Transform > Scale).
4. Define the selection as a brush by choosing Edit menu > Define Brush Preset.
5. Select the Brush tool, then open the Brush Preset Picker (the little drop-down menu in the Brush Options bar just under the menu bar). Scroll to the bottom and click your new preset to start using it.
6. If desired, choose Window menu >Brushes and tweak the brush parameters. To save this customized version, click the little round menu button and choose New Brush Preset.
Painting Hair and Fur
1. Create a monochromatic dark base, using a soft-edged semitransparent brush. Make multiple brushstrokes to achieve the look of built-up transparent color.
2. Choose or create a hair-shaped brush that’s slightly more opaque and lighter colors, rough in the texture. As you go, pay attention to the direction the hairs lie on the animal and think about the direction of the light source. Begin to create shadow and highlight areas.
3. Choose a finer brush that’s nearly opaque. Using progressively lighter colors on successive layers, brush repeatedly to create the look of fur. (Save the lightest color for the final step.) Keep in mind where the shadow and highlight areas are.
4. Choose a very fine opaque brush and your lightest highlight color, then create just a few individual strands of hair to complete the illusion of fur.
6 Add the Finishing Touches
On a new layer in Normal mode, apply finishing touches using small opaque brushes.
ASIAN DRAGON
Draco cathaidae
SPECIFICATIONS
Size: 2' to 50' (61cm to 15m)
Wingspan: None* Recognition: Long, serpentine quadrupedal body, prehensile tail, wing frill, markings and coloration differ by species
Habitat: Temperate to tropical climates, mountains to lowlands, jungles to open plains. Contained to Asia and surrounding islands
Known species: Korean dragon, temple dragon, spirit dragon, imperial dragon, bonsai dragon, jade dragon, Himalayan dragon, Fuji dragon
*Asian dragons are able to glide
Temple Dragon
Pencil and digital
14" × 22" (36cm × 56cm)
BIOLOGY
The Asian dragon family includes a wide variety of long, serpentine, four-legged dragons with prehensile tails. Asian dragons are unique, in that they are in the order of flightless dragons (Terradracia) like drakes (see Drake), but are capable of limited flight. The reason for this is because they do not possess dedicated appendages for flight, like dragons and dragonettes; rather, an Asian dragon uses a unique construction of frills along its body to glide short distances through the air.
Asian dragons come in a wide variety of colors, sizes and shapes, and can live, depending on their species, in a wide range of habitats, from mountains in the Tibetan Himalayas, to the jungles of Vietnam, and the islands of the Philippines and into India.
Because of the Asian dragon’s similarity to the Arctic dragon (see Arctic Dragon), many species are often miscategorized. This mistake is understandable since the Asian and Arctic dragon species share some habitats in Asia and are often depicted interchangeably in classical Asian art. The two families are, however, very different. Asian dragons do not grow fur, nor do they live above the arctic circle. Arctic dragons, in turn, do not have the gliding ability of the Asian species, or a prehensile tail.
Asian dragons are omnivores, eating fruits, bamboo and meat, as it is available. In the winter in the northern areas of their range, the Asian dragon will migrate to warmer climates.
Temple Dragon
Cathaidaus draco-templum, 30' (9m)
Asian Dragon Foot
The long, slender toes of the Asian dragon allow the animal to easily climb.
Asian Dragon Head
Asian dragons have keen eyesight to give them excellent vision in the dark rain forests of Asia. The long whiskers give additional perception.
Temple dragon as seen from above.
BEHAVIOR
Although there are a great number of species, the Asian dragon is a solitary and remote creature keeping to uninhabited areas of deep forest. It lives in the jungles of Asia where there is an ample food supply of small animals and fruits to choose from, allowing the Asian dragon to grow up to 50' (15m) in length. The main rival of this predator is the tiger and other large cats. The Asian dragon is an agile and powerful fighter. Its long, serpentine body is able to constrict around an enemy, similar to the wyrm (see Wyrm). Its four legs are equipped with sharp talons for fighting, it has a jaw full of sharp teeth and a few species even possess the ability to spit a caustic expectorant to frighten enemies. If the Asian dragon was not so reclusive and shy, it would be far more dangerous to humans. As such, there are very few injuries reported due to the Asian dragon.
The Asian Dragon Is an Elegant Creature
The Asian dragon is considered by many to be the most beautiful of all the dragon species. Its representation in Asian art is common.
Asian Dragon Egg, 8" (20cm)
The egg of the Asian dragon is revered as a magical object, and is believed to be the source of the myths involving a golden egg.
Asian Dragon Habitat
The dense and remote forests of Asia and India are the natural habitat of the Asian dragon.
HISTORY
A beautiful and elegant creature, the Asian dragon is revered in many eastern countries and is heralded as sacred animals in the Shinto, Hindu and Buddhist religions. The depictions of the Asian dragon in art, architecture, clothing and craft is extensive throughout all Asian countries, and reference in libraries and museums is easily available.
The smaller variants of the Asian dragon, such as the bonsai and temple species, have long been kept and bred in Asian cultures, making traditional companions to emperors and powerful warlords. Today small dragons are still kept as pets, allowing them to be transported to Europe and America.
The Asian dragon is commonly depiected in Continental art. Notice the wing frills in this particular illustration.
DEMONSTRATION
TEMPLE DRAGON
Imagining new dragons is a challenge since so many illustrations have been done throughout history. Try not to copy drawings you have already seen. Instead, develop your own creature using the dragons in this book as an example. There are many real-life animals that live in habitats similar to the Asian dragon and have similar behaviors, so research them when designing a dragon of your own. Consider using:
• A serpentine body
• Iridescent coloring
• Asian jungle environment
• Wing frills
1 Create a Thumbnail Sketch
Plan out your design with thumbnail sketches to be certain that everything you want to include fits into your format. Sometimes you’ll need to do several thumbnails before settling on a final design.
2 Complete the Drawing
Begin the final drawing simply, starting with the basic shapes of the dragon. Rough in the details to properly place the dragon on the page, using the thumbnail sketches as a guide. Complete the drawing. I prefer to draw all the scales and the texture of the log. I find this saves time later; however you may wish to save these small details until you’re ready to add the finishing touches to the painting.
3 Establish the Underpainting
Create a new layer in Multiply mode and name it “underpainting.” (Work this entire step in the Underpainting layer, for reasons you will see in the next step.) Block in the underpainting using broad, bold strokes to establish the basic silhouette of the dragon and the branch it’s resting on. Use colors of gold and orange for your underpainting. These colors lend themselves to creating the Asian dragon’s iridescent sheen.
4 Create a Mask for the Dragon’s Outline, Then Finish the Underpainting
You should now have the pencil sketch on the background layer, and above that, the underpainting layer in Multiply mode.
At this time, the dragon’s outline is fuzzy around the edges. You can use the Eraser tool
to clean up the edges or you can make a mask.
Referring to “Make a Mask” below, create a layer mask on the Underpainting layer to give the dragon a nice hard-edged outline. (It will be easiest to make the mask now, before any more layers get added).
Continue refining the underpainting, sticking to the same gold/orange monochromatic scheme. (Notice that because of the mask on the underpainting layer, you can paint freely past the edges of the dragon without ruining the smooth silhouette.) Refine the underpainting until you’ve determined the bulk of the light, shadows and details—that way, you have a map of sorts for light and form, and the rest of the painting will go more smoothly.
MAKING A MASK
Sometimes you want your dragon to have a hard-edged silhouette so that you can “float” him on white or merge him with a background later on. To do this, make a dragon-shaped mask that hides fuzzy edges and unwanted background areas. The mask will also allow you to paint freely past the edges of the dragon without depositing any color in the background.
1. Click the Underpainting layer in the Layers window to make sure it’s the active layer.
2. Choose the Magic Wand tool and make sure the Contiguous option is unchecked.
3. Experiment with the Tolerance setting of the Magic Wand until one click of the wand in the white area around the dragon selects the white area plus just a little bit of the dragon’s fuzzy edges. If there is white background space “trapped” inside the dragon shape (such as inside a looped tail), using the Magic Wand without the Contiguous option should select those inside spaces as well as the white areas outside the dragon. If you need to add any trapped white spaces to the selection, do so by holding down the Shift key and clicking the Magic Wand on them.
4. Once you have a satisfactory selection, choose Layer menu > Layer Mask > Hide Selection. The background and the fuzzy edge are now hidden, leaving a smoothly silhouetted dragon.
5 Refine the Color
Create a new layer in Normal mode with an opacity setting of 50%. If you created a mask, look in the Layers window, and you’ll see a black-and-white thumbnail on the Underpainting layer representing the layer mask you created in Step 4. Hold down the Alt key (Mac: Option key), then drag that mask thumbnail and drop it onto the thumbnail for the new layer. Your dragon mask has now been copied from the Underpainting layer to the new layer. (For the remainder of this demo, repeat this process for each new painting layer you create.)
Using broad brushes, block in the rest of the colors you plan to use in the painting . Settle on the overall color scheme of your painting at this stage; it’s easier to make color adjustments now, before more details get added.
6 Add a Background
If you have successfully copied the layer mask onto all subsequent painting layers as directed in Step 5, your masked dragon is now floating in a white field that doesn’t show off his bright coloring. Add a dark background to contrast with the bright yellow. (For my painting, I purposely chose a bamboo pattern with straight lines to contrast with the many curved lines in the dragon.)
To add a background image behind your dragon, create an image to use as a background in a separate document. Copy and paste your background image into the dragon document. It will automatically be placed on a new layer above the other layers. Crop, scale or otherwise manipulate the background image as necessary, then position it where you want it. Now drag this layer downward in the Layers window until it’s at the bottom. The dragon is now resting atop the background.
7 Refine the Foreground
Paint the log, using a variety of hard-edged brushes. With the Eyedropper tool, sample the colors from the background and use these colors to inform your color choices on painting the log.
8 Add the Finishing Touches
Refine the tail and the log using detail brushes and opaque colors. Continue the detail work in the foreground until you’re satisfied with the painting. Patience is key.
BASILISK
Draco lapisoculidae
SPECIFICATIONS
Size: 1' to 12' (31cm to 4m)
Wingspan: None
Recognition: Multi-limbed reptilian body. Broad, bright markings vary by species
Habitat: Deserts and volcanic craters
Genuses: Draco lapisoculidae (stone-eye dragon), Draco vulca-nilacertidae (fire-god lizard)
Known species: Sahara basilisk, Sonora basilisk, Gobi basilisk, salamander basilisk, strzelecki basilisk, thar basilisk
Sonora Basilisk
Pencil and digital
14" × 22" (36cm × 56cm)
BIOLOGY
The basilisk is a member of the Terradracia order, or flightless dragons. A multi-limbed reptilian beast of about 10 feet (3m) that’s famous for its ability to petrify anyone who gazes into its eyes. This magical power has been much dramatized in literature and mythology over the centuries, but actually, it is not the animal’s gaze that petrifies, nor is there any magic involved. The basilisk is able to shoot a jet of neurotoxin from a gland in the corner of its eyes (not unlike the horned toad of North America). This toxin has the ability to paralyze the basilisk’s prey, rendering it defenseless.
The salamander basilisk is contained within the genus Vulcanilacertidus. It’s a small basilisk, usually not exceeding 1 foot (31cm) in length and commonly lives in environments of extreme heat such as volcanoes. With modern technology it has been possible to explore the salamander’s habitat. We now understand that a salamander basilisk can withstand temperatures up to 800° F (427°C). It is believed that these temperatures allow the creature to live in environments where predators are unable to enter, leaving the salamander basilisk in relative safety. It scavenges for food that has died in the harsh environment. When wandering into human habitations, the salamander basilisk will move into the campfires and stoves of people, and scavenge off the remains of the grill. Species include the Fuji salamander, Aetna salamander, Kilauea salamander and the Vesuvious salamander.
The dragon species of basilisk are not to be confused with the South American species of lizards within the family Basilicus. These small reptiles are related to the iguana in the order of Reptilia.
Basilisk Feet
The basilisk has four sets of powerful, broad feet that allow it to quickly burrow in the sandy soil of its habitat. It’s been documented that it can excavate up to 3 cubic feet (85L) of soil a minute, creating elaborate lairs and tunnels under the desert.
Sonora Basilisk
Lapisoculidus incustambulus, 12' (4m) The Sonora basilisk of the southern United States and Mexico is the largest and most common species of basilisk.
Basilisk Eyes
Although it is often depicted as having many eyes like a spider, the basilisk possesses only one set of eyes. It does have as many as eight sets of false eyes. These orifices are used to sense vibrations in the earth and locate its prey. One of these orifices is also used to project its jet of neurotoxin, hence the myth of the basilisk’s paralyzing gaze.
Kilauea Salamander
Vulcanilacertidus incendiambulus, 8" (20cm) This salamander basilisk is found in the volcanoes of Hawaii.
Basilisk Egg, 8" (20cm)
The basilisk egg can withstand harsh environments.
BEHAVIOR
Because of its multiple limbs, the basilisk is a lumbering and slow-moving animal. The legs allow for adept burrowing of its underground lairs, where it is able to lie in wait to ambush its prey with its paralyzing attack. These underground burrows also allow the basilisk to withstand the harsh temperatures of its environment. Despite the legends of its famous gaze, the basilisk has terrible eyesight and is practically blind. Lying in wait for its prey usually during the cool night when animals are more active in the desert, the basilisk senses its prey with its sensitive nasal orifices.
The bite of the basilisk is also dangerous, containing the same neurotoxins from the eye glands. This highly poisonous and dangerous animal is brightly colored in broad stripes, indicating itself to larger predators as poiso
nous. The heavy armor further protects the basilisk from enemies. The basilisk is a solitary creature. The female basilisk can lay up to six eggs at a time with an average life span of twenty years.
A common sight in the American Southwest. This sign warns people of basilisks in the area.
The Basilisk Can Sense Its Prey’s Movement
Lying in wait for its prey, the basilisk can sense movement in the soil up to 328' (100m). Extreme caution must be taken while hiking in the desert.
Basilisk Habitat
Basilisks can be found in caves and outcroppings in desert regions from Southern California and Texas to Central America, as well as deserts around the world.
HISTORY
Being a creature from the remote deserts of Arabia and Africa, classical and medieval European reports of the creature are sporadic and unreliable. Bestiaries of this time relate the basilisk to the cockatrice (see Behavior); this mistake is even made in accounts as recently as the early twentieth century.
The basilisk’s habitat was once a remote and inhospitable land. Now with the intrusion of humans upon the desert landscape, attacks from basilisks have become more common. Along the border between the United States and Mexico in Big Bend National Park, Texas, there are nearly 100 reported fatalities a year from basilisk attack. Park rangers assert that the number is probably much higher since attacks in the back country usually go unreported.
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