Mushroom Folk Field Guide
Welcome to a growing collection of curious mushroom characters inspired by the fascinating world of fungi.
Mushroom folk, Shroomians, or Shrooms, do not reveal themselves to just anyone. I count myself among the lucky few who have had several encounters with these extraordinary little beings.
At times, the meetings were so fleeting that I only managed to capture them in a photograph. On other occasions, I was fortunate enough to observe them for longer. For although they are terribly skittish, I believe the Shroomians are also deeply curious about humans. I even had the distinct feeling that I was the subject of their research.
Each Mushroom Folk character in this field guide is inspired by a real mushroom or fungus, but given a life and personality of its own. I combine my love of nature, traditional fantasy art and character design to transform fascinating fungi into whimsical, mysterious and sometimes slightly creepy creatures.
Explore the different species below and meet the Mushroom Folk that inhabit the Studio Sasafras universe. Every Mushroom Folk character is created by me from my own observations, photographs, drawings and traditional artwork. No AI-generated artwork is used.
Explore the Field Guide
- 🌱 Mushroom Folk
- 🍄 Forest Gatherings
- ✨ Bioluminescent Mushroom Folk
- 🎨 Mushroom Folk Portraits
- 🛍️ Take a Mushroom Folk Home
Bring your favorite mushroom character into your own world
Blue-headed bonnet mushroom
Inspired by mycena subcyanocephala - the Blue-headed bonnet mushroom
REAL FUNGUS
Scientific name: mycena subcyanocephala
Common name: not yet determined
Habitat: Tropical parts of Asia. It likes standing on a wooden subsurface.
MUSHROOM FOLK
Name: Stargazer
Character: Mysterious, sweet, melancholy and unearthly.
Classification: Mushroom Folk
Origin: Inspired by real fungi
Status: Entirely fictional
Medium: Digital: Nomad sculpt and Procreate
At first glance, this seems to be the Mycena subcyanocephala, a very tiny mushroom, only recently discovered. But is it really a mushroom? Or perhaps a space traveller, waiting to be picked up? I didn’t get the chance to ask, because as you know, shroomians are terribly timid and shy. There is still much research to be done on this particular species.
Ink Cap mushroom
Inspired by coprinopsis atramentaria - the Ink Cap mushroom
REAL FUNGUS
Scientific name: coprinopsis atramentaria
Common name: Ink Cap mushroom
Habitat: Green pastures, rural areas and open terrains.
MUSHROOM FOLK
Name: Gloss
Character: Mysterious, elegant and seductive.
Classification: Mushroom Folk
Origin: Inspired by real fungi
Status: Entirely fictional
Medium: Digital: Nomad sculpt and Procreate
This ink cap–like lady marked my very first encounter with the world of Shroomians. Naturally, such an introduction left me eager for further study. The Ink Cap Shroomlady, true to her appearance, may be regarded as a small enchantress. Yet her time to shine is, alas, but brief. Upon my return a few weeks later, all that remained was her cap.
Her cousin, the Magpie Ink Cap Shroom, had arrived somewhat earlier than I and appeared to be wondering where her relative had gone.
Magpie Ink Cap mushroom
Inspired by coprinopsis picacea - the Magpie Ink Cap mushroom
REAL FUNGUS
Scientific name: coprinopsis picacea
Common name: Magpie Ink Cap
Habitat: woodlands throughout Europe, she likes to be under beech and oak trees especially.
MUSHROOM FOLK
Name: Wonder
Character: Curious, empathetic and full of wonder.
Classification: Mushroom Folk
Origin: Inspired by real fungi
Status: Entirely fictional
Medium: Digital: Nomad sculpt and Procreate
Blue Milk Cap mushroom
Inspired by lactarius indigo - the Blue Milk Cap mushroom
REAL FUNGUS
Scientific name: lactarius indigo
Common name: Blue Milk Cap
Habitat: mostly found in East Asia, Central America and North America.
MUSHROOM FOLK
Name: Blue
Character: cheerful and sweet
Classification: Mushroom Folk
Origin: Inspired by real fungi
Status: Entirely fictional
Artist: Saskia Franken-Saers
Medium: Digital: Nomad sculpt and Procreate
The Blue Milk Cap, Lactarius indigo, is a cheerful little fellow. He is, however, somewhat at risk, for he may easily be mistaken for the edible mushroom bearing the same name. That said, he remains a jovial character, always ready for a conversation. I sketched him while we were discussing the meaning of life—and let me assure you, there is a great deal of wisdom hidden within this small being.
Characteristic of the Blue Milk Cap are the small pits in its stem. At first the stem is somewhat slimy, but as the Milk Cap matures it dries, and these pits—sometimes referred to as “potholes”—begin to appear.
Found a favourite?
Some of the Mushroom Folk have escaped the field guide and can now be found on prints, stickers and more.
Bleeding Tooth Mushroom
Inspired by Hydnellum peckii – the Bleeding Tooth Fungus
REAL FUNGUS
Scientific name: hydnellum peckii
Common name: Bleeding tooth fungus
Habitat: Europe, North America, and more recent years also in Iran and Korea.
MUSHROOM FOLK
Name: Bleeding tooth
Character: Weird and creepy.
Classification: Mushroom Folk
Origin: Inspired by real fungi
Status: Entirely fictional
Medium: Digital: Nomad sculpt and Procreate
Shroomian gatherings
Bleeding Fairy Helmet mushroom
Inspired by mycena haematopus - the bleeding fairy helmet mushroom
REAL FUNGUS
Scientific name: mycena haematopus
Common name: Bleeding fairy helmet
Habitat: rotting and dead wood in forests across North America, parts of Asia and Europe.
MUSHROOM FOLK
Name: Bloody Mary’s
Character: Bittersweet
Classification: Mushroom Folk
Origin: Inspired by real fungi
Status: Entirely fictional
Medium: Digital: Nomad sculpt and Procreate
Ruby bonnet mushroom
Inspired by cruentomycena viscidocruenta - the Ruby Bonnet mushroom
REAL FUNGUS
Scientific name: cruentomycena viscidocruenta
Common name: Ruby Bonnet
Habitat: moist, woodland areas in New Zealand and Australia. They love growing on rotting wood
MUSHROOM FOLK
Name: Ruby bonnets
Character: loving and affectionate
Classification: Mushroom Folk
Origin: Inspired by real fungi
Status: Entirely fictional
Medium: Digital: Nomad sculpt and Procreate
The Ruby Bonnet, or Cruentomycena viscidocruenta, is—as its common name suggests—a bright red mushroom that lives in small clusters within damp woodland. It belongs to the agaric family, distinguished by its characteristic scales or fringes. This charming little pair seemed quite pleased to have their affection captured on record. To insiders known as Love Bonnets.
Bioluminescent Mushroom Folk
Here you see a few of these beings that I was fortunate enough to observe during nocturnal visits to the forest. Bioluminescent mushrooms are among nature’s most magical phenomena. Their soft, natural glow can turn a dark forest floor into something otherworldly, inspiring my bioluminescent mushroom art and glowing mushroom characters. Some fungi produce light through a natural chemical process called bioluminescence, creating an eerie green glow that feels almost like something from a fairytale.
For me, these fascinating fungi are perfect for bioluminescent mushroom fantasy. Their mysterious appearance sparks the imagination: what if these glowing fungi were actually tiny forest inhabitants, quietly illuminating the darkness?
My glowing mushroom illustrations transform real fungi into whimsical Mushroom Folk characters, blending the strange beauty of nature with a touch of fantasy and wonder.
Ghost mushroom
Inspired by omphalotus nidiformis - the Ghost mushroom
REAL FUNGUS
Scientific name: omphalotus nidiformis
Common name: Ghost mushroom
Habitat: they especially like living in moist pine tree forests, and have a preference for dead and decaying trees.
MUSHROOM FOLK
Name: Lumina a.k.a. Ghost mushroom
Character: A radiant talker, helps small folk on their way on moonless nights.
Classification: Mushroom Folk
Origin: Inspired by real fungi
Status: Entirely fictional
Medium: Digital: Nomad sculpt and Procreate
Green Pepe mushroom
Inspired by mycena chlorophos - the Green Pepe mushroom
REAL FUNGUS
Scientific name: mycena chlorophos
Common name: Green Pepe
Habitat: subtropical forests in India, Taiwan, Japan, Indonesia, Polynesia, SrinLanka, Brazil and Australia.
MUSHROOM FOLK
Name: Loomies
Character: unworldly and withdrawn
Classification: Mushroom Folk
Origin: Inspired by real fungi
Status: Entirely fictional
Medium: Digital: Nomad sculpt and Procreate
Luminous Porecap mushroom
Inspired by filoboletus manipularis - the Luminous Porecap mushroom
REAL FUNGUS
Scientific name: filoboletus manipularis
Common name: Luminous Porecap
Habitat: Malaysia and the Pacific Islands.
MUSHROOM FOLK
Name: Manipulara
Character: elegant yet haughty
Classification: Mushroom Folk
Origin: Inspired by real fungi
Status: Entirely fictional
Medium: Digital: Nomad sculpt and Procreate
Filoboletus Manipularis at twilight
Because this mushroom lady is rather firmly rooted in place, I was able to get a lovely shot of her as evening falls and night sets in. Here you can see her transform from a pale white-grey mushroom into a ghostly, glowing one.
Filoboletus Manipularis by night
This angelic mushroom looks sweet, but upon closer acquaintance, I found her rather haughty. By day, she is white and gray, but as night falls, she emits a mysterious glow; this places her among the bioluminescent mushrooms.
More Mushroom Folk are waiting to be discovered...
This field guide is an ongoing collection. New Mushroom Folk characters appear whenever I encounter a particularly strange, beautiful or mysterious fungus that sparks my imagination.
Mushroom Folk: A portrait collection
A hand-drawn collection of the curious inhabitants of the forest floor.
Every mushroom has a story.
These hand-drawn portraits offer a closer look at some of the characters discovered within the Mushroom Folk world. Inspired by real fungi and brought to life through traditional drawing and painting, each portrait captures a little of the personality I imagine hiding beneath the cap.
TAKE MY MUSHROOM FOLK HOME
Found in the forest. Now available for your world.
Take your favourite Mushroom Folk beyond the field guide. Explore prints, stickers, clothing and other products featuring the inhabitants of the Studio Sasafras realm.
