Creative Corner

Hey there! My #1 favourite OC comes from a world I've been developing for a long time now. Despite that, I really haven't developed much aside from info about each of the intelligent races and a few specific characters. So I figured hey, this world needs populating. What better than to pay people to draw more characters for me? So here we are! This contest will run for a month, until May 1st. Seeing as I'm only expecting a very simple ref (not anything more than a flat coloured fullbody) that should be plenty of time to come up with your idea and put it on to paper. This world has 6 unique races, all trying to coexist on this fantasy, magic-filled world. As someone participating, your role would simply be to pick whichever race speaks to you, and design a character within the guidelines I give below. There will be a first and 2nd place winner! First place will get 800g, second place will get 250kt*. These characters will have a 100% chance of having a cameo in the story I write for my main OC, and may even become very important characters in her story if I like them enough. However, a world needs populating! Even if you don't win, I might still like your design enough to want to include it. If this is the case, you'll get a prize too: art done by me of one of your dragons! Think of it as an art trade at that point. It goes without saying that if you win you give me permission to rights to this design. If I also like your design and it doesn't win the same goes, but you can feel free to turn this down if you aren't interested. I'm only taking designs with permission. [img]https://i.imgur.com/JBTsvuX.png[/img] Without further ado, here are the races! They're all organised by average size for that race (some like dragons and beastchildren have WILDLY different sizes and shapes). Dragons, the biggest and wisest of them all. Norfolk, the rare cousins of dragons who live in solitude in the mountains. Merfolk, another cousin to the dragon but more closely related to Norfolk, who all reside in the oceans and seas. Beastchildren, the oldest race who all share characteristics with real-world mammals. Aeveries, bird-like humanoids who are sorted into specific families who all look like real-world bird species. And the smallest race, Chirichs, who are basically just tiny magical fairy-like harpies. Read below for an in depth explanation on each race! Find which one you like most, and have fun! I should also add, it's TOTALLY ok for you to design a character for yourself based off of these races! In fact, that'd be really awesome to see! *I've said 250kt/[s]250g[/s]800g because it's how much money I have atm. However as the month goes on I hope to gather more money and raise the value of the prizes! So if you check back and see the value's gone up, don't be surprised!

These are the biggest of all races, and easily the most diverse. They take on many different shapes and sizes, and considering the most adept dragons can shape-shift, there's no end to their uniqueness. They can be as small as a Chirich, and the oldest can even be as big as mountains. However, most are modest in size, more similar to a large house. Their hides can be furred, feathered or scaled, their wings like birds or like bats. They can have horns of fantastical shapes, and ears like rabbits. Dragons are perhaps the most in-tune with the world's magic, aside from the Chirichs. They channel this through their magical breath, which takes form in various different ways.

Honestly, there's no wrong way of drawing these guys as long as it is most certainly a dragon. It can be your classic red western dragon, winding chinese long, or wacky spacey dragon you came up with on the spot. This race has the most leeway of all.

This is the rarest race. Many inhabitants of this world can go their entire life without seeing a Norfolk. Some even think they're a myth. However they are very much real, just tend to live in solitude deep within the mountains. They are large creatures, and can get up to 20ft tall. Their hides are very thick, frequently covered in large plated scales. They often look quite similar, with most of the variation being in the size of their crests and colouring/pattern of their hide. The crest on their head follows the same basic formula: a large but flexible horn, with thick membrane that curves around their jaw. On their back is another crest, perhaps a remnant of the wings they once had as dragons. These can be various different sizes and shapes. They have powerful hind legs, strong ripping claws and a short, stout tail that helps them keep balanced.

Of all the races these are the most specific. Their body structure tend not to look much different from the example drawn in the size ref, aside from differences in crests. Most of the creativity for these guys will come in what you do with their colouration!

The most easy-going and carefree race, a party is never a party until merfolk are involved. The morphology of merfolk is largely dependent on where they're from. Reef merfolk are bright and colourful, with exaggerated showy fins. River merfolk tend to look a bit more drab, and are streamlined to fit with the powerful river current. Deepsea merfolk.... well, let's just say it's a good thing they're not seen very often. The structure of their crests is very similar to that of Norfolk, however they have even more variation due to the wide range of habitats they're adapted to.

Beastchildren are the most common of all races, even more so than the Aevery. They have a general humanoid body plan, however there are certain features that each type has which relates to a particular animal. These are as follows. Deer/moose: antlers, dusky dappled skin, short fluffed tail, cloven hooves for feet (think satyr), large dearish ears. Wolf/fox: Canine ears, large fluffed tail, large claws and/or fangs, sometimes whiskers. Bear: very tall, small round ears, tailless, massive hands and claws. Squirrel: small, tufted ears and massive fluffy tail, round cheeks. Bovine (cows, oxen etc): Large ears, horns, cloven hooves, cow tail. Tiger/lion/cheetah etc: you get the gist just. cat ears, cat tail. lions got manes, cheetahs are fast etc. Beastchildren also have specific family lines which are held above all others. They are revered for the magical potency and exotic looks. For example, a foxchild from one of these lines may have several tails and larger ears. A deerchild from one of these lines will have massive antlers and extra sharp senses.

These guys are pretty simple when you break it down. They will usually have: the ears and tail of the mammal they take after, hands and/or feet and a few extra features such as fangs, whiskers and colour. Go wild with these. As long as it's based on a mammal you're good to go.

Small and dainty, this race is highly adaptive. Much like Beastchildren, they have a particular body structure which is echo'd throughout. A humanoid frame, bird wings, bird tail, and a crest of feathers just behind their ears (which is an internal ear like birds have, not external like humans). The crest is highly expressive and it one of the key ways they dictate emotion when not talking. The tail and wings are adapted to flight. They weight even less than you'd think, due to the hollow bones and light frame needed to fly. They all share similarities to real world birds, with the family name being based off of the scientific name for that bird. (Example: Haelda, who is the protagonist of my story, is a golden eagle. As such, her name is Haelda Aquila chrysae)

These ones are the most fun to design imo. Just find a specific species of real life bird, and base it off of them! Hair colour like the body/head of the bird, with the crest/wings/tail all like real plumage of that bird. There will be examples below, seeing as I've drawn these the most.

Lastly, these little ones! They're the cheekiest and most magical, known for tricks and antics. They're much like the fairies and fae of real-world lore, however these take the form of tiny harpies with large moth-like antennae. They're very colourful, with plumage often similar to moths and butterflies. Instead of hair, they have soft layered feathers which, at first glance, give the appearance of hair.

These are pretty self explanatory! Tiny colourful harpies. You'd usually want to base their plumage on moths and butterflies, but as long as it's showy anything goes!

Here are some of my own examples! I only have examples of aevery and a single beastchild, but hopefully it gives you an idea~ [img]https://i.imgur.com/P6IaIQ4.png[/img] In order: Adele penguin, fallow deer, rock dove. [img]https://i.imgur.com/AeKYn1n.png[/img] This is the ref for Haelda! She's missing the tail because the old design didn't have that, plus due to certain family traits she doesn't have the exact plumage of a golden eagle, but hopefully this gives you a good picture on how Aevery are structured!

Those participating will have their names here, along with the link to their finished piece! This allows me to keep track of how many people are participating and who's finished what.

You can submit multiple pieces, but I'll be judging based off of one. Tell me which you'd prefer. If you don't, I'll judge off of the most recent piece you submit.

-Sally Jane x
-Armok x
-snakeman07 x
-Avem x
-FlufferLover x
-Buntecha x
-Bast6415 x
-InfectedWolf x
-Aekaeria x
-Sludgy x
-bamboo1996 x
-Kirkeyressa x

I'd love to design a character, but my skills on humanoids leave something to be desired... Dragons are not a strong point either. For the Beastchild, are the only animals whose attributes they share the ones you have listed, or could they be any animal?

Also, will we be giving a base personality to the character, or merely a visual ref? And does the ref have to be fullbody?

@SallyJane

tbh, you could in theory still do dragon. They really are diverse. Give a cat a long neck and wings, bam you've got a dragon. I should specify, but dragons basically cover any beastyish animal that can pass as a dragon. Long feathered snake with wings? dragon. giant 4 legged reptile? dragon. scaly goat with wings? dragon.

The ones I have listed for Beastchildren are the more common, but you can take inspiration from any real-world mammal. Hog, mice, shrew, monkey. The list goes on.

Giving them a personality isn't necessary, but if you want to it can really help give a character flavour!

Sounds cool, count me in! @DragonDraws [img]https://66.media.tumblr.com/7ae0909559e0399fd1f4f985eeb8f91a/tumblr_ppfdluYLMp1vbt0qeo1_1280.png[/img]

[size=5]Horse beastchild[/size] [img]https://i.postimg.cc/mrWzJbd6/Horse-Beastchild-DD-fullbody.png[/img] [size=2]Okay, I've put in a forward facing fullbody (just pretend his/her hands look normal). Not sure how many details you want, so I'll try to put in some suggestions that I feel would be relevant. Their feet might be hooves, they would have a tail, generally matching their mane/hair. They would often have a long forelock/fringe. Long, flowing manes in general. Their skintone would often be similar to their hair. Striped hair would usually have splotched or speckled skin, and vice versa. Large, sensitive, rotating ears on top of their heads, eyes places further to the side, which would make it harder for them to judge distances, but afford them a broader view. Strong, possibly broad but not ineligent necks. Pupils would be more goat-like. Nose would be mostly flat with large nostrils, large wide, mouths. White markings would probably not be uncommon. Depending on if a marking covers the nose/muzzle the muzzle may be a darker greyish tone. If the marking covers the muzzle the area around the marking may be pink. A strong elegance about them? Possibly shy and reserved. I don't know if you want to name the character yourself or if you want me to come up with a name, just let me know. I'll probably edit this later, hopefully to include a fullbody and another character. Hope it's interesting :)

I definitely want to make a Merfolk, count me in!

@DragonDraws [img]https://i.imgur.com/nVx5Zml.png[/img] Finished the Clown fish Murfolk!