A dragon's anatomy (for Malessa)

Liquide

DEX: 4
Well I need some help with how to build a dragon so I'm typing down my thoughts on how a dragon's anatomy actually is built up.

In general a dragon is created from 4 diffrent creatures (this assumes a 6 limbed dragon where the 2 additional limbs are the wings).

I also assume that we use the classical long necked stream-lined dragon in this example.

<ul>
<li> Head of the dragon The head is loosely based on that of an eagle, the front beak is directly taken from that of an eagle wih the exceptions of the nostrils which is positioned in the front of the beak instead of longer up on the face. The dragon's also have a toothy maw which the eagle doesn't have which also means that inside the mouth you need to add some fleshy parts. A dragon doesn't usually have feathers so the texture of the skin is based and built with snake-like scales (just look at a boa constrictor on how this looks), eyes of the dragon is located within very deep eye sockets but is otherwise similar to the eye of a crocodile. In addition a dragon's head is usually built on a massive bone structure where some bones penetrates the skin and scales of the dragons in the shape of horns or just massive bony plates.

OK that is that for the head, just add anything below if I have forgotten something :)

The front of a dragon

<li> The Neck of the dragon The neck is bsed on that of a vulture combined with some snake/serpent anatomy for greater flexibility and power. The base of the head is connected to neck in the same manner that a vultures neck is connected to its head. It then shifts gradually over 1/4th of the necks total length to the anatomy of a snake, where massive muscles can be seen below the skin and scales of the the neck. The scales we'll use on the dragon's neck is built in th exact same manner as those of a big snake such as a boa constrictor, python or anaconda. The neck is never thinner then the base of the dragon's neck and gradually widens to match the torsos width and half its height where it connects to the rest of the body.

<li> Front Torso and cheast of the dragon Now we come to a tricky part of dragon anatomy where you really need to look at an anatomical map of the creatures involved to see how musles flow beneath the skin. The front and upper parts where the neck connects to the torso and cheast is the of an eagle, also connect the wings of the dragon like if you have drawn a eagle in this part but a dragon needs more massive muscles so have that in mind when you add them. While the torso starts to round and go backwards towards the adbomen gradually change the muscles and anatomical style to better match that of a lion (since we will use a lions anatomy a bit later). Connect the front legs just as if you have drawn an eagle then switch to the anatomy of an Allosurus front legs to get a more massive muscular view (an eagles front legs is not meant to rend it is built to hold its prey while an Allosaurus were built to rend and tear with its claws), just remember to makes the legs more massive then on the Allosaurus since the dragon also needs to be able to use the legs in order to walk on all fours :) . For scales, continue with the snake-like scales from the dragons neck down to the cheast and the underbelly of the dragon, while you start to use the more massive and greater crocodile scales on the sides and top of the dragon. A dragon is of greater size then a snake so it sides and back needs greater protection and therefore we use the crocodile scales on the sides and back of the dragon. We use the snake scales on the belly, and remember to lets them go up a little bit on the side of he belly aswell, for greater flexibilty and mobility in the dragon's body.
</ul>

Wings and Hind-quarters of the dragon

<ul>
<li> The wings of a dragon The wings can be a bit tricky to pull of but I'll give you a few tips here. The base of the wings is connected just like if you where drawing an eagle (we do this so we can easier cheat with the anatomy of the dragon and make the drawing look more realistic), then we go over to draw them exactly as id we had drawn a bat's wing. Just remember two things;
<ul>
<li> dragon's have a greater more massive muscle structure so take this in account when adding muscles to the and around the wings.
<li> a dragons wing-span is around 1.5 times up to 3 times the dragon's total body length (including tail) in order to be able to fly and also to give the impression of a massive creature ;)
</ul>
The scales used on the wings should be small and flexible to allow the motion of wings that is needed in order to fly. Bsae them on a small serpents or snakes scales for the best and more flexible effect.

<li> The dragon's hind-quarters Where we connect the hind-quarters to the front and the cheats of the dragon we start to redraw the muscles and bone structure to match that of a lion. The spine and back of the dragons is redrawn over about 3 rib sections of the rib-cage to gradually change from eagle to lion. The under-belly and you just add another set of torso muscles to make teh switch from eagle to dragon less appearant. remember to make the hind-quarters a bit wider then that of a normal lion (this mainly due to the fact that we need to add a larger and more massive tail to the dragon then the tail a lion normally has). The hind legs you can draw exactly as if they are from a lion (but give them a three toed claw in the end ;) instead of the lions paw). For scales just continue the serpent/snake pattern on the underbelly and the crocodile pattern on the back sides.

<li> The dragons tail Just draw the beginning of the tail where it connects to the dragons body as if it was a crocodile tail and gradually change the appearence over 1/5th of the tails total length to better match the appearance of a snakes or a serpents end-quarters. For scales use crocodile scales in the beginning of the upper tail (where it connects to the body) and gradually change them to snake/serpent scales, and on the below/bottom just continue the snake like pattern we have used from the neck over the torso/cheast and over the tail :)
</ul>

Well I think that is all ,havn't spell-checked this yet so please help me out with that aswell. Oh and tell me if all this just sounds rong aswell (I'm trying to learn how to draw dragon's here you know). This is my vision on how to build a dragon :)
 
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A lot of classical dragons have a more aligator-esque nose than the eagle-like beak. But that is a minor stylistic decision.

I think the beak is way cooler looking anyways.
 

HellHound said:
A lot of classical dragons have a more aligator-esque nose than the eagle-like beak. But that is a minor stylistic decision.

I think the beak is way cooler looking anyways.

morning mate :D

Well I went along with the beak look since it more or less has been the view that is used now a days. You can go with the front of the head to look like a croc or allosaur if you want a more reptilian look though.
 
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Your ideas give a good visual aid and the combination of familar creatures should help make this an easier project. Ok, I have about 5 animal books in front of me, lets hope I can pull this off, err at least come up with something better than I did before. (which shouldn't be to hard) lol..;)
 

Malessa said:
Your ideas give a good visual aid and the combination of familar creatures should help make this an easier project. Ok, I have about 5 animal books in front of me, lets hope I can pull this off, err at least come up with something better than I did before. (which shouldn't be to hard) lol..;)

Just remember to show me what you managed to create from that aid ;)
 

Hows this? I think there is much improvement, but still missing something, not sure what?
 

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Malessa said:
Hows this? I think there is much improvement, but still missing something, not sure what?

I like that, Malessa. Nice ethereal quality to that sketch. But you're right, something is missing - although I'm not an expert. The dragon needs to appear more regal, more mystical, more ferocous. For me, a dragon's anatomy is defined by its lines. The broad, heavy rippling muscles along the boady and the horns and bones spikes set around its head and down the back.

Fore me the epitome of what a dragon should look like is best shown visually by the works of Larry Elmore and Tood Lockwood.

Take, for example, Larry's classic Lord Gunter and Fizban.
http://www.larryelmore.com/ArtGallery/AGColor/AGColorFiles/LordGunterandFisban.html

This image speaks volumes about how a classic D&D dragon should be drawn. Notice not only the main horns on the top but bone spikes protruding from the head, back and wings. The wings themselves always make me think of some sort of mystical bat/bird hybrid. Plus, in this image you can see the muscles clearly through the legs and back. The whole image seemed to draw me towards the dragon's head then down its back to the rider then continues on past Fizban to the tail. Only then do I notice the amazing detail of the background that frames the work.

My second example is, of course, Todd Lockwood's amazing Silver Dragon on page 6 of his Illustrations section on his website.
http://www.toddlockwood.com/Illustrations6.htm

The first time I saw that dragon, I felt both awe and fear. This image just proves that something can be both majestic and fearsome at the same time. The wings and head speak volumes about the difference between the classic dragon of Elmore's Lord Gunter and Fizban and Lookwood's vision of dragons for Third Edition. The Lockwood dragon is more primal and seems more reptilian overall to me. This silver isn't going to be anyones mount. The body is streamlined and the muscles are clearly defined and prominent. The flares around the head and down the neck remind more of some sort of strange dinosaur/alien being hybrid. Lockwood's dragons definitely dehumanize the anatomy of the greatest creatures of myth and legend.

Which is my favorite style? I couldn't answer that even if I wanted to. I grew up with the dragons of 1st and 2nd Edition D&D. Especially, Elmore's dragons of Krynn. I will always love them. But I'm drawn to the new 3E dragons like a moth to a flame. They inspire me to write and believe in worlds that exist when you close your eyes or play your favorite game.

It's too bad we can't get their opinions on this subject. Or maybe we can. I'm going to send the following e-mail to both of them. Hopefully, they can take a moment from their busy lives to add their opinions on what they believe a dragon's anatomy should look like.

----------------------------------------------

Hello Todd and Larry,

Ok, we've got this thread going on over at the EN World Messageboard about the anatomy of a dragon and I'm wondering if we could get your opinions on the subject posted there.

It was something one of the inspiring artists, Malessa, there asked about. Another EN World regular, Liquide, started the thread and it is a discussion that I'd like both your opinions on since I used your artwork as my epitome of what dragon anatomy should look like.

The thread can be found here.

Cheers!

Robert "Knightfall1972" Blezard
Edmonton, Alberta
Canada
 

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