Creature Catalog gallery - looking for artists!

[BOZ]

I hear that some of you are eager to get in on this. The Creature Catalog's gallery hasn't had much new art in some time, so I was hoping to fix that little problem. I've polled the members of ENWorld to see what they want (although ideally, though not necessarily realisitcally, we wouldn't mind having art for all of our conversions besides those which have appeared in the Tome of Horros), and I'm satisfied with what they want to see first. In time, I will add further selections to this thread, but I think this will be a good start. I'm including art from various D&D products for reference purposes - but what we want to see is your rendering! So, choose your medium, color or B&W, and show us what you've got.

Note to mods: if it is not cool to link to these images this way, then please replace them with the following link: http://www.geocities.com/kbozman74/gallery.html thanks for understanding.

 

[BOZ]

As a surprising first place, the CC fans want to see their favorite celestial beings get their own art. And I thought these guys loved their fiends so much.

Agathion
These helpful spirits are found in multitudes on the Upper Planes, where they seek to serve good beings. There, they appear in their natural humanoid form, looking somewhat like an elf with luminescent skin and bright, shining eyes. Males and females are equal in size and power.

Lights
Lights are energy creatures, champions of good that inhabit the Upper Planes. They seem to be composed of swirling mists of light that shift shapes constantly. From a distance, lights are sometimes confused for lantern archons. Lights, however, are significantly more powerful celestial stewards. Looking deep into a light, a creature can see its interior; a chaotic rainbow of colors that changes rapidly and randomly. Rumors imply that good-aligned creatures that look at this colorful nimbus will see a memory of their finest moment in life, whereas evil creatures will see the life they could have led if they had made better choices.

Archons:
I don’t have any pictures for the Archons, but there are pictures of them in the Planes of Law boxed set if anyone would care to do the honors...?

Warden Archons
Wardens appear as large humanoids with the head of a grizzly bear. Their hands have the shape of human hands, but end in claws. Their eyes are tiny and bright like those of bears, and show the creature’s intelligence. Though they have the senses and strength of a bear, they do not share its unpredictable temperament, and are herbivores. Though they usually communicate telepathically, they often do speak vocally with bears. Warden archons wear only collars and arm bracers.

Sword Archons
Sword archons appear as ordinary humans, but with large feathery wings instead of arms. They have silvery hair, and eyes that glow with an inner light. They all wear collars, leg greaves, and breastplates.

Throne Archons
Throne archons appear as 10-foot tall, golden skinned humanoids with fair hair, clad in armor. They wear helmets and carry powerful swords, and are protected by breastplates that radiate a soft light. Thrones only consume special nectar derived from combining the praise of lesser archons with celestial fruits found in the Seventh Heaven.

Tome Archons
Tomes look like winged humans with the head of a hawk, just over 8 feet tall in height. They cover their bodies with armor, as a sign that their primary purpose is to defend their layer. It is believed that tome archons subsist on ambrosia, the distilled essence of the joy felt by all petitioners of Mount Celestia.

Guardinals:
Equinal
The equinal is the second most common type of guardinal, next to the cervidal. These powerful beings appear as large humanoids, nearly 8 feet tall, blended with characteristics of a draft horse. The face is very long and narrow, just like a horse. The upper bodies of these creatures are enormously strong for their size, and their fingers are as hard as iron, and can curl up into a hoof-like fist. Its long limbs are much like a horse's, with a reversed knee and true hooves for feet. Equinals have a long wild mane of horsehair from the peak of the hairline down to the center of their backs, and their legs are covered with short bristles.

Ursinal
Ursinals are bear-like humanoids that stand roughly 8 feel tall. Their thick bodies are covered in fur that might be of any color that a bear can be. Ursinals usually wear long robes though, and this fur is only glimpsed where it peeks out of the folds. An ursinal's hands are more like sharp-clawed paws, but are as nimble as any human hand. An ursinal's face is only slightly fuzzy, and has a pronounced muzzle and pointed ursine ears, but wears a compassionate and thoughtful expression.

 

[BOZ]

Not surprisingly, the Creature Catalog’s small Dragon population was also high on the list.

Adamantite Dragons
These dragons are enormous when compared to other dragons, and unbelievably powerful. They are born with fully developed coats of adamantite, which shines with a brilliance that is awesome to behold, but painful to those with evil in their hearts.

Mercury Dragons
Mercury dragons are fast, relatively small (by dragon standards) creatures with long tails. They are very whimsical and make and change decisions quite often.
At birth its scales are dull silver. As the dragon ages they become brighter, and at adulthood they take on a mirror finish.

Yellow Dragons
Yellow dragons love deserts, preferring areas of sandy, windswept desolation. They are most comfortable in daytime temperatures of 105 degrees and up, although they can easily survive subfreezing temperatures at night. A yellow dragon’s scales at birth are tan in color, but slowly, as the dragon ages, change to a desert sand color. Their scales are dull and lackluster, but this is to their advantage for they do not reflect light very well. Their teeth and claws are of similar color.

 

[BOZ]

Our resident obscure Devil Lords, the lesser-known Dukes of Hell, were also very popular on the poll. I do not have any pictures of them (with the exception of Glasya who is in the original Monster Manual II). They originated in Dragon Magazine #75-76.

Alastor
Alastor the Grim, the greatest pit fiend of all, serves Asmodeus as Hell’s executioner. It is said that if the Hell’s were swept away and Asmodeus could choose but one devil as a companion, that it would be neither consort nor lieutenant, but Alastor the Grim.
Alastor appears as a normal pit fiend standing about 16 feet tall. His body is scarred and his wings are broken. Alastor never speaks.

Baalberith
The great pit fiend Baalberith acts as the Major Domo of Asmodeus’ palace in Nessus. He leads a small detail of eight pit fiends that safeguard the Keeper of the Records, Adramalech, at the behest of Asmodeus. Neither Adramalech nor Baalberith are pleased with this arrangement, as there is no love lost between them. Both keep their true feelings hidden, however, for fear of repercussion by the Overlord of Hell.
Baalberith appears as a normal pit fiend.

Baalzephon
The great pit fiend Baalzephon is the Prime Minister of Dis, leading the vassals and armies of Dispater. He is almost always found in Dispater’s palace or at the right-hand of the arch-devil himself.
Baalzephon appears as a normal pit fiend.

Caarcrinolaas
Caarcrinolaas appears as a gray-brown furred humanoid with a dog’s head and yellow eyes. He has scarlet bat-like wings and upright, scarlet horns. His hooves are black and his forked tail is scarlet. In the center of his brow is a third horn. Taller than the other two, it stands straight up, and Caarcrinolaas can use it in combat, though he rarely, if ever, does. He wears +3 chainmail.

Focalor
Focalor appears human—a thin, bearded, and middle-aged sage with power and heavy concerns—until he unfurls his feathered wings from his flowing robes or reveals his brown cloven hooves. He wears an iron gauntlet on his right hand as his badge of office.

Melchon
Meclhon stands 6 feet tall and appears as a red skinned humanoid with upturned, bull-like horns; black, curling brows and beard. His hooves are black and he has large crimson wings.

Zimmimar
The great pit fiend Zimmimar leads 6 companies of osyluths in the service of Mammon. He serves as “protector” of Mammon’s palace on Minauros, and is thus almost always found there, or in the company of Mammon himself. Zimmimar does not like nor trust Bael or Focalor, though he keeps his suspicions to himself.
Zimmimar appears as a normal pit fiend.

Baalphegor
Baalphegor is a very beautiful cinnamon-brown skinned devil standing about 6 feet tall. Her eyes are the color of rubies and her small, leathery wings are black in color. She has no horns, but sports a small, slim forked tail. By folding her wings against her back and hiding her tail, she can pass for an exquisitely beautiful human.

Glasya
Glasya, as consort to Mammon, is one of the most influential and powerful of female devils. The fact that she is also the daughter of Asmodeus, the ruler of the Hells, strengthens her influence among the devils. She appears as an incredibly beautiful female with coppery skin and green eyes. Large bat-like wings protrude from her shoulders, and two small horns sit above her eyes.

 

[BOZ]

Zuggtmoy, the Demon Lord (Lady?) who tends to be ignored by "official" sources, has a home in the Creature Catalog and is definitely recognized there. Pasted below is a picture of this demon, from where she first appeared in the original Temple of Elemental Evil.

Zuggtmoy
Zuggtmoy appears as a puffball mushroom with a toadstool growing from its top. Four elephant-like legs support her body. The feet are suckered and allow her to climb even the slickest surfaces with ease. She stands about 8 feet tall and her mushroom-like neck is capped with a humanoid head with flattened features. Her eyes are large, round, and black. Her body varies in color (she can change color to suit her surroundings). Typical colorations are pale gray-white or brown-white. Four pseuodopods jut from her body. They are moss green to dull brown in color. Despite her plant-like form, she weighs in excess of 2,000 pounds.

 

[BOZ]

The Elemental Princes of Evil from the original Fiend Folio have always been a fan favorite, and they were indeed popular on this poll.

Cryonax
Cryonax is the Prince of Cold creatures and dwells in a huge castle of ice and glass, situated at the juncture of the Elemental Plane of Air and the Plane of Water. He appears as a 35-foot tall yeti with tentacles in place of arms. Each tentacle is covered with many suction cups.

Ogrèmoch
Ogrèmoch looks like an unfinished bipedal humanoid standing about 32 feet tall. His eyes are deep, inset, and dark and his mouth is the same. He has no apparent nose or ears. Ogrèmoch’s arms end in unfinished hands and his legs end in unfinished feet. He makes his lair in a great flat-topped mountain on the Plane of Earth.

Olhydra
Olhydra appears as a 35-foot tall humanoid composed of water. She has no discernable features (eyes, nose, etc.). She dwells in a great undersea castle on the Elemental Plane of Water.

Yan-C-Bin
Yan-C-Bin appears as a 35-foot tall air elemental and makes his home in a large airy palace on the Plane of Air.

Imix – well, I forgot that Imix had appeared in an official product already, and is not on the Creature Catalog. But if you want to do an illustration of Imix anyway... be my guest.

 

[BOZ]

Two new Slaad Lords debuted in Dragon Magazine #221. Here they are for your viewing pleasure.

Chourst
Chourst is the epitome of chaos and unpredictability. He lives his life in a whimsical non-sequiter fashion, ripping someone to pieces one moment, then giving him a bouquet of flowers the next. He finds the primordial soup of Limbo soothing, and spends most of his time there, but he will foray into other planes for a change of scene. He is independent and self-centered in the extreme, and cares not for the affairs of other slaadi. Chourst always appears as a gangly, 20 foot tall slaad with dry chalk-white skin. If he has other forms, they are unknown.

Rennbuu
Rennbuu is a flamboyant, stylish slaad lord who appears as a gaunt, 12 foot tall slaad with skin of glowing, swirling, radiant hues. Rennbuu sports an unusual long mane of stark white hair, and is usually clad in robes of scintillating colors. Rennbuu is the youngest slaad lord, and is cruelly sadistic and malicious in his new powers. He roams the planes, mischievously changing the colors of everything he sees, taking a perverse pleasure in disrupting the lives of others. White drow and plaid dwarves are said to be a sure sign of his passing.

 

[Kitsunekaboom]

Need the illustrations be in color?

 

[Gez]

None of the pics are displayed. I think Geocities is one of these annoying hosts that don't want images to be linked from afar.

A workaround is to give the files a .txt extension (rather than .jpg, .gif, .png or whatever). Browsers usually recognize an image file from its header (the first "characters" in the file) rather than by its extension.

Edit: Another workaround, but for viewers, is to right-click on the "missing image" icon, select properties, copy the URL, paste it in the adress bar; then it displays, and when going back to the thread, the image is accessed from the cache and shown.

 

[BOZ]

Need the illustrations be in color?

whatever you like. we like color stuff the best (so it seems!) but if you like working in B&W better, then go for that.