Alison
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alwoodward.bsky.social
Alison
@alwoodward.bsky.social
170 followers 100 following 75 posts
They/them
I like to draw pictures

https://linktr.ee/alisonannwoodward
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alwoodward.bsky.social
Are they listening to the same song or is it just lining up?
Cat friend nods her chin up and she feels the music with her ears and tail perked. She steps with her feet and swishes with her arms. She's early fall cozy in her hoodie with the striped hood, denim vest, heavy velvet knee-length skirt, fishnets and hiking boots. She's got her blue wireless headphones and her favourite cross-body fish bag (she sewed it herself). The crow friend twists and shimmies as she kicks up water and fans her feather-fingers. She's wearing her big denim coat with the faux-fur-lined sleeves, plaid shorts, and pink foam slides: truly an early fall outfit. Her backpack is full of rolled papers and red sticks(she's coming home from art school) and she's got four buttons and pins on her coat. A tiny patch repairs a spot on her coat pocket. A sketchbook open on a desk: one page is dark sand, the other is a bright coral. Painted across the spread are two friends with headphones, dancing in puddles. The one on the left is a crow with her backpack full of papers and sticks. The one on the right is a cat dancing like she's swimming in the air. Both friends are eyes-closed grooving, splashing around and humming a tune (something like dee-da-dee). I wonder if it's a coincidence or they planned it.
October 5, 2025 at 6:53 PM
alwoodward.bsky.social
Qrt with your sphinx art :)

I'd be remiss not to mention- this one is a look & find! Can you find ?????

you can find the answers/full size at patreon.com/magicmail ✨
A digital drawing of a sphinx in a sunroom with her nose deep in a puzzle book. She's surrounded by a short, stone boundary of a massive garden bed. All around her are luscious plants: curling ferns, lounging hoya, and yucca blooming tall in the background. The sphinx herself lounges under a canvas shade and the branches of a palm tree. She stretches her massive, iridescent wings as she reads. Her thickly curled hair tumbled over her shoulders and her big cat ears are poised with curiosity. She shines in the sunlight, adorned with many pieces of jewelry. A cone of incense smolders and a small kettle waits next to a stack of books.
June 18, 2025 at 5:41 AM
alwoodward.bsky.social
Fun fact, S and I were best buds in elementary school- what an honour to tattoo her so many years later.
A fresh, black ink tattoo on the back of S's calf. The tattoo is a bob-tailed cat, similar to the kind you might see in the streets of a city in south-east Asia. This particular cat is short haired, light coloured with darker spots. They are perched on all fours with their back arched as they ride on the back of a sea turtle. The turtle swims with flippers spread wide as it looks back over it's shoulder at the cat. Both of them are smiling.
May 29, 2025 at 5:23 AM
alwoodward.bsky.social
Past #Postcardclub postcard from 2021
It's a #lookandfind - can you find six mice?
Answers heree www.patreon.com/posts/604786...
The front of the postcard. The image is a storybook-like watercolour painting with a burnt umber framed capped by a twisted rope. The painting is of two cats in a row boat on rough, salty water. There are gulls flying all around them. One cat, a calico dressed like a fisherman in waiters and a thick wool sweater and touque, leans out over the bow of their little rowboat. Behind them, a tiger in a trenchcoat and a black captain's hat looks over their shoulder as she pulls the oars. Bits of rope and net hang over the side of the boat nearly meeting up with the barnacle crusted bottom. Grey water crashes everywhere into bright foam. Sea gulls with bright yellow beaks swoop and soar around the little boat. The foggy distance is filled with flocks of similar silhouettes. A central gull swoops low, seemingly offering the cats a golden piece of seeded grass. The back of the postcard is a watercolour painting of a wooden deck (or dock, perhaps) with a net, but if rope, many stains. There is a central piece of paper, a bit torn and crumpled at the edges. A piece of twisted cordage winds through the middle of the card, forming a soft margin. A message is written out in inky little letters, it reads: "Ahoy! You two look a mite busy, bootleggin' -uh, that boat of yours could use a scrape, no?? ANYWAYS- if you keep your eyes peeled for mice out in these waters you might spy some. I can see size as it is! But something tells me that you folks are rowing for another prize. X the Seagulls"
May 13, 2025 at 8:48 PM
alwoodward.bsky.social
I fill my sketchbook in a non-linear fashion these days, for example, this is: drawing club doodles, new pencil crayon swatches, little paper bits from elsewhere, scraps from sheets of postage stamps, other homemade stickers, and a doodle-paint crow made while I try to troubleshoot my printer.
A small sketchbook laid open to a two page, mixed media collage featuring two crows and cherry blossoms in loud, primary colours. There are scribbly, dashy textures and markers rendering the creatures and plants. The foremost crow looks at us coolly holding a big blossom branch in their beak. The blossoms hang heavy and all are more red and orange than pink. The other crown faces the centerfold to the right. This crow sits somewhere behind the foremost crown but in front of the blossoms on the branch. The more we notice, the more loose and dream-like this composition is: a cartoon skull sticker floats, red polka dots and paper scraps float in front and behind. Inky brush strokes are accented with scrawling pencil crayon.
May 12, 2025 at 7:00 PM
alwoodward.bsky.social
a little series of paintings from 2020

For scale, these are #watercolour #paintings framed with microscope slides
A pair of microscope slides soldered into a frame with a ring at the top. The solder has a dark grey patina. The slides are one by three and a half inches, oriented vertically, or portrait. This frame contains two long, whitish bones which are gently crossed: the top bone over the bottom. It's hard to say what there are, maybe human forelimb bones? To the left of the bones is a single tooth, also probably human. It is more yellowed than the bones, but they have a similar eggshell wash. A pair of microscope slides soldered into a frame with a ring at the top. The solder has a dark grey patina. The slides are one by three and a half inches, oriented vertically, or portrait. Within the frame are three small watercolour paintings of loose, disembodied, teeth (probably human). Each tooth is a little different: the top two have two roots each while the bottom tooth has three. The crowns of the top two teeth have two visible ridges each (leaning different ways) while the bottom tooth has three visible ridges. All three are similar in their yellowed enamel and darkened roots. A pair of microscope slides soldered into a frame with a ring at the top. The solder has a dark grey patina. The slides are one by three and a half inches, oriented vertically, or portrait. Within this frame is a single bone: a femur, probably human. The bone is long and twists gracefully. At the top is the knob-like hip joint and at the bottom there is a flatter joint, shaped like a stepping mammals paw. The whole bone looks like a long strange hammer if you think about it.
May 12, 2025 at 4:31 PM
alwoodward.bsky.social
I'm making more bits that go into an artist book/postcard pack from last year's #postcardclub.
It contains a little scrap of newspaper from the (totally real) Wizards of Someplace Magazine

I just love making fantasy ephemera and this time I made them on actual newsprint :)
A photo of a pile of crumpled newsprint scraps on my desk - upon closer inspection they are all uniquely crumpled, but have the same info. The clipping/scrap features a shrew-like character with a long snoot wearing a hooded cloak, with a big amulet pinning the center, while they brandish a feather quill in their paw to show they are a journalist. Above then there is a title that says STAFF in a serif font, and someone(the shrew) has taken a black crayon to draw an arrow to the portrait and write ME. they have also redacted much of the text below them with the same crayon. The text below reads, " pictured- junior(crossed out, but still legible) correspondent of foreign assignment REDACTED seen here with the Amulet of Observation (on loan from the the staff collection here at REDACTED... who is apprentice to, none other than the most important and influential wizard to practice magic journalism, arch ma- and then the paper is torn off.
May 8, 2025 at 8:13 PM
alwoodward.bsky.social
A healed Princess Terminator with a sneak peak of the fresh portrait of Troubadour Nimbus :)

Terminator is about, 3 years healed in this photo.
Thank you K!
A healed black ink tattoo, done in an etching-like style of all lines. Her name is Princess Terminator and she is a Persian looking cat with a flat, serious face. Here she stairs at us from her portrait through a furrowed brow. She wears a simple pointed crown and we can see the collar and the pauldrons of the plate armour she is wearing. Her long whiskers flick and crinkle in every direction. Below her is a fresh portrait of here successor, in the same line-based style, Troubadour Nimbus: a beautiful Calico point ragdoll in a Jester's ruff. Feature photo coming soon.
May 3, 2025 at 12:21 AM
alwoodward.bsky.social
A year+ healed little robin
A healed black ink tattoo on a light skinned ankle. The tattoo is of a small bird in profile, standing with their beak in the air and wings at their side, at rest. The bird's tail wraps over the horizon of the person's ankle.
May 2, 2025 at 6:34 AM
alwoodward.bsky.social
Peyton for Hannah, who is also a tattooer and makes beautiful stuff! (But I don't think is on here?) Thanks for your trust :)
A fresh black and grey tattoo on Hannah's outer thigh of a Peryton in flight. Perytons are imagined with differing morphology in illustrations and this one is the four legged, Pegasus-like type. The creature soars on broad eagle wings as strong undulate legs gallop through the air. The peryton has the head of a stag with the subtle markings of a Peregrine falcon. A fresh black and grey tattoo of a peryton in flight on Hannah's outer thigh, but further out than the last image, showing the creature's full wingspan and fanned tail. Did you know that undulates' are excellent kickers? Perhaps that's why this perytons front feet are hooves and the back legs of a raptor. A final view of the side of Hannah's fresh black and grey peryton tattoo. The creature's back legs stretch out behind and below their fanned feather tail. The peryton has back legs that are a blend of stag and giant eagle: strong haunches with sinewy raptor feet (and talons to match). This way the peryton can generate the amount of force that is required for them to get off the ground....and pick things up while in the air.
April 30, 2025 at 8:54 PM
alwoodward.bsky.social
A little aviator from my flash :)
A fresh black ink tattoo, on a light skinned outer calf, of a mouse with a dragon fly perched on their paw. The mouse is sitting like a human and dressed in a full outfit: a hat with a band and a stiff front brim, a coat with a fluffy fur collar and shiny buttons, loose trousers, and shiny black boots. Their thin tail curls up beside them as they gaze at the dragonfly and offer her a little snack. The dragon fly perched on the mouse's sleeve and paw with her wings still above her. Her shiny body is segmented and leans downward: resting.
April 28, 2025 at 5:54 AM
alwoodward.bsky.social
A portrait of goodboy pippin for L! Thank you :)
A fresh black ink tattoo on low-melanin skin, of a little cat dressed and walking as his name-sake: a Hobbit! He smiles and strolls confidently with a walking staff in one paw and another over the elven dagger on his belt. He wears rolled up little trousers with a belt, a shirt under a simple coat, striped scarf and a woolen cloak fasted with the pin of the fellowship of the ring. His striped tail floats behind him as his whiskers bounce in the sun.
April 25, 2025 at 10:32 PM
alwoodward.bsky.social
Their very best stick ✨ from my flash :)
Thank you E!!
A fresh black ink tattoo, a little inflamed, of a mushroom person holding a log-like stick with one significant branch still intact. The mushroom person smiles and holds the log like a big fish: with two hands under it, one supporting the branch. All of the log spots of slime mold dot the surface. These spots are similar to the spots the mushroom has freckled on their feet and cap.
April 25, 2025 at 2:18 AM
alwoodward.bsky.social
A sketchbook laid open to a bright coral orange page on the right and a warm brown on the left. Drawn across the centerfold in coloured pencil is a female wood duck resting, eyes closed, with her duckling under her wing. Her head turns back and rests on her soft cape of feathers. White coloured pencil highlights the duckling that reaches up toward their mother. Blues, reds and purples harmonize to make the satin tones of the taxidermied duck, napping peacefully forever. An in progress view of the ducks and the drawing of the ducks on a blonde wood venue table. The drawing has just been started with some blue and white lines on the page, but not yet fully rendered.
April 18, 2025 at 11:19 PM
alwoodward.bsky.social
Sketchbook pages 2025
Ft. Pencil crayon, paper bits, clear tape and, fancy yogurt lid
A construction paper sketchbook lays open to a centerfold drawing of two dogs hugging. They are like real dogs, but the colours are all pink, blue and oil-slick rainbow. Each dog mirrors the others' pose by leaning their head over the others' shoulder. The golden foil sun hangs low in the sky as the wind picks up and throws paper leaves around the page. The dog in front looks back over their shoulder towards the in the back. The dog in the back rests their eyes in contentment. A close up of the dog in front as they glance back. Flecks of foil mark their cheek and deep blue freckles speckle their snoot. Both dogs resemble a spaniel or a setter: wavy coats with painterly markings, prominent eyebrows and silken ears. At the angle there is depth to the sketchbook and the collaging of materials is more obvious. For example, a scratch along the dog's nose where one paper ends and another begins. A close up on the dog in the back and the layers of pencil crayon over pink construction paper. Little bits of pale yellow or blue sticky notes cut into the shapes of sticks and leaves. Opaque and translucent colours overlap and combine to make the dog's iridescent coat .
April 15, 2025 at 8:30 PM
alwoodward.bsky.social
A fresh little ser mouse #tattoo, a la Richard scarry style :)

#yvrtattoo #baohaustattoo
A fresh black ink tattoo on the outside of a light skinned lower leg, of a mouse, standing bipedal, in a chainmail tunic and knights helmet. They are smiling in profile, there is a plume on their helmet that curls upwards. Their long tail squiggles out behind them and they kick their other foot back. They balance on their longsword, which is a little banged up, with the point down. In front of them, they brandish a long shield with a flower painted on it. The flower is shedding on petal.
March 21, 2025 at 4:05 PM
alwoodward.bsky.social
For the last several months I've facilitated a life drawing class and I get a chance to draw on the longer poses in between calling pose times. This is Shannon :)
A construction paper sketchbook laying open on a black cutting mat. On the left is a brown page with a drawing of a model looking away into the page. The model's hair is up in a bun and she sits on a block with a cloth over it. A blur of aqua pencil crayon at the edge of her body separates her form from the page. She is drawn in cobalt blue pencil crayon. Over lapping her and the centerfold and a chair is drawn, transparent, in the foreground with red pencil. This large, loose chair overlaps the second drawing on the second page where she is reclined in her back with one arm above her head laying with her feet away from us. The right side page the model lays on is coral pinky orange with the same blur of cyan ans aqua shaping out the figure. Little notes of "30" dot the page to note the length of the models pose.
March 15, 2025 at 6:56 PM
alwoodward.bsky.social
Tonight was the last night of this installment of Drawing Club* so I sewed up an edition of scrappy sketchbooks for club members, as thanks for participating

*I'm currently an artist in residence at a community center and I get to offer free community programming :)
A stack of twenty, thin sketchbooks made from brightly coloured construction paper. The stack is nearly piled and spine out: showing off the exposed binding (a french twist). The stack sits in rainbow layers on a broad wooden table. The room blurs behind. A close up on the bindings of the sketchbooks: each book is a pair of brightly coloured construction paper signatures bound with bright embroidery floss, sewn with a french twist method. No two books are alike. The sewing is roughly consistent from book to book, but there is variation. I thought of this collection of Twenty books as a litter of kittens: all related but diverse in pattern.
March 12, 2025 at 6:02 AM
alwoodward.bsky.social
This is as close as I could get to "holds up fish to show size" for this type of achievement:
a backlit photo of an unimpressed, shepardish type dog (her name is Tali and she is very good) standing behind over one hundred and ten stuffed envelopes for PostCard Club. Tali stands beside a blue door and in front of a screen door. She would rather be outside than taking this photo. A lens flare arcs across the stack of envelopes, implying their majesty. note from author: my dog doesn't appreciate my stationary accomplishments.
February 28, 2025 at 7:22 PM
alwoodward.bsky.social
Don't worry, they all got embellished a little ;)
February 28, 2025 at 1:23 AM
alwoodward.bsky.social
The misprints became the shiny pokemon ✨
A photo of my desk: a close up of stacked miniature black stamped block prints all shuffled to the right with two misprints laid flat. The print is of a raccoon in a party hat dragging a poster that reads: POSTCARD CLUB LOVES YOU. The misprints have been fully embellished with bright pencil crayon and are much flashier than their siblings. The top is mostly yellow, blue, and orange and reads ENCHANTED MISPRINT at the bottom. The lower print is magenta violet, yellow and black and reads HAUNTED MISPRINT. huh, wonder what that means.
February 28, 2025 at 1:21 AM
alwoodward.bsky.social
once more with image descriptions :)
Two anthropomorphic red foxes meet at one's store window to trade mushrooms. They are both a bit bashful as they compare chanterelles and haggle a little (not to be a problem, but to send the time). Lush plants decorate the storefront alongside a thin vertical banner showing mushrooms and tea or broth or something. The store side fox weighs mushrooms in their hands and the forager reaches up black paws to offer them more. The forager has a woven basket on their back filled to the top with choice fungus- this is obviously their first stop. The back of the postcard shows a tile counter (the very same as in the mushroom shop) with two chanterelles sitting over a note on butcher paper. It reads: Good day Chum! Wait until you see the haul I have for you, you won't believe it! The valley was RIPE with bounty! (I think I even heard music??) Anyways, I'm writing to tell your, on my way home I was pestered by FIVE pointy IMPS!!! little PESTS! Keep your ears up, I'll see you soon, 💛 your pal
February 25, 2025 at 1:30 AM
alwoodward.bsky.social
Today I block printed 100+ raccoons
A sea of fresh block prints all laid out to dry, filling the frame. The print on each is the same: a hand carved stamp of a raccoon in a party hat, pulling a piece of paper that says: postcard club loves you! A close up of an individual raccoon print: the critter is in profile and drags the paper in front of their body. Their striped tail wraps around the poster to stop it from flying away. The poster is crumpled and reads: POST CARD CLUB LOVES YOU! Right about the S the raccoons teeth poke the paper and the creature stumbles forward.
February 25, 2025 at 1:16 AM
alwoodward.bsky.social
Oh! Some fanciful foxes!
#watercolour for #postcardclub, feb 2022

Find the whole collection & answer keys, (at no charge) patreon.com/magicmail ✨
February 24, 2025 at 4:57 PM
alwoodward.bsky.social
#gouache and #watercolour on rag paper in a jar lid

2024
A circular metal frame holds a circle of paper that stars of many shapes sparkle on. Amidst it all there is a painting of a small grey and white bird. Where most birds would have a head this bird (-like creature) has a dry poppy blossom. A golden seedpod seems to look up and the bird (-like creature) lifts it's wings as if to take off.
February 24, 2025 at 4:23 AM