Ancient Men

I've been fleshing out the history of my world, including armor from different periods.

This is the armor of the ancient men as they arrived to the world from their ships of many sails. I began with the armor on the left, but decided to stick to the armor on the right.

The finished version.

These are from when I first began looking at the armor after the ancient men landed, during the Troll War. I tried chainmail, but I thought it looked too... plain I guess. Additionally, I think chainmail might be a later invention. So I tried a more fantastic idea, articulated arms. They look alright, but I'm glad I experimented more...

...Because I tried scalemail next. I got rid of the under layer on the leg protection so you could see the scale hauberk better. I'll try a larger version later.

Cheers.

Creating Fafnir

I think of Fafnir as a great wingless wyrm. In some adaptation of the tale Sigurd and Regin find Fafnir's trail because he drags himself along the ground and creates a furrow in the earth. In Penn State's translated Volsunga Saga Sigurd claims that Fafnir is not just some ordinary wyrm but perhaps the greatest of dragons. 

So with this in mind, and the sketches of the Komodo Dragon and crocodiles, I began sketching. This was the first conception of Fafnir. 

I like it, but something about him isn't very draconic. I decided to test out this look some more.

The first one looks way too much like a dinosaur to me. The second one is something I could begin to sketch out a little more. He also follows along the same sort of tract as I've seen with other conceptions of Fafnir. Neither of these looks like "iconic dragon" to me, though. I decided it was the neck that needed work, so I produced this guy next.

I lifted the head and curved his neck back on itself. (The spikes were later when I began experimenting with those.) I think he looks much more dragon like. I decided I would look at exactly what spoke to me as an iconic dragon so I began doodling.

I paid close attention to the nose. Curving it back, pointing it, and working at the curve. I also focused on the neck. I don't think I want a Fafnir with horns, I only drew these to help discover what an iconic dragon was to me. However, all things are subject to change here.

It was soon after drawing these I decided I would explore a more snake like figure and fiddle again with the nose. This line of thinking produced these.

Currently I'm looking at combining aspects of image 3 and these guys somehow. I may have a long way to go. Feedback is welcome.

Cheers.

San Diego Zoo

I had the chance to sketch some animals at the San Diego Zoo. Since I am on a mission to create a Fafnir dragon I was interested in drawing crocodiles and the Komodo Dragon (if you're gonna draw a fantasy dragon, why not start with the real one?). However, there were some others that I took the opportunity to draw. 

Here there is a hippo at the top left and an otter at the bottom right. I don't remember what kind of bird that is, but it was fun to draw. The building in the bottom left was something I saw above the tree line while in the zoo. 

The Komodo Dragon. Part of the reason I have so many was that he wouldn't come out from hiding, so I would sketch what I could see and start a new one when I got a better view. I was really hoping he would be the easiest one to draw since lizards don't tend to move around a lot, but this guy was really active.

You may be able to tell but I had already started experimenting with creature designs on this page, thus the combo monitor head with crocodile snout.

A Chinese Crocodile. He was really good, he stood very still.

Cheers.

Summer Trip Sketchbook

I had lots of chances to draw while on the trip. Here are a few things.

An Elven Soldier. Just felt like doodling a few ideas I had. This is what came out. 

A marmot. These are cute little squirrel-cousins which we saw a lot of in the rocky mountains.

I got to listen to the Percy Jackson novels while driving. These little guys are from the second series where Percy looses his memory. This line made us all crack up laughing and for the rest of the trip a conversation could not be had without this line being quoted at least once.
For those who haven't read the books, this is what the little wheat daemon is willing to give if our heroes would only let themselves be killed.

I read 'Prometheus Bound' while on the trip. This was a lot more promising in the early stages of development. I think I may tinker with it more. We'll see how that goes.

Cheers.

Sketches 3

Cheers.

Sketches 2

More of those promised sketches. I couldn't upload them before the trip, unfortunately.

Cheers.