#zero to tentacles

Could I maybe get a Zero to Tentacles for my OC Chen Min? Only if you’re up for it.

Sweetie, who is your artist and are they open for commissions?! My God!

My awe aside, first and foremost thank you for sharing your OC for Zero to Tentacles.

Now, for the discussion:

I know that a common issue with otherworldly characters/monsters is that incorporating multiple arms and legs can sometimes come off as busy.

However, here it works because it calls back to the insectoid aspects of the design (the wings, the antennae, and the tip of the tail) while still allowing the more monstrous aspects of the horns, fur, and over body-shape to draw the eye.

I also want to share some appreciation for how the color-scheme is executed here. It would be easy for an application of red, black, and white to come off as 'Ow, The Edge', but this is tastefully done.

Part of it is how the non-white colors are used more as embellishments but another part is the use of those golden ornaments.

Also? Loving the silk: both in how it adds to the otherworldliness and also how it provides something for the extra hands to do. If this were a character concept for a game, the viewer would automatically know the character's mannerisms from the posing alone.

(Lore tldr, there's a dimension made of psychic energy and emotions ruled by four evil gods that each embody specific emotions/thoughts. We never see depictions of the actual gods, but they each have Greater Daemons said to be made in their images, and we see a lot of those)

First is a Bloodthirster, Greater Daemon of Khorne (The Blood God, embodies war, violence, rage, bloodshed). Essentially a rage-fueled murder machine, but also smart enough to be tactically brilliant in a fight.

Next, a Lord of Change, Greater Daemon of Tzeench (God of Change, magic, and scheming). Powerful psychic wielders of magic, able to see potential and actual futures, comparatively physically weaker than the other Greater Daemons, but with the strongest magic. Also their forms are constantly shifting and changing.

Third, a Great Unclean One, Greater Daemon of Nurgle (the Plaguefather, god of disease, stagnation, decay, and life). Lumbering and titanic masses of rot, filth, and disease, they have an incongruously jovial demeanor as they see themselves as bringers of gifts and blessings (the gifts and blessings are disease!)

And finally, a Keeper of Secrets, Greater Daemon of Slaanesh (She who Thirsts, the Dark Prince, god of excess, obsession, decadence, and sensation). Think a combination of a dominatrix succubus/incubus, mixed with a shoulder devil whispering to you to indulge your worst impulses and desires until you end up like something out of Hellraiser

(this ended up being long, sorry 😅)

Eh... All these youngins putting me to work, *grumble grumble*...

In all seriousness, let's take a look:

Bloodthirster - Is this where the phrase 'blood for the blood god' originates from? Anywho, looking at this design really brings to mind the Deathclaws from Fallout. However, on a scale of appreciation... Definitely filling me with 'I can fix him/*Spoiler Alert: She, in fact, could not fix him' energy.

Lord of Change - See, I was about to say that I was vibing with this design (obligate love of a blue color-scheme) but then you mentioned that their forms are constantly changing so it's like... I can't really appreciate your design if it isn't static. In regards to the picture example, though, I like the draconic aspects though I will say the face is giving Skeksis from The Dark Crystal. Just expecting this fellow to start going 'Hmm!'

Great Unclean One - Well, that... Sure is a design. I like the idea of them being jovial despite their good tidings being full of plague, but... Yeah, not for me.

Keeper of Secreta - Ah, yes, I've heard of this Slaanesh figure in conversation... But, back to this design. Admittedly this is very much my wheelhouse: otherworldly entities that still maintain some method of sensuality. Very nice.

They are a side character in my upcoming novel; a prisoner in a lake underneath the castle.

Despite their bleak situation they still have a sardonic personality, gleefully toying with whoever they can reach and even calling the main lead an idiot to her face.

Alright, alright, let's see what you're working with.

First and foremost, very interesting range of creature inspirations here. I feel like the common approach would have been to just stick with more conventional predatory fish (the barracuda, anglerfish, and maybe a shark) but the incorporation of the spider-crab elements does a good job in veering them into the creepy/mysterious factor rather than just outright predatory.

While my brain keeps wanting to go 'spider crab... shouldn't those legs be red', you actually did a good job in keeping the coloring consistent with the rest of their design: those muted greens, blacks, greys, and purple.

I also like how you incorporated their lure in such a way that its positioning reflects the animal inspiration but it also has a resemblance to a crown/circlet.

Welp... I bit a bullet I dudnt have to and made a damn Spidersona. Not really sure of a name asides from something edgy like Arms Weaver because he can make weapons out if hardened web. Yes, I'm stealing from Kidomaru from Naruto.

Hey, now, to be fair: spider and shadow influenced characters have free-reign to be edgy.

It's like... there's a pass that gets delivered to their mailboxes.

Looking at the design proper: I like how the 'human' version has dreads as a design motif for the webs that he uses/creates. And, hey, if you're going to take any inspiration from Naruto, you may as well take it from the few interesting aspects.

First and foremost, your drawing has improved quite noticeably since the last time you ran a character by me. Good work!

Now, as for the character concepts themselves (I know you mentioned that Minerva was made a while back, but I'll still rank her as well):

For the familiar, I like how you executed all of the body parts of a witch or magic-user while having them disembodied to maintain that sense of something blasphemous or unnatural.

In fact, the more I look at it, the more it gives the impression of 'if someone were given the rights to the NiGHTs IP along with full creative freedom to evolve the monster design'.

For Minerva, right off the bat I commend you for going with a darker color-scheme with her in comparison to the two canon sheep designs we've gotten. Also, with the earring you gave her, she brings up that image of mystic traveling animals (and how their owners will typically give them some manner of jewelry rather than a conventional collar).

The only thing that's making my brain go 'Hm...' with her is the light border on her dress and hat because it's almost giving Christmas-magic rather than witchy-magic, but that's such a minor note compared to the good that is everything else.

(Tales of Magic)

(Britianncas Tales Around the World)

(A Tale of the Crimson Flower; and you need to know this one is voiced by Tim Curry and VERY sweet)

I'm surprised that it's the third one that's voiced by Tim Curry and not the second, because that second design has Hexxus energy seeping from his pores.

But, to actually analyze these:

I have to say I like the first and third a lot more than the second. The first is leaning into that conventional cursed-beast archetype that leans into classical European influence.

But then that third one feels like what I would get if someone had asked Tove Jansson to illustrate a BatB adaptation. Something about it combining natural, eerie elements (the mossy coloring, the shaggy hair, and the dark eyes) but still having an overall smooth shape.

That second one... I know I made a Hexxus reference earlier, but this design doesn't scream BatB to me. This feels more like something I would see in a late-80s Halloween TV special

Maulie is an adorable little nugget and I like how the character-designers managed to anthropomorphize her being a manticore while still keeping her monstrous. Your typical production would have given her the horns and tail and called it a day. Also, she's just so sweet; even when she lost her cool near the end it was more frustration-based than legitimate 'I'M GOING TO TEAR YOU LIMB FROM LIMB!!'

Also, the little gallop she did at the beginning was so cute.

Cleaveland on the other hand... I love his sardonic air and personality, but this design is just... there compared to Maulie's. I mean, granted, the way that the pilot and the project is framed, Maulie is our defacto main character so they couldn't have a design on the same level of unique to draw attention away. But, I don't know, visually Cleaveland just screams 'make me a dragon-mascot for a business firm, GO!'

"Human" Form:

By the by, if you feel like it, try giving Dragon Mango a read. It's a pretty good webcomic. Lots of cool dragons and anime awesome-ness.

How long has this been buried in my inbox..?

With the dragon-form, I like the stature. When it comes to Western-style dragons, sometimes people get to focused on just making them Big (TM) that they forget to build out the elements of the design to actually support the scale and weight of such a creature and it ends up feeling lopsided.

Here, the large biceps, the big teeth, the giant vertically-curved horns all definitely lean back to 'oh, this creature is angry and that is bad for everyone involved'.

The humanoid form... I like how his hands still hold resemblance to his draconic state rather than just being long with manicured nails and its and interesting approach to give him facial hair. That's not something I see a lot with applying the notion of a humanoid form onto a dragon.