This here isn't that new art thread I'm thinking of. That will be made based on what people say here.

So I had this idea. Remember the Nucklavee contest? That was some pretty cool shit. But the Nucklavee is far from the only awesome and poorly known mythological entity. Infact it barely scratches the surface.

So I'm proposing a thread similar to the dearly departed COW: We pick a mythological creature that hasn't already been portrayed countless times, preferrably one with only a description and no actual historical pictures or sculptures, and we interpret it.

I was going to include a list of possibilities but why bother? They're virtually infinite.

So what does everyone think? Does anyone have any obscure mythological beasties they're just dying to see portrayed? I propose we list them here in preparation to the ACTUAL thread.

Not a bad idea. But why limit it to just one? It could just be a thread where people draw whatever mythological entity they like.

Well I was thinking 'just one' at a time.... not just one in general. I'm mostly interested in seeing the different interpretations. I would, of course, prefer to have it even more flexible than the COW was, but you know... group projects always evolve beyond the originator's control (unless they suck).

It could work, but the themed drawing threads seem to fizzle out of interest quicker and quicker every time they start up.

I would hope that it doesn't though. This forum could use something good to liven it up.

Well, we'll see, won't we?

I personally hope to see more monsters and monster art here myself. It seems there was alot more when I first joined, and that wasn't even all that long ago.

You mentioned a list of possiblites in your first post. Why not post it up?

I'm not a mythology buff so I doubt I'll be making any suggestions, but if the creature idea sounds cool to me I might draw it. Might be a fun way to finish off the year.

Needs moar research first.

I would personally like to see various renditions of less known monsters from obscure mythologies. It's fun making your troll look unique and stand out of the horde, but all of your clever design solutions are pretty much brought to nothing by the fact that it's a goddarn TROLL, a creature every single person must have drawn once or twice in a lifetime. Meanwhile, there are throngs of wonderful, bizarre critters in non-mainstream mythologies, just waiting for you to draw them. And they do deserve it.

The problem with trying to research and produce a list, is that all the legendary beasties that immediately spring to mind do so because they've ALREADY BEEN DONE A MILLION TIMES.

So for this one I'm counting on the mythology buffs here.

I do believe creatures like the Tickle Demon and the Baykok need more love

BUT I AM RIGHT HERE

Ive read once about a bizarre creature called the Mermecolion, An ant/lion hybrid which inevitably starves because it cannot eat either meat or grains, although its lion half craves the former and its ant half craves the latter.

It might be really interesting to see that in your art style, Kain.

I problems here pal. Since this is thread about less known monsters from obscure mythologies, I thought of this weirdo. I read about it in an old book about monsters I have lying around the house.

Well, there's always the Sisiutl. It's basically a snake with one head on each side and a human fce in the middle. Touching its slimy trail could turn you into foam and its blood could turn your skin to stone (In a good, "Now you Are Invincible" sort of way). It had a myriad of alternate forms, one of which was a self-propelling canoe that ate seals as fuel. It would be really, really awesome for this thread.

djinn's the made of fire so there forum's would range a lot. Yes I know there draw a lot but I think there cool.

Funny you should post that Dreamer, because the first one I was thinking of doing myself is a local Pacific Northwest aboriginal entity known in english as 'The Sea Wolf."

Half Wolf, Half Killer Whale, all monster.

I never heard of a "sea-wolf" before.

Well now you have.

Well I'd say that's a good thing, since the idea of the thread is those 'little known' mythological beasts.

After all, the only ant-lion I've ever heard of up till now is the beetle larvae that digs the miniature Sarlacc pit.

I like this idea, I think I'll work on some ideas today, get back into the real monster myth art.

One myth that I'd like to give more love to is Sandmen (no, not the comics thank you) and different types of dream creatures.
And of course some lesser known or Gods and Goddesses that I can't think of at the moment. (:B )

How about Kujgorož, a creature equal parts awesome and weird? It hatches from an egg, laid by a seven-year-old rooster and hidden in a knothole of an oak tree, growing in a dusky thicket. If a person trying to retrieve the egg asks gods for assistance, the oak tree sinks into the soil, leaving the luckless egg-snatcher empty-handed. But if everything goes smoothly and this person manages to get a hold over the egg, he should hatch it in his armpit for several days. Eventually, an outlandish creature will emerge from the egg - a hybrid between a snake and an owl. Not only can it fulfill his stepparent's every whim, but is also extremely willing to do it. Perhaps a tad too willing: once a task is completed, Kujgorož immediately asks its master for a new one, sometimes interrupting his sleep or meal. Eventually anyone grows extremely weary of Kujgorož's unhealthy enthusiasm, but just ordering it to calm the heck down is a wrong thing to do: unless provided with a task, Kujgorož enters a violent workaholic withdrawal, causing it to run amok and destroy everything in its wake, often killing its former master in process. The right way of dealing with the critter is to give it an impossible task, usually to weave a rope from sand. Being extremely stubborn like all Mokshans are, Kujgorož will keep on trying to do it until the end of the world.

As I've already mentioned, it's hybrid between an owl and a snake. It's usually assumed to be a humanoid, though in an eponymous animated short it appears as a flying serpent with misshappen anatomy.

Oh my god, I fucking want one.

I'd tell him to get me all the weed in the world, ever. Not only would he never finish the task, I'd never have to phone a lazyass dealer again!

OK: Here's the deal my lovelies:

I'm on the IRC right this second. I propose a meeting. We all get together on IRC and talk about which obscure mythological beasties we want illustrated. Also, we should discuss the finer details. Like, is this a free for all or will we have a different one each week?

GET ON IRC NAO. If you're an IRC n00b:

Go to mibbit.com. For the network, select 'esper.' for the room, #bogleech.

Damn, I use to know a guy with a book full of obscure mythological creatures, including vegetable lambs and a small, sucker-mouthed fish that could stop a huge ship dead in its tracks once it latched on.

Despite being quite well known, Scylla is rarely drawn, and for a good reason. This pleasant creature from Greek mythology has six four-eyed heads on long necks, an octopus for legs and six wolves for a waist. Try to outweird that!

An Ant-lion is the larvae of a flying insect, not a beetle.

But Beetles ARE flying insects! :o

Bet yeah, the adult antlion is something more like a dragonfly.

Just about any sea monster that's arguably based on a real animal.

Also, Lords 7 and 8 from Chinese folklore. Lord 8 was a really short guy who drowned in a heavy rain rather than leave when his friend had told him that he'd be back with an umbrella. The friend, Lord 7, a really tall guy, hanged himself rather than live with the guilt of knowing he'd caused his best friend's death. The gods were so impressed by what total bros they were, that he gave them the job of escorting souls of the dead to heaven and/or hell. The short one's skin is, depending on the telling, either jet black or dark red, and the tall one has a long, bloated tongue from hanging himself.

They would make a for a bad ass superhero duo.

They'd make an even better buddy cop movie.

Depending on the telling, Lord 7 would make a nice blaxploitation movie.

Damn, can't believe I forgot what the ant lion turns into. I guess I expected something a little more badass than that flying doily.

In Pokemon, it does.

I am rather surprised no one asked me to expand on the tickle demon
I cannot remember its real name, but it is a beasty who as I have grown older has become more terrifying
as described, it is a smallish beasty that I remember as being red with large, mishapen hands and boney fingers
Basically, this is how the situation with the thing usually plays out
FOr whatever reason, you find yourself walking home alone at night
but, occasionally, you swear you can hear giggling off in the distance, and foot fall on the road behind you
but when you check, nothing
after a point, you hear something coming on you fast, and you whirl around o face it
But what ever it is jumps onto your chest and nocks you down
after a few seconds of being dazed, you fully realize what is squatting on your chest
A dwarfish creature, bright red in colour, not unlike a beet, with small beady eyes and a large, yellow toothed grin
it just stares at you for a moment
then, you notice how long and spindly its arms are, and its long, bony fingers
Then it goes to work
No matter how not ticklish you are, it works its fingers under your arms and around your ribs causing you to go into laughter
At first, this might seem kinda funny, but as with most tickling, it becomes annoying and some what painful
so you try to push it off
Suddenly, it is akin to trying to move a lead weight welded to the floor
and its arms seem to be fastened to your sides like iron locks, not budging in the least
and the tickling continues
You go into more and more fitful laughter, and you realize your breath is running out due to it both tickling you and sitting on your chest
but you cannot catch it, for you keep laughing, and you lose more due to the depression of your chest
it grin seems to grow larger and larger as your pain and panic increase, you now literally convulsing in the most pain ways and suffocating even though you should be able to breathe
And finally, after what seems like forever, you finally go the way of oxygen deprivation, and die, hideously contorted, last moments spent in horrid mania
But lo, all is not hopeless
For it is said, if you find yourself in such a predicament, and can control yourself, tickle it back
For itself seems to be very ticklish and it will run off screaming with laughter

Jared?

If no one objects, I'm gonna start the new thread. I suggest we make a separate thread for every creature we decide to do.

Also, I'd like to make the first one the Kujgoroz, that owl-snake semi-benign basilisk felix mentioned.

Go for it cujo.

For my own suggestion I'll add that I'd enjoy seeing the ghastly hounds the Barghest and the Black Shuck. Creatures of death and ill omen. And I can't remember id its a fictional thing or an actual myth but I have heard of winter variant of the barghest that appears during winter nights and may or may not kill you. It was an interesting and ominous creature that I'd enjoy drawing.

Also To expand on the sandman idea, their appearances vary on where they live and personal preference and who is seeing them. They tend to keep the same general shape but the details can change. So, yes they can no doubt take some pretty freakish appearances.
And there are rogues as well, they give only nightmares and bad sleep, I remember them being described as having very strange movements.

So are we gonna do this? Because I've already drawn my Kujgorož.