoo you want to make sure it is done by someone well qualified. You donít want to regret getting it later on because you donít like how it looks.

Dragon jewelry is always popular as well—and much easier to change than a dragon tattoo. Rings, pendants, earrings, and pins portray both Chinese and European winged dragons in silver or gold, often with precious stones for eyes.

Dragon images adorn dinnerware, glassware, linens, and other household items, too. People around the world are in love with dragons.

If you are interested in capturing the ability to draw dragons, you can take some lessons. Not everyone has the natural ability to do this. There are classes you can take as well as online videos that will show you the basics.

There is a great deal of room to explore your personal creativity in dragon art. It can be a great deal of fun, though, so make sure you find an avenue of art that you really enjoy for it.

Ansu Bird. Often called the "first dragon," it is actually more of a bird. Image via Wikipedia

Author: James Crowe

Have you ever been curious about the first Dragon in history? Where it was from, did it have a name? I know I was. I also realized that I would have to settle on the first Dragon in recorded history. Since time travel still eludes me.

That is when I decided to do a little surfing, well, a lot of surfing and a lot of reading, as it turned out. Yes, I even hit the hard copy.

At first I was instantly gratified, as I’m sure many have been before me. A lot of web sites that I went to all told me the same… my quest was over…it was Anzu of Babylon, a.k.a Zu, c.1st Millennium B.C. From “Ninurta vs. Anzu” or “The Myth of Anzu”.

I read the descriptions, and with the exception of a few minor variations, it was this: Body and head of a lion, wings of an eagle (I didn’t realize they had eagles in Babylon), razor sharp talons, the beak of a bird with teeth, and an armor-plated breast. It to me was a bit of a let down. I don’t know about you, but to me Anzu sounds more like a griffin than a dragon. (more…)

Image by Getty Images via Daylife

Author: Fran Black

The Dragon has played an important part in myths and religions since pre-historic times. The history of dragons goes back at least six thousand years, and there are dragon tales and legends from every continent except Antarctica.

In almost every culture, and all throughout history, there are stories of these mythical and magical creatures called dragons. Different people have various theories of why so many cultures developed such a long lasting belief in dragons; however, none can actually be proven.

Many believe that dragons were what we now call dinausaurs. It may be that dragon stories partly grew out of people finding dinosaur bones. The thought is that when dragon bones were dug up later, they were given the new classification of dinosaur.

Many evolutionists believe that dinosaurs became extinct millions of years before man walked the planet, while others claims dispute this. It is said that dinosaur fossils, which have been discovered along with human footprints and remains, add proof to the ancient people’s history of dragons. Others feel that people forgot that dragons were ever real, and quickly faded into mythology.

In almost every culture and all throughout history there are stories of these magical creatures called dragons. Later, in Europe these dragons in art forms were thought to be real life animals rather than symbols of evil. (more…)