Fly Agaric – Amanita muscaria – Drawing

Drawing of Fly Agaric mushroom with a red and white top on a monochrome back ground painted in shaggy ink cap ink

Looking back at my Fly Agaric post from last year, we decided to go back to the same spot at the same time of year to see if we would be treated to some Amanita mushroom magic again…

And we weren’t disappointed!

There was an abundance of fungus in the wood! One mushroom of interest was this white character [below]. My initial thought, as it glowed ghostily on the forest floor, was that it was another Amanita – Amanita virosa, the Destroying Angel. However further research led to the similarly dramatically named False Deathcap – Amanita citrina var. alba to be precise – the white variation of the False Deathcap.

Photo of Amanita citrina var. alba - white varation of False deathcap in leaf litter

And just a few metres away, a troop of Amanita muscaria – Fly Agaric all in a row, probably following the line of an old fallen birch limb.


And in all stages of life:

3 photos in a grid showing the stages of fly agaric, from embryo to freshly emerged mushroom
The first photo shows a young Fly Agaric ’embryo’, before bursting through the universal veil. You can see how parts of the veil stay attached to the cap in the middle photo (and look at its lovely little ‘tutu’!). The iconic white ‘spots’ can be washed away in heavy rain – as seen in the third photo above.

I used one of my photographs to draw one of the young mushrooms. I was taught always to draw from life, so using a secondary source seems ‘wrong’. However, I’d need binoculars and my full kit of visual aids along with my drawing gear if I were to attempt to draw from life in the wild.

I’ll have to give it a go… Next year!

Photo of my Fly Agaric drawing/ painting - work in progress

Phhoto of the work in progress - background sketch added - Fly Agaric mushroom drawing/ painting

Photo of the 3rd stage of Fly Agaric red and white mushroom paiting drawing - work in progress 3 - showing the start of the background

At this stage in the drawing, I decided to get the Shaggy Ink Cap ink back out the fridge to complete the background.

Quicker, inkier, stinkier.

The cap had been quite a fiddle to draw, requiring:

A zoomed screen
Deeply furrowed frown lines
Squinting eyes and
A magnifying glass

And I felt an inky background would make a looser, moodier …woodier foil.  I enjoyed the contrast.

Drawing of Fly Agaric mushroom with a red and white top on a monochrome back ground painted in shaggy ink cap ink
This lightly nibbled specimen [below] called out to be photographed:

Photo of Large near perfect Fly Agaric red and white magical mushroom in the woods

Though the more nibbled ‘shrooms were just as appealing:

Photo of a very eatern Fly Agaric

To end our magical trip into the woods, you’ll never guess what Rosie doggo found…

A photo of the fragile skeleton of a mouse in the woods
…the tiniest, most fragile skeleton – a mouse!