I really like the direction people are going with forest-type creatures in fantasy nowadays. It just makes me wonder where it all started. I guess the first of it I saw was neverending story, with the turtle covered in rocks, moss, grass and trees, but even then I don't think it's the first. Although since then I hadn't seen much of that 'so old a lifeform it's melded into it's environment' until a certain disney pirate movie came out. I guess this is just a long winded way of asking; where do you draw your inspiration from?

This certain beastie was mostly to fulfill my taste for extremely old 'guardian' type things, and also huge mythical monsters that could possibly fuck your town up if they weren't busy standing still. I like the image of large monsters striding along, especially when they have some vague, 'stewardly' purpose.

However, in terms of its looks, I realized later that I'd almost completely ripped off of Phaedra from Shadow of the Colossus (best picture I could find), who could be said to have the same 'guardian' purpose, though that's up to much internet-worthy debate.

Oh god, I remember that bastard. chasing me into the hills the peeking it's ugly face right in there. That thing gave me the creeps so bad for some reason. XD

I thought it was rather pretty, and I can remember me going "OH GOD SO COOL" when I realized it would actually look in to my hiding place. Thought I was safe, but oh no. <3