exquisitebeast:

The Hundredth Beast.

Beast number one hundred!  The beast’s plating has separated into a thick shell and the front branches of its legs have separated further into weight-baring limbs.  The horns on the top of its skull have become hinged, a pinscher-like helmet that can move independently from the rest of its head.

Folks, that is the end!  We would like to thank you all so much for your support and enjoyment of this project.  There is a chance that in the future Evan and I will continue the Exquisite Beast past its 100th iteration, but for now we have other projects on our respective plates (including Benign Kingdom and our respective webcomics).  Feel free to follow me on tumblr at aidosaur and Evan at evndahm.  Thank you again and please watch here for news in the near future!

Oh gosh, it’s over!  Thank you guys so much for your support over the past year, this has been a really fun and fulfilling project.

exquisitebeast:

The Ninety-eighth Beast.

The beast has become low and armored, boasting protective scales and spikes from head to tail.  Its feet have fully split at the ankle and it walks with a lumbering, wide gait.

2012 Monthly Art Meme. (2011 • 2010)

I did a lot of art this year!  Unfortunately, most of it is unpublished and/or for unannounced projects.  And while I prefer to put this yearly meme together with exclusively private non-fanart work, a good deal of fanart/published/professional work made its way into the spread.

I would like for 2013 to be a “keep your head down, work work work and don’t stop” year, though that was the intention for last year and I didn’t get half the things done last year I wanted.  Or maybe I keep unrealistic expectations of myself.

Funny how the year both opened and ended with Dhio and Kaia!  Maybe I should do another portrait of them before the month is over.

exquisitebeast:

The Ninety-sixth Beast.

The beast has become taller and faster, built for speed and maneuverability.  The bony protrusions on its head have become thicker and heavier, used to fight for territory and mates.

Ananth keeps on calling this dude a chocobo.  I will use it to unlock Knights of The Round.

exquisitebeast:

The Ninety-fourth Beast.

The beast has become more terrestrial.  It has developed a large body and wide gait for a herbivorous lifestyle.  Its dorsal fin is now used primarily for heating and cooling its body.

Weird herbivorous dimetrodon!  Just for you. <3

exquisitebeast:

The Ninety-second Beast.

The beast has specialized further for its amphibious lifestyle.  While its feet are still webbed, its legs have become long and powerful, allowing it to leap long distances.

While I’m happy with how doofy this beast turned out, there will never be a beast that can hold a candle to how doofy last week’s beast was.

exquisitebeast:

The Ninetieth Beast.

The beast has moved to the shallow murky water, its eyes moving to the top of its head to peer out of the water or from underneath silt.  It can survive outside of the water during drought, but not for extended periods of time.

Every one of my roommates individually laughed at this dude while I was painting him.

Kaia and Dhio.  ink wash, watercolor, pencil, white paint. (process gif here)

After doing the Exquisite Beast for a year, I’ve been meaning to push myself more with real media, maybe emulate something similar to the whimsical lineless stuff maruti-bitamin and tir-ri do, or the mixed media paintings Sam Bosma seems to be able to churn out in his sleep.

Anyway, I seem to be on a Beast Husband kick.  I think it started about a decade or two ago and expect it to putter out around the time I die.

exquisitebeast:

The Eighty-eighth Beast.

The beast has become streamlined and maneuverable, likely able to leap a fair distance out of the water.  Its jaw has become similar to a circular saw, not unlike a helicoprion.

Today’s beast is thanks to helicoprions, goblin sharks, manta rays, flying fish, and coelacanths.

exquisitebeast:

The Eighty-sixth Beast.

The beast has streamlined further.  Its spines have developed into rows of fins that continue to grow over the course of its life.

I made this lion-fish ichthyosaur for you!

exquisitebeast:

The Eighty-fourth Beast.

The beast has streamlined and elongated to adapt to a primarily aquatic environment.  Its body has flattened and a membrane stretches from its front legs to its back to give it a undulating, eel-like movement.

I’ve been looking at a lot of photos of leopard seals today.  On a side-note, it brings me a visceral glee whenever someone is terrified of a new beast.

exquisitebeast:

The Eighty-second Beast.

The beast has adapted to wade in the water and hunt small crustaceans and fish.  Its wings still boast an eye facade and strangely specialized feathers for threat and sexual display, but do not support flight.

Help help I can’t stop drawing dinosaurs help

exquisitebeast:

The Eightieth Beast.

The beast’s feathers have become layered and more structured and specialized.  Its body has become more squat but also built for speed.

It was very difficult to wrestle with my desire to make the beast into a straight-up raptor.  It turned into something kind of akin to a bipedal kaprosuchus (boarcroc).

exquisitebeast:

The Seventy-eighth Beast.

The beast’s elaborate mask has shrunken into something smaller and more practical, being replaced by a voluminous mane as its point of sexual selection.  Its scaling has shrunken and thinned out into a feather-like fur.

Aww yeah, we’ve finally evolved into a proper fu-dog.

exquisitebeast:

The Seventy-sixth Beast.

The beast has become taller and with more streamlined scaling.  It uses its small third set of arms to gain purchase while searching for high foliage and clashing with other members of the species.

Excited to be designing some weird land grazers!