Stunning Animal Portraits Speak for the Endangered Species

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”I got your back” . Hey guys, what’s up? I made this piece thinking of all those who are there for you, the people willing and prepared to unconditionally defend and support someone. That supportive shoulder you trustworthy can rest your head upon. . Because for me, today, it´s ALL of you guys. I´d like to thank every single one of you for the amazing respons that you shown me, the support and kindness has been almost overwelming. It honestly blows my mind that my giveaway reached so many people, and you are all so positive and loving it really is such a beautiful thing. You are all amazing! Thank you. . So, tell me, do you have that certain someone in your life? A little bird on your shoulder singing support in your ear? . . . #wildlife #artist #animalrights #moodygrams #instawildlife #creativegrammer #animallovers #helpanimals #creative #arty #artsy #ps_magic #hubs_united #portrait_shots #portraits_mf #dailyart #art_spotlight #worldofartist #art_collective #photoshop #art_daily #art_select #thevisualones #houseoftones #artwork #enter_imagination #launchdsigns #theuniversalart #savetheplanet

A post shared by Andy Okay (@andy.okay) on Dec 10, 2018 at 9:10am PST

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"Hold your horses” . Social media. It has become so integrated into the fabric of our lives that when you meet somebody who has sworn it off entirely, it’s actually a cause for conversation. . It’s has changes the way we view and interact with society, our friends, do our networking and for some; even work. But it can also be an abundant source of stress. I would guess a few of you know exactly what I´m talking about;) . The great thing about our body is that its designed to respond well to short bursts of stress. But when stress is prolonged and triggered repeatedly it could mean trouble. My trick for couping with this; unless I feel energized, motivated, excited, creative and fully engaged, I´ll press pause. BEFORE the stress feels overwhelming. . It's kinda obvious, I know, but it’s harder than it sounds! A year ago I couldn’t go more than a couple of hours without checking whats happening (FOMO), but today I can actually let Instagram chill for a day or two. Yay me (self-five). . Its important to keep stress levels in check my friends, so be sure to take good care of yourself. Listed to your bodies! And learn how to relax. . . . #ps_daydream #portraitpage #arty #artsy #hubs_united #portrait_shots #portraits_mf #portrait #ps_magic #ig_creative_edits #discoveredits #thecreativers #theuniversalart #createexplore #visualmobz #dailyart #portraits #art #art_spotlight #worldofartist #art_collective #photoshop #art_daily #art_select #thevisualones #houseoftones #artwork #enter_imagination #launchdsigns #theuniversalart

A post shared by Andy Okay (@andy.okay) on Nov 19, 2018 at 9:16am PST

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”Lovebirds” . "So, its Christmas time again and, to borrow the words of John Paul Young’s song, “Love is in the air”. As it is every Christmas. It is featured in the songs we hear on the radio, in the stores as we shop for presents and in the commercials we see on TV. Love is present in the cards we send and in the words we write on the tags we attach to the presents we give. . As a child, I delighted in every aspect of the holiday season—the music, the decorations, the snowy weather and of course… the gift giving.  It was all magical. . But as you get older, it becomes more and more focused on other things. Everything that has to be done, fixed and more importantly; bought. At what age did we actually make the switch from traditional Christmas values of family time, celebrating love, valuing the simple joys and sharing. Does it really take a bunch of videogames, clothing, gadgets, and toys to make this season enjoyable? . Are we missing the point of Christmas as adults? Are we forgetting the magic? Can we do the holidays without the crazed explosion of gifts? This is what we asked ourself in our family this christmas. And we really did a effort to narrow down the christmas list. We each bought ONE present. And let me tell you, nothing changed. Quite the opposite, actually. It was a blessing shifting the fokus from the presents, to just… enjoying. . So, it makes me wonder. What the real meaning of Christmas? Is it the gifts under the tree, the lights in the windows, the cards in the mail, dinner with family and friends or the snow in the yard. . The real point here is not to criticize the act and idea of how you spending your christmas, but to think about what christmas is to you. And your family. Maybe its not buying more presents than last year. Maybe Christmas is a symbol of love, not money. . . . #lovebirds #birdsofparadise #christmastime #whatischristmas #composition  #stockholmsyndrome #digitalart #animallovers #helpanimals #digitalartist #animalartist #photoshopart #digitalartwork #digitaldesign #dailyart #instagramart #worldofartist #instagramartist #photoshop #art_daily #art_select #thevisualones #houseoftones #artistsofinstagram

A post shared by Andy Okay (@andy.okay) on Dec 26, 2018 at 11:11am PST

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”Dots of love” . Hey guys what’s up? I made this in celebration of jaguars on the first-ever International Jaguar Day (Although I didn’t finish it in time🙃). . Jaguars, with their majestic spotted coats and their silent, silky movements, are the iconic big cat of the wild. They are superstrong, a jaguar’s ultra-strong jaws and teeth can bite through a crocodile skull or turtle shell, but nevertheless, their future is in OUR hands. . The jaguar is under serious pressure. Jaguars now occupy less than half of their historical range. They’re so elusive that we don’t know exactly how many are left in the wild – but we do know their numbers are dropping. . Jaguars are important because they play a big role in controlling the populations of other species, so by protecting jaguars and the places where they live, we’re also helping to look after other wildlife. A win-win;) . Lets help ensure they have a fighting chance for a bright future, okay? . . . #jaguar #internationaljaguarday #savethejaguar #wildlifeplanet #enter_imagination #igcreative_edits #savetheanimals #wwf #discoveredits #wildlife #visual_creatorz #weekly_feature #edit_grams #artofvisuals #launchdsigns #xceptionaledits #creartmood #creative_ace #theuniversalart #thecreativers #moodygrams #digitalart #milliondollarvisuals #animalrights #photomanipulation #createexplore #artistsoninstagram #photoshop

A post shared by Andy Okay (@andy.okay) on Nov 30, 2018 at 1:36pm PST

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”A falling star” . If you had one wish, that absolutely would come true, what would you wish for? . Hi gang! You know, now when everybody is doing the 10 year challenge, I cannot help but think; where will this big bear be the next time this challenge come around? I love the polar bear. I don’t know if it’s because I’m from a northern country myself, and can relate to the cold climate and a constantly running nose (which I’m pretty sure are the key characteristic of a polar bear, right?). . Fact is, this is one of the toughest animals on the planet. Polar bears are well adapted to survive in one of the harshest environments on our planet. No, I’m not talking about christmas with the relatives, I’m talking about ice-cold frosty air and near-freezing water. They do this with a layer of fat called ”blubber”. BLUBBER! I mean, c´mon… I’m pretty sure its humanly impossible NOT to love a creature that consist of something called blubber. . Sadly, these majestic creatures are very vulnerable, and the biggest threat to polar bears is climate change. Rising global temperatures means that sea ice is melting earlier and forming later each year, leaving polar bears less time to hunt for food. But the good news is you can help these amazing animals! Avoid palm-oil, use less plastic thingys and turn off the lights as often as you can. You know, the little things. They do matter. . So, I guess that’s MY wish today. For you to give Fuzzy McClaws a thought, and maybe skip that plastic straw when getting your next burger. . Yes, I named him Fuzzy McClaws. It was either that or Ron. . . . #thecreativers #ps_reflections #digitalmanipulations #creativegrammer #learn_photoshop #creativeoptic #gramslayers #visualambassadors #photomanipulation #launchdsigns #manipulationclan #creativemobs #bestvisualz #edit_grams #xceptionaledits #serialshooters #strangertonez #createmanipulation #lightmobs #thecreateart #visual_creatorz #conceptart #theuniversalart

A post shared by Andy Okay (@andy.okay) on Jan 18, 2019 at 7:09am PST

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Yin yang. . It may not be obvious by a quick look, but this piece is actually inspired by Yin and Yang. Look close, and you can see a little of black in the white, and vice versa. I find this to be a pretty interesting concept. Two halves that together complete wholeness. Opposite forces that actually are complementary, and how they give rise to each other. It’s a beautiful thought, and I kind of think it relates in everything around us. . Nothing in the universe or in life is simply black or white. Each exists in the other and each needs the other in order to exist. . Lately I've been giving some thought to extremes and how often we look at situations from extreme points of view. It's so easy to label something as "good" or "bad" so we do just that rather than really giving it thought and figuring out what it really is. But, as Van Morrison said, "There is no black and white situation. It's all part of life. Highs, lows, middles.” . I think when we attempt to classify things in very general categories, we limit ourselves and the world around us. It can be very tempting to look at a situation or even another person with an all-or-nothing outlook, but it's usually not going to bring out the true nature of that situation or person. Most things are much more complex than a single adjective or label. We miss out on seeing the true complexities of the world around us. So, my advice. Let go of your expectations and look for the grey areas! . Do you find yourself looking at the world in black and white? . . . #yinyang #balance #blackandwhite #whitetiger #blackjaguar #moodygrams #instawildlife #creativegrammer #animallovers #helpanimals #creative #ps_magic #hubs_united #portrait_shots #portraits_mf #dailyart #art_spotlight #worldofartist #art_collective #photoshop #art_daily #art_select #thevisualones #houseoftones #artwork #enter_imagination #launchdsigns #theuniversalart #savetheplanet

A post shared by Andy Okay (@andy.okay) on Dec 13, 2018 at 11:42am PST

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”Leap of faith" . I’ve been on a bit of a self-help kick in my writing lately. And given the positive response from my last post, I figured I would continue my journey and write about another topic that might be of interest. The leap of faith. . We all want the perfect life right, but getting the life you want often means making some big changes in some part of your existing life, whether its career, relationships, city etc. Change is always a fun idea in theory, but, in practice, it’s not always so easy as it sounds. Because you can never really know for sure if your efforts actually will change your life in the direction you want to go. . So there is always going to be that fear of the unknown. Thats means if you really want to change your life, you must take a leap of faith. As a great philosopher once said, ”Do or do not. There is no try.” . There is actually no other way in reaching your goals, so you’ll have to believe that good things will happen when you choose to change your life. Luckly; a leap of faith is not totally blind faith. You do have a lifetime of knowledge and skills that will help you in your pursuit of the dream;) . So, is there any part of your life you would like to change? . . . #wildlife #frogs #leapoffaith #daretodream #dreamon #fox #instawildlife #creativegrammer #animallovers #helpanimals #creative #arty #artsy #hubs_united #portrait_shots #dailyart #art_spotlight #worldofartist #art_collective #photoshop #art_daily #art_select #thevisualones #houseoftones #artwork #enter_imagination #launchdsigns #theuniversalart #savetheplanet

A post shared by Andy Okay (@andy.okay) on Dec 18, 2018 at 9:12am PST

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”The Guardian” . Hey guys, its 2019! What are your SPECIFIC goals for this year? . New year – fresh start, right?, A do-over, that motivates you to try something new. That is usually how it goes. When we talk about the new year, one word often comes to mind: resolutions! Lose weight, get out more, save money, engage in a hobby, spend more time with friends, pick up that camera… But, what actually happens after you’ve made that resolution? Do you carry it out? . Let me tell you about something that have worked for me for the last couple of years. Instead of making resolutions, set measurable goals. I find it´s more likely to lead to success in seeing your hopes and dreams come true. . So this year, why not try to be specific! Too often, people tend to set goals that are vague and unrealistic. ”Read more books”, or ”see more plays” Not only does this lead to frustration, but it also decreases the likelihood of actually achieving the goal. . And hey, just a friendly reminder; stop comprising yourself to others! When you are working towards improving your life, it is common to compare yourself to other people. Instagram doesn’t help here; your feed overflows with announcements of your friends’ new love interests, achievements and new jobs. How does this serve you, exactly? It doesn’t;) Follow your own path. . Lastly, remember; big success is made up of small victories. Enjoy the process! Having goals is important; however, we don’t stop living while we pursue them. Life happens while you are in the midst of seeing your dreams being realized! . . . #newyearresolutions #guardianangel #lioncub #digitalart #instawildlife #creativegrammer #animallovers #helpanimals #digitalartist #animalartist #photoshopart #digitalartwork #digitaldesign #dailyart #instagramart #worldofartist #instagramartist #photoshop #art_daily #art_select #thevisualones #houseoftones #artistsofinstagram #enter_imagination #launchdsigns #theuniversalart

A post shared by Andy Okay (@andy.okay) on Jan 4, 2019 at 9:29am PST

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”Built to last” . Ever since I was a kid I always loved building things. My earliest memories are of creating Lego cities complete with tall buildings, fire- and policestation, stores and of course.. a big castle. . A couple of years later I can remember ditching my Lego kits for a computer, and then, well, it’s safe to say my whole world changed, but my fascination with building things didn’t. In fact, one of the first games that got me excited about computers was Sim City, where, just like with my Lego’s — I was able to build my own cities. . What really captivated me about Sim City as a kid was the fact that I could build something and then see a simulation actually take what I built and poof — generate a real world around it. Those roads that I spent all that time building now had cars zipping along on them, my stores, oh yeah — they were in business. . In college I stopped playing games almost entirely and jumped on a program of graphi design. Boom! Mind blown again, now I was creating ads, folders, businesscards, logos and magazines from scratch, or it least that’s what it felt like. I really enjoyed the challenge of every design software, whether it was InDesign, Illustrator or Photoshop. They all let me play freely, with only my own mind as the limit. . Yeah, that was many years ago now, but its still equally exciting everytime I have time to sit in front of the computer, with a blanc canvas, and just… build something. And I´m SO excited to see what kind of tools our kids will use to build stuff with in the future, and turn their visions into reality. . Do you create things? What do you love to build? . . . #wearecreators #createyourownworld #mychildhooddreams #simcity #ifyoubuildittheywillcome #flamingo #instawildlife #creativegrammer #animallovers #helpanimals #creative #arty #artsy #hubs_united #portrait_shots #dailyart #art_spotlight #worldofartist #art_collective #photoshop #art_daily #art_select #thevisualones #houseoftones #artwork #enter_imagination #launchdsigns #theuniversalart

A post shared by Andy Okay (@andy.okay) on Jan 7, 2019 at 9:11am PST

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”Swan Lake” . What is your dream place you always wanted to visit but not yet haven’t? . It’s a pretty easy decision for me, it’s definitely South Africa. The country’s diverse landscapes, the national parks, the mountains, the cool caves, rivers and of course… all the animals. All in one trip. Just imagine all the amazing photographic opportunities! . Even Teddy Roosevelt dreamed of, and eventually took, an African safari. In 1915, he wrote about “the strong attraction of the silent places, of the large tropic moons, and the splendor of the new stars.” It seems fitting that around 15 percent would choose a trip to South Africa for their dream vacation;) . So yeah, I just went from computer-mode here in wintery Sweden to dream-travel to South Africa just like that. Haha. I think I’m going to have to rewatch Madagascar now! . So tell me, what’s your dream trip? . . . #swanlake #digital_indo #way2ill #killergrams #splendid_vibe #gramslayers #heatercentral #creative_ace #beautifuldestinations #thecreativers #visualmobs #simplycooldesign #milliondollarvisuals #creativegrammer # Xceptionaledits #graphicdesign #visualgrams #Graphicdesigner #serialshooters #artofinstagram #hypebeast #artinspiration #illgrammers #ourmoodydays #photoshopcc #artoftones #graphicroozane #lion #photoshop

A post shared by Andy Okay (@andy.okay) on Jan 10, 2019 at 9:10am PST

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”I feel love” . What is your favourite wild animal? . So, as you can see and probably just figured out by this post, I really like the giraffe. I´ve always related to animals that look a little odd 😉, and defies what the phrase ”normal” often stands for (even though I really don’t like that word). I have always admired giraffes for their long necks and knobby knees, but I became truly obsessed with them about a year ago when read up on the giraffe and got to know the animal a little better. It almost felt like i´ve found my spirit animal. No other animal could so perfectly match my height, clumsiness and overall goofiness as the giraffe;) . As some of you already have noticed, giraffes are quite tall. They're not just tall; they're the tallest animals on the entire planet. Their height is rivaled by none. Literally. But did you know that every giraffe's pattern is unique. Just like every human is different, every giraffe is different. Each one has a pattern that no giraffe has ever had, has or will have. . Another awesome fact, female giraffes give birth standing up. The result? Newborns are welcomed to the world with a 1.5m drop to the ground! Ouch! But these infants are quick to get on their feet – within 30 minutes they are standing, and only hours later they’re able to run with their mothers. How cool is that? . And if all these facts wasn´t enough to convince you of the giraffes awesomeness, let me tell you; they have figured out to use their own butt as a pillow when they sleep! . So yeah… I mean. What’s not to love? Sadly the giraffe is on the list over critically endangered animals, after years of habitat destruction and poaching. So next time you sit next to a giraffe on the bus, be sure to show him some extra love. They truly deserve it! . . . #wildlife #giraffe #savetheanimals #wwf #criticallyendangered  #instawildlife #creativegrammer #animallovers #helpanimals #animalrights #ps_opposites #creative_ace #gramslayers #heatercentral #visualmobs #milliondollarvisuals #illgrammers #worldofartist #artofinstagram #photoshop #art_daily #art_select #thevisualones #houseoftones #artwork #enter_imagination #launchdsigns #theuniversalart #savetheplanet

A post shared by Andy Okay (@andy.okay) on Jan 14, 2019 at 9:02am PST