I was so busy creating this portrait that I forgot to post this on Friday when it was finished. It’s a spirit animal portrait of Lisa Robbin Young, the first portrait I’ve ever done in watercolour, and the first spirit animal portrait. 

I decided to make one of Lisa as my first because it felt like the right thing to do. The spirit animal portraits were her idea. She had the idea in the shower and told me about it on one of her monthly calls. 

I chose to create a Robin for her spirit animal because I know a bit about Lisa, and I felt it had to be a songbird with a meaning that fit her. You might think she’s just a coach for creatives but Lisa sings, you see, and she sings very well. She actually has albums out. Her latest solo project, “The Fine Line” is a collection of pop-infused jazz and blues tunes. So it had to be a songbird, anything else felt wrong.

The reason I landed specifically on the Robin was a combination of me being inspired by her middle name and the meaning of the Robin as a spirit animal.

If the Robin is your animal, you’re affectionate and loving, a warm, alert, and joyful person. You’re able to find pleasure in the simple things. You ride the winds of passion and move forward with grace, tenacity, perseverance, and assertiveness. You approach change with joy, laughter, and a song in your heart.

The Robin also teaches you that when you’re low, you are able to thrive if you have enough inner strength, courage, and trust. It inspires new growth in all areas of your life, areas that have become stagnant and outdated. It’s time to let go of what no longer serves you. To believe in yourself as you move forward. Its song is a happy one, reminding you to let go of the drama, forget the greyness, dullness, or negativity, and learn to live, love, laugh and be happy. 

Believe in yourself and use the inspiration you’ve been given. It is time to sing your own song to the world and not let anything hold you back. Your wisdom will be highly sought after by those who know you.

I’m happy with how it turned out although it took a lot of time, numerous layers, and involved a fair bit of frustration. I started out with a grid to get all parts of the face in the right place but had to move one of the irises later anyway, because I didn’t want her to look like she was cross-eyed. Thank the gods for Gouache 😀

I showed the picture to Lisa as soon as it was finished, and she loves it. It makes me so happy to be able to brighten someone’s day with a picture.