[UPDATED SKETCH]
I erased Oros' face in order to attempt a more interesting and organic expression, and I'm very happy with the improvement. I have also added some other details such as his bracers and something of a background. In addition, I replaced his bare-flesh underbelly with armored plates, which I think look better overall. Plus now there's less of a "look at my junk" feel to it... Haha, I couldn't stop berating myself for that...

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This is a sketch of Oros the Antaean*, an earth-elemental creature I based off of the Cordylus cataphractus, or Armadillo Girdled Lizard. I think these little guys are awesome, like little shoulder-dragons. Unfortunately it seems as if they aren't very sociable with humans, even as pets, so my dreams of having an affectionate shoulder-dragon may not be realized... Sigh...

Ah well, it's still a lot of fun to draw anthropomorphic versions of them. And yes, I know that his arms are wildly oversized and disproportionate. That was an intentional surrealization. Other parts of the anatomy are not exactly spot-on either, but I am getting better at it!

And that tail, man...


Bad, bad scan because I didn't tear the page out of the sketchbook yet. I'll do that when this is better cleaned up and probably inked. I'd love to try colouring this guy, too. — with Super-long ribcage and Oros.


*Antaean being the name I gave to a certain class of earth-manipulating meta-beings who use the energies of nature to manipulate earth and to increase their own physical strength while in contact with it. I based them off of Antaeus, the Greek mythological giant (or half-giant, depending on the mythos) whose strength and health seemed limitless as long as he was in contact with his mother, Gaia. Antaeus was only defeated when Heracles (Hercules) held him up off the ground and crushed the life from him with his arms.