Mai
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whyst.bsky.social
Mai
@whyst.bsky.social
100 followers 150 following 60 posts
Stranded alien. Art. Books. Geek. Wanderer. Bad at sleeping

There's always time for roller coasters and ice cream
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whyst.bsky.social
Only the journey is written

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Completely forgot to post this one! Scratching that history nerd meets movie geek itch 😊 The Mummy Returns, now as an ancient Egyptian wall relief painting 😁

#Art #AncientEgypt #History #AncientHistory #TheMummy
Digital illustration in the style of an ancient Egyptian wall hieroglyphic relief painting telling the story of the movie The Mummy Returns in a series of static sequential scenes laid out from left to right and down in multiple rows, starting with the discovery of the Bracelet of Anubis and ending with our heroes in the dirigible flying into the sunset at the end of the movie. Closeup on the first scene where Rick and Evy first discover the Bracelet of Anubis. The characters are drawn from a side view with their hands up in the ancient Egyptian wall relief hieroglyphic style, with the bracelet and its chest floating between them. Closeup of Imhotep and Anck-su-namun kneeling on the ground. Anck-su-namun is in her modern day clothes, but an overlapping blue-rimmed spirit version of her in her ancient Egyptian clothes is being knocked out of her and falling backwards.
August 20, 2025 at 6:37 PM
whyst.bsky.social
Three away from being at risk of spontaneously turning into an infernal Ring of Fire, Hail the Great Beast, Destroyer of Worlds

....

Last day of MCM London! And then I'll get back to posting art and things, I promise 😅 Stop by and say hi if you're around!
A white sign with the table number M 22 and the table name Art of Mai Van
May 25, 2025 at 9:34 AM
whyst.bsky.social
I apparently read too much Tolkien before bed last night and dreamt I was Sauron (but me-shaped) and have been amusing myself all morning thinking of all the reasons I would make a wildly unsuccessful Dark Lord

Anyway, happy Tolkien Reading Day! Let's see who I end up being in my dreams tonight 😅
Closeup of two adjacent bookshelves with a connecting row of Tolkien books with oh so pretty matching dust jackets. All of the colorful illustrated covers are matte, with the titles standing out in shiny gold foil. On one end of the row, three books are displayed backwards, with the spines towards the wall, to show off the colorful sprayed edges with white text written in the Cirth and Tengwar scripts invented by Tolkien. The book "The Silmarillion" by Tolkien sitting on a stack of other books on a nightstand. The matte cover shows an illustration by Ted Nasmith depicting the ships of the Faithful as they escape from a doomed Númenor
March 25, 2025 at 8:09 PM
whyst.bsky.social
Eye spy, with my 3D eye...

Wrapping up more projects from last year! This one has been done for awhile, but I just realized I never shared these finished renders 😊

#Art #SciFi #SciFiArt #SciArt #Space #Spaceship #3DArt
Two stacked images. The top image shows a close-up 3D rendered view of the front of a TIE fighter, with its spherical command module, transparisteel viewport, two laser cannons, and the wing spars visible. The bottom image shows the back of the same TIE fighter with its solar ionization reactor, twin ion engines, and the wing spars visible. A 3D rendered front view image of a TIE fighter showing its spherical command module, transparisteel viewport, and the iconic hexagonal solar collector wings housing solar energy accumulator lines that are just about visible. A 3D rendered back view image of a TIE fighter showing its solar ionization reactor and twin ion engines. Also visible are the iconic hexagonal solar collector wings housing solar energy accumulator lines that are just about visible.
February 19, 2025 at 7:08 PM
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So long, 2024! Hello 2025!

I'm only a little late 😅 How is 2025 treating you so far?

Sharing this little doodle from last year that I never got around to posting as part of a wrap up on old projects as I prepare for new adventures this year! 😁

#Art #TraditionalArt #SciArt #PaleoArt #Paleontology
An ink and markers drawing of an Ichthyosaurus fossil with a label identifying it as being from the Lower Jurassic era, about 200 million years old. A second piece of paper sitting in front of the drawing says "So long, and thanks for all the fish!" as well as a disclaimer that the drawing is not of a dolphin. An ink and markers drawing of an Ichthyosaurus fossil with a label identifying it as being from the Lower Jurassic era, about 200 million years old
February 4, 2025 at 9:00 PM
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QRP with your skull art!

Velociraptor mongoliensis! An early experiment for a cut paper illustration piece 😊 White cardstock paper that was cut, hand painted, and then assembled in layers

#Art #Dinosaurs #PaleoArt #Paleontology
Side view of a Velociraptor skull formed out of layers of cut paper that have been hand painted to emphasize the depth. Below is a replica Velociraptor claw
December 9, 2024 at 12:25 AM
whyst.bsky.social
Consider this confirmation that dinosaurs existed in Middle Earth 🦕

A really fun wedding invitation I got to do for an awesome couple who had a dinosaur-themed wedding! Text changed for privacy - I was not commissioned by the King of Gondor himself

... Or was I?? 👀

#Art #DigitalArt #Dinosaurs
Two happily in love brachiosaurus with their eyes closed and foreheads touching, each with one front leg raised and touching the other footpad to footpad, their long necks forming a heart around the names Arwen and Aragorn. Vines with heart-shaped leaves adorn both sides of the card, with additional texts indicating the wedding date and location. Sitting atop one side of the card is an unsheathed Sting, the Elven sword wielded first by Bilbo Baggins and then later by Frodo Baggins
December 6, 2024 at 7:00 PM
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Available now on my webstore 😊

artofmaivan.com/store

Choose from four designs! All tote bags are double sided and printed full bleed on polyester canvas

#SciFi #SciFiArt #Cats #ShopSmall #SmallBusinessSaturday #ArtShop #bsnm
Double-sided tote bag featuring an ink and markers illustration of a cat in a spacesuit standing on a new world and looking up proudly at the stars. Planted at his feet is a flag that reads "Mine" with a little paw print and trailing behind him is his little assistant and companion, a mouse rover. A band of stars stretches across the night sky. A close up shot on the right shows the polyester canvas texture Double-sided tote bag featuring a digital illustration of the Hubble space telescope pointing out towards the mysteries of the universe, her lens bringing into detail a far-off purple nebula filled with bright starlight as the Earth spins slowly and serenely below. A close up shot on the right shows the polyester canvas texture Double-sided tote bag featuring a digital illustration of a little cat in a spacesuit floating in space attached to a long serpentine tether disappearing into the foreground. The cat is dwarfed by a giant black hole with light and stars slowly swirling into the singularity, bright hot at the event horizon and utter blackness in the center, where light can no longer escape. Despite the dangers, our little astro at appear to be serenely observing the phenomenon. A close up shot on the right shows the polyester canvas texture Double-sided tote bag featuring a digital illustration of sunrise on a ringed gas giant, the icy bands of its rings shining brightly beneath a foreign star, the whole scene cast in a blue light. A close up shot on the right shows the polyester canvas texture
November 30, 2024 at 8:22 PM
whyst.bsky.social
Coming to a shoulder near you✨

Have you ever found yourself with things to tote around but can't? Do you find yourself carrying all your things..by hand??

You get the idea 😂 Introducing my new tote bags! More pics in thread 😊

#SciFi #SciFiArt #Cats #ShopSmall #SmallBusinessSaturday #ArtShop #bsnm
Four tote bags arrayed on a table, each bag depicting a vibrant and fun space-themed illustration. One shows a cute cat in a spacesuit standing proudly on a new planet with a flag that says "Mine" planted at their feet, and another showing a close up shot of a ringed-planet with the rings brightly lit by the sun that is just rising over the horizon behind the planet in a star-filled sky. The two other bags are slightly hidden, but a peek of a space nebula and a black hole are visible
November 30, 2024 at 8:22 PM
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What lies beyond the horizon?

An old favorite, now with shiny gold foil! This one was really hard to photograph, but the gold foil outlines each ship. I've been told it looks like a shiny set of enamel pins 😁

#Art #SciFi #SciFiArt #SciArt #TraditionalArt #Space #Illustration #Spaceship #bsnm
A formation of iconic spaceships with matching blue accents assembled and flying forward together against a black field, each ship outlined in shiny gold foil. The spaceships hail from various scifi franchises including Star Wars, Star Trek, Stargate, The Expanse, Firefly, Starship Troopers, StarCraft, Battlestar Galactica, Futurama, Marvel, Lost in Space, Dark Matter, Independence Day, and Power Rangers A formation of iconic spaceships with matching blue accents assembled and flying forward together against a black field, each ship outlined in shiny gold foil. The spaceships hail from various scifi franchises including Star Wars, Star Trek, Stargate, The Expanse, Firefly, Starship Troopers, StarCraft, Battlestar Galactica, Futurama, Marvel, Lost in Space, Dark Matter, Independence Day, and Power Rangers A square, black picture frame displaying a print featuring a formation of iconic spaceships with matching blue accents assembled and flying forward together against a black field, each ship outlined in shiny gold foil. The spaceships hail from various scifi franchises including Star Wars, Star Trek, Stargate, The Expanse, Firefly, Starship Troopers, StarCraft, Battlestar Galactica, Futurama, Marvel, Lost in Space, Dark Matter, Independence Day, and Power Rangers
November 20, 2024 at 7:25 PM
whyst.bsky.social
No harm ever came from reading a book

...right? 😅

My latest work! Evy and Anck Su-Namun face off in an ancient Egyptian wall relief style illustration, with hieroglyphics of quotes from the movie and embellished with a shiny gold foil finish 😁

#Art #AncientEgypt #History #AncientHistory #TheMummy
A square, gold picture frame displaying a print featuring an ancient Egyptian wall relief style painting of two women in gold masks, both holding a sai in each hand, posed and ready for ceremonial battle. Surrounding the two figures are rows and columns of ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics rendered in shiny gold foil, with a large winged scarab adorning the bottom A square, gold picture frame displaying a print featuring an ancient Egyptian wall relief style painting of two women in gold masks, both holding a sai in each hand, posed and ready for ceremonial battle. Surrounding the two figures are rows and columns of ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics rendered in shiny gold foil, with a large winged scarab adorning the bottom. On either side of the frame is a cute vinyl figure of Evy holding a torch and Rick holding a sword from the 1999 movie The Mummy Two women in gold masks, both holding a sai in each hand, stand posed and ready for ceremonial battle in an ancient Egyptian wall relief style illustration. Surrounding the two figures are rows and columns of ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics rendered in shiny gold foil, with a large winged scarab adorning the bottom
November 11, 2024 at 9:01 PM
whyst.bsky.social
If you see this, post your orange art! 🧡

#Art #SciFi #SciFiArt #SciArt #3DArt #DigitalArt #Space #Illustration #ConceptArt #Spaceship
The "Negotiator", a Venator-class Star Destroyer and flagship of Jedi General Obi-Wan Kenobi, with all her thrusters flaring white hot blue, arrives in the Tatooine system. The system's famous two suns, visible in the distance, bathes the starship and the surrounding cosmic clouds of gas and dust in a beautiful orange light. The arrival of the Firefly-class spaceship "Serenity" at the cloud covered planet of Persephone, one of its moons peeking out from behind the horizon. Multiple thruster contrails signifying ships leaving the bustling planet appear as tiny streaks in the distance. Serenity's engines are flaring orange hot and throwing off sparks into space that softly turn into little leaves soaring on the wind An orbital research, trade, tourist, one-stop shop waystation floats serenely above an orange gas giant. A hyperloop system, formed from a series of evenly spaced rings with a transparent, force-field protected tunnel glowing a vibrant cyan, circles the gas giant and provides easy transport between the planet's five separate orbital stations. A shuttle can be seen currently traveling along the hyperloop tunnel on its way to the next station.
November 7, 2024 at 9:12 PM
whyst.bsky.social
A moment of calm for your timeline today 💙

#Art #SciFiArt #SciFi #SciArt #Illustration #DigitalArt #ConceptArt #Cats #AnimalArt
November 6, 2024 at 1:58 AM
whyst.bsky.social
Did the thing! 😊

Did you do the thing? There's still time in some states!
A voter taking a selfie with her mail-in ballot on the way to drop it off, with the ballot covering half her face so you only see her eyes. Over the picture are two stickers, one saying "let's do this!" and the other saying "I Voted!"
November 6, 2024 at 1:09 AM
whyst.bsky.social
Happy belated Stego-ween everyone! Hope your day was full of fun and a healthy amount of candy! Whether that means a lot or a little, I'll let you decide 😂

#Halloween #JackoLantern #Pumpkin #SpookySeason #Dinosaurs #Art #SciArt #PaleoArt #AnimalArt
A fun pumpkin carving of a full stegosaurus skeleton posed with its mouth opened in a little roar, shown in both daylight and at night with a candle inside lighting up the carving in full jack-o'-lantern festivities. The bottom of the image shows a row of different pumpkins all lit up from within with carvings of cute faces, a unicorn, and even an alien saying hello beneath his spaceship.
November 1, 2024 at 8:29 PM
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Six furry friends I met in Athens 😊
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I'm not doing an October drawing challenge, but I didn't want to completely miss out on the fun, so I'm trying to get in at least a doodle each day 😊 Here's day 2-7!

#Art #Sketchbook #Drawing #Illustration #Cats #AnimalArt
A sketchbook page with pencil drawings of six cute cats with varying markings. One expert loafer, one yoga grooming, one contemplating Mondays, one cozy sleepy ball, and two on alert for adventure, with the second one extra curiously leaning forward with neck outstretched and one paw forward
October 10, 2024 at 6:24 PM
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Ink and markers doodle of a happy stegosaurus friend I met at the Natural History Museum in London last year 😊

Good luck to everyone participating in an art challenge this month, I look forward to seeing all your wonderful creations!

#Art #SciArt #Dinosaurs #PaleoArt #Paleontology
An ink and markers drawing of a full stegosaurus fossil posed with his tail up and his mouth opened, with a smaller piece of paper sitting in front of his face with the word "Rawr!" written on it
October 4, 2024 at 7:05 PM
whyst.bsky.social
Artists, QRP your 2 sides!

*(cheating a bit with a third because I am bad at picking these 😅)

space 🚀 vs creatures 🦖 vs creatures again, but make them cuddly 🐈
A 3x3 grid featuring 9 illustrations, each depicting a brightly colored space scene filled with stars and nebulae, some with planets and moons, one with a black hole being studied and one with a mysterious ring of light. Most are centered on one or more spaceships or satellite, with one featuring a cat scientist in a spacesuit during an EVA mission A 3x3 grid featuring 9 illustrations, each depicting a creature or non-human character drawn with ink and markers on a toned paper background. There are four clever dinosaurs, one smug dragon, one charged kaiju, one ninja turtle, one hungry alien symbiote, and one detective duck contemplating his latest case A 3x3 grid featuring 9 illustrations, each depicting one or more cute creatures drawn with ink and markers. There are two baby dinosaurs, three good boy pups, three working cats (one might not actually be a cat), one flaming salamander, and a family of dancing sea turtles. Occupations include a catstronaut in a spacesuit and superheroes such as a wonder woman cat, a Flash dog, and Lucky the dog sharing a pizza with Goose, the not-a-cat Flerken
September 19, 2024 at 6:12 PM
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Happy International Cat Day! Here's a little throwback to an inky doodle of a cat-shaped spaceship... with a giant scarf. Because, you know, space is cold 😅😂
A spaceship in the shape of a cat's bust floats cozily along with a giant scarf wrapped around its neck and trailing behind. A bright sun illuminates the ship and surrounding asteroids from behind while a few bright stars shine from the surrounding blackness of space. A spaceship in the shape of a cat's bust floats cozily along with a giant scarf wrapped around its neck and trailing behind. A bright sun illuminates the ship and surrounding asteroids from behind while a few bright stars shine from the surrounding blackness of space. Zoomed out to see the whole ink drawing.
August 8, 2024 at 6:07 PM
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Crewcat #4, proud member of the elite Time division aboard the scientific exploration starship 'Chaos'. By coincidence (or masterful planning), 4 always ends up on the most adventurous - and arguably dangerous - missions

Would you like to join the Chaos on its voyage among the stars?
Digital illustration of a little cat in a spacesuit floating in space with a long serpentine tether disappearing into the foreground. The cat is dwarfed by a giant black hole with light and stars swirling into the singularity, bright hot at the event horizon and utter blackness in the center, where light can no longer escape.
June 7, 2024 at 6:01 PM
whyst.bsky.social
White "wolf" 🐾

A commission I finished last year of a sweet puppy named Arya dressed up with Okami markings 😊 Ink, markers, and colored pencil on toned paper
Traditional drawing of a happy puppy sporting red markings on her eyes and forehead like the character Okami and a sweet little flower tucked on her ear. Her head is poking out of a black framed background and she is looking up with a happy smile.
May 8, 2024 at 8:01 PM
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Let's celebrate! All orders on my webstore today will receive a free X-wing sticker! 😊 No codes necessary. Order doesn't have to include Star Wars items to receive the sticker :) Happy Star Wars day everyone! 💙

www.artofmaivan.com/store

#SciFi #SciFiArt #DigitalArt #Space #Illustration #StarWars
A hand, mostly offscreen, holding a sticker of an X-wing, its S-foils locked in attack position and its engines flaring red. Above is the following text "Free sticker with all orders, today only!"
May 4, 2024 at 6:16 PM
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May the 4th be with you!

A commission I finished earlier this year :) Ink, markers, and colored pencils on toned paper

#Art #SciFi #SciFiArt #TraditionalArt #Space #Illustration #StarWars
Illustration of an X-wing with its S-foils locked in attack position while zipping through space in a tunnel of bright streaks of starlight. To the top left adorning the illustration are two small origami X-wings, one orange and one yellow. A close-up angle of an illustration of an X-wing with its S-foils locked in attack position while zipping through space in a tunnel of bright streaks of starlight. To the top left adorning the illustration are two small origami X-wings, one orange and one yellow.
May 4, 2024 at 6:09 PM
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See you in Japan! 😁
Screenshot of the Star Wars Celebration Japan 2025 logo with the words "Your reservation was successful!" underneath
May 3, 2024 at 12:32 AM
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Defend against terror and chaos
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I've always wanted to do a sort of monochrome version of this illustration, and I finally got around to it! Check out my other post to see the companion piece :)

#SciFiArt #SciFi #DigitalArt #StarWars #Space #3D
Digital illustration of a squadron of TIE starfighters speeding towards a ringed gas giant that dominates most of the star-filled space. The sun is just beginning to peek around the horizon of the planet, spilling light on the planet's rings and TIE fighters. A white wall with two picture frames showing two companion illustrations, one of a squadron of X-Wing starfighters flying towards a ringed gas giant and the other a squadron of TIE starfighters coming around the other side of the same ringed gas giant, the two squadrons seemingly headed for each other.
April 30, 2024 at 7:20 PM