Sunday, July 27, 2014

Guardian Dragon


 Here is a Zbrush dragon I've been working on!  Sometimes when I work on characters I like to think up little stories about them, and what adventures they might be up to. When I was making this guy, he seemed like an important, regal, but not entirely unfriendly guy. Fierce looking, but intelligent...as a guardian of something important should be. I hope you enjoy cornball fantasy writing! You're gonna want to avert your eyes, and scroll to the end if you don't! (I've also included a turntable render of my model after the story:)
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Lan held the talisman aloft in the dark like a lantern, adjusting her direction when the glow dimmed. The soft green light cast snakelike shadows through the tree limbs,surrounding them both in movement as she walked. She kept her eyes ahead, attempting to ignore the brief glints appearing just off the path. Were they the eyes of night creatures....perhaps claws, or teeth? She concentrated on the intermittent soft clicks of Arfund's own large curved claws on the stone path behind her for reassurance.
The talisman had led them to a dead end.
A sheer cliff stretched up into the fog, obscuring its height. Lan turned to Alfund, who already had his wings unfurled. The world has changed much, perhaps this mountain was not here when the talisman was created, and the path is now above? Alfund disappeared into the fog above, leaving the girl alone. As Alfund broke through the fog into the grey morning sky, both heard it... The low boom, then another, and another, increasing in frequency until it became a constant rumbling hum.  Alfund immediately dove back into the fog,  he hit the ground behind Lan and threw a leathery wing over her. The source of the hum appeared to be coming from the solid stone wall before them, but the lichen, vines and dirt had fallen from the entire cliff face in a mist of grey dust, and the solid wall of rock now rippled, as if it were a lake into which a stone had been cast.
Lan crawled forward beneath Alfund's wing to peer out, mesmerized by the hum, and the sight of  fluid stone.  Alfund curled his talons briefly, then lifted his wing so that Lan could stand. As she walked towards the wall, she turned back..."I know you cannot enter, but I wish more than anything that you could."
"Dragons cannot enter the lair of another dragon uninvited, it is the last privacy afforded us since the blessing of insight connected us all, but I sense no malice from this one..you are safe here...at least until he knows your purpose." Alfund cast his eyes down, his jaws opened briefly then snapped shut.
"I will try my hardest to convince him to extend an invite, Alfund"
Alfund chirped and raised his eyes, Lan laughed. It was nice to have him along, even if he could not come into the mountain with her.

Lan took a deep breath and held it as she passed through the stone, as if she were entering a pool of water. She stood on the inside of the mountain shivering, finding it was quite a cold business to have passed though a mountain.

"That is a strange greeting, is there something offensive to your senses in here?"

Lan was so startled she froze. Here she stood, an ambassador for all mankind, before the guardian of all magic... scared stiff, shivering, and still holding her nose as she often did when jumping in the river to bathe.

"Step forward, and tell me why you are here."

Lan stepped forward, and as her eyes adjusted to the darkness of the chamber, she began to pick out the silhouette of the guardian.  He had a peculiar arrangement of horns she's never seen before that gave the singular appearance of a crown upon his spade-shaped head.His scales glinted red, and his eyes glowed ochre and red like fire, far fiercer than the violet, blue and green she was accustomed to in dragons.

Lan had never been more afraid in her life.....................

 
Welp, hope you were entertained!
*Disclaimer: I haven't posted any dragons here in a very, very loong time, but I think it's been long enough that it's been established the stuff here is my *own personal art* separate from work...so get ready for a deluge of dragons!

Oh, and as an extra bit here are some more color scheme experiments!

Monday, March 3, 2014

Rain!



Hooray! It finally rained! There's a terrible drought going on right now in California, and I was so excited to see some rain, I made this!  I call her Mrs Prickles, hehe. Just practicing and learning TVPaint.

Saturday, February 15, 2014

The Chocomancer

I know you've all got Valentine's Day cards, but have you ever gotten an *after* Valentine's Day card? I put some work into this on Valentine's day, but didn't quite finish it in time, so....um here is a card celebrating...the 15th!
Valentine's Day is for lovers, but the chocomancer waits patiently, for it knows once the sun sets on February14th, it rises on a dark chocolate kingdom....the "seasonal items" aisle at the grocery store. YESSSS, SO MANY CHEAP CHOCOLATES! Stare into the gaping abyss of noughat and see your dooooom! Or noughat, if you actually like noughat. (I do!)
If you happen to like those paste creme filled chocolates though, you are way more evil than the chocomancer, even he leaves them at rest in their paper-lined tombs. What flavor are those things supposed to be???

Tuesday, February 4, 2014

Owl be toasty

It's a silly little owl, um....wearing a hat? I've been talking with friends about studying masterworks to improve technique, and learn through imitation. The marvelous thing about the internet and digital reproductions is the ability to zoom in as far as I please, getting a close up look without being dragged out of a museum for getting nose-prints on an important piece of art. Lately I've been pouring over pre-raphaelite paintings. They always have that "glowey" feeling. I still have a lot to learn about palette choices, composition, and things I probably don't even know I'm lacking, but it is fun to try! Why did I choose to paint an owl in a hat? Iunno....I like owls, and I like hats? Plus everywhere in the country is so frozen over right now I'd feel guilty painting this owl outside without a hat. Stay toasty!

Tuesday, December 24, 2013

Merry Christmas to all!

 
This time of year folks are celebrating in all kinds of ways, and I think the one awesome thing all the holidays 'round the world have in common, is the appearance of special foods one can only find during this time of year. I get giddy at the first appearance of pumpkin spice, it heralds the only time of year no one bats an eye at a teetering pile of frosting and sprinkles for dinner...I love it! Hope this Sprinklecember finds you with a tummy full of whatever rare bounty ya fancy most, with family and friends there to share in the sugary harvest. :)

Tuesday, November 5, 2013

Dem Bones: Ulna and Patella

A little late, but I did this Dia de los Muertos pair while enjoying some after-Halloween discount candy! This is Ulna, and her pup Patella. I hope you find their names humerus. Oh, wow. That was bad. I'll expect a ribbing from anyone within a 10 foot radius of these bad puns. It's super late, best be lumbar-ing off to bed.

Monday, October 7, 2013

Baron VonNooldlehausen

I say old chap, here's a work in progress! His name is Baron VonNoodlehausen for now. Becasue...well I dunno, he looks like a VonNoodlehausen to me? Haha.  Right now he may look very ww2-ish, but with the addition of a few props and accessories, well...I'll save that story for when he's further along!