Development of the Opinicorvus
Inspiration Collage-
-I had created a quick collage image with many of the references I had gathered that inspired the creation of the Opinicorvus character. This was mainly used for the early stages of generating ideas for the character.
Anatomy References
These are the main references I used for my character’s anatomy design, using that of crows, big cats and scorpions for all three parts of its body.
Main Body References-
(Knight, 1948)
Lion Muscle References-
(Zagrobelna, 2021)
(Hensley, c.2008)
Crow head references-
Emperor Scorpion Tail References-
Conceptualisation Sketches-
Development notes:
The Opinicorvus was initially going to also possess a ribbed back like a scorpion, however this was removed due to it being harder to translate onto the back when the space is already taken up by the wings.
Additionally, I was encouraged to think about experimenting with the character’s front paw anatomy to allow it to grab objects, and to consider changing the lion portion to a different feline like a jaguar, however I have decided to go with my original idea instead due to my focus on anatomy accuracy and visualisation of the creature’s environment and how it would adapt to it.
Reference List
- Birdtaxidermy. (c. 2022). Available at: Taxidermy Crow Wings Open Can Have a Wooden Plaque Hidden – Etsy UK (Accessed 8th October 2023)
- @crow_artist. (2021), [Twitter] 7th July. Available at: https://x.com/crow_artist/status/1412797747380600842?s=20 (Accessed 08/10/23)
- Hensley, M. (c. 2008), Animal Anatomy, The Lion, Study of the Lion. Available at: Michael Hensley, The Art of the Horse | Equine Studies | Anatomy of the Horse | Large Cats | Feline Studies | Anatomy of the Cat (michaelmhensley.com) (Accessed at 16/10/23)
- Knight C., (1947), Animal Drawing: Anatomy and Action for Artists, Courier Corporation
- Scorpions. (c. 2023). Available at: Scorpion Facts | Scorpion Information | DK Find Out (Accessed 08/10/23)
- Scorpion Tail — Photo (2011). Available at: Scorpion tail Stock Photo by ©2happy 7289946 (depositphotos.com) (Accessed 08/10/23)
- Zagrobelna, M. (2021), LION ANATOMY FOR ARTISTS: SKELETON AND MUSCLE DIAGRAMS. Available at: Lion Anatomy for Artists: Skeleton and Muscle Diagrams – Monika Zagrobelna (Accessed at 16/10/23)