This one was done in open canvas 1.1. It's a fun program and I playing with it at least once, it's a free program.

This was a commission from a friend, he requested I draw a phoenix. This took a bit of time because not only was it the first time I ever drew a phoenix... it was the first time I actually did a serious drawing of a bird. After a lot of research I discovered that most depictions of phoenixes are very similar to a peacock and then I was able to study that species.

In the end the apples were added to balance all the red on the bird. I later learned from deviantart that there is actually a tail about a phoenix that stole apples. XD