Final Major Project Update – Creatures – 3/3/20

Apologies for not updating recently first of all. Secondly, here’s what I have produced in the past few weeks for my creatures!

After determining the design of the Thymexodon (apex predator) and the mount creature, I developed anatomy reference pages for both. I used existing creatures as reference to make the anatomy as accurate as I could. I also produced some head views and feet views. I decided it would be beneficial to show the main body, muscle structure, and skeleton separately from each other and then show the skeleton’s placement within the body.

I went on to create a final render of the predator. I used photo-bashing and painting to produce a realistic render. I used the textures of a crab, scorpion, beetle, alligator, rock minerals, and a lion. I decided to work in black and white to determine texture before colour.

After finishing the render, I used overlay layers to add and experiment with colour schemes. I even overlaid images of fish or precious stones to try patterns out on the body. I experimented with a colourful and vibrant scheme as well as a few controlled palettes.

I found that the bright blue/purple colours were too ocean-like and not suited for the environment. I kicked those colours to the curb for the moment, but carried the idea forward of having markings on the back half of the body.

A couple of my tutors and my peer gave me feedback on my work at this point. I was told to make the forms of the predator render more organic by changing certain areas, such as the back piece, the fore legs, the back legs, and the back of the neck. I have yet to act on this feedback.

As for the other two creatures, I have started on the basics of their designs. I did some silhouettes and sketches. 

I decided to keep certain anatomical similarities within the creatures of the local environment so they all looked related. This is why the scavenger design has a head crest with the nostrils like the predator does. It also has four eyes, and I will probably add some long spiky tail feathers to reflect the predator’s rump spikes.

In the next post I will cover what I have produced for the native race in the past few weeks.

Final Major Project Update – 11/2/20

I have started working on the predator design, who has been named Thymexodon (a combination of different specie names). Initially, I began with silhouettes, and immediately felt this was too static a way to start the process. I moved to my sketchbook, and using references I just started loosely sketching ideas. Mostly heads at first, and then I started studying lion anatomy. I wanted the predator to have a hunter form. I also chose to use beetles and bugs as inspiration. The spiky forms are interesting and aggressive looking.

Once I found a general idea I was happy with, I moved back to photoshop to start narrowing down the best design. I created a few sheets of head designs, filtering the best ones into the next sheet until I found one that felt best. I chose this head because it looks aggressive and has a unique shape.

I started working on iterations of the body, changing the surface detail, silhouettes, and proportion. I made the shoulders and neck very bulky to match the ramming attack implications of the head structure. I kept the back half of the body lean and agile. I wanted the feet to not too closely resemble cat’s or dog’s paws, so I made them a bit longer and skinnier, and added details like dew claws and webbing. Here’s what I wrote explaining the general anatomy of the Thymexodon:

“The Thymexodon hunts primarily in the forested and wet areas of its habitat. It has webbed toes to aid in paddling through rivers etc. and a chitinous exterior to protect them and harden their attacks. The serrated head piece is made of bone and chitin and can be rammed into larger prey to stun them, hence the large built shoulders and neck. Thymexodon has a jaw with two pieces similar to the long maxillary canines of a Smilodon, which go up the skull above the eyes. The back has a leaner agility-focused anatomy. Thymexodon runs fast and hits hard. Extra dew claws on the front legs allow it to hook its claws into prey that tries to escape. They are also helpful for gripping onto trees when climbing to higher vantage points. The serration on the fore-legs is also useful in this action.”

I aim to render the Thymexodon next and create a material call out page.