First Idea

Planning

Head idealization

Head Refined

Feathers

Sketches

Head Angles

Turnaround 1

Turnaround 2

Feet

And right when I thought I was finished, I came across a bird called the "long tailed widow". I thought the tail was stunning and a perfect fit for my Phoenix. So back to sketching I went!

Sketching Tail Shapes. I liked two different versions, and realized I could use both.

Idle vs. When conjuring fire

Final