Dragonizor: Into the Amaurotic Abyss

"As he removed the needles from his split shoulder, several streams of blood spiraled down his arm. Following the crimson trails, small scales began to form, as the infection spread. Around the wound a series of thin, teeth-like bones pierced out from within, crisscrossing the opening and stitching it shut."

Dragonizor: Into the Amaurotic Abyss (color)
* view the FULL version larger here: Dragonizor (on DeviantArt)

Here is something new for a personal project. This creature design, "The Dragonizor" started as a sketch at a con. I liked how it turned out and wanted to do a more finished piece. I usually ink right over my pencil, but the original pencil sketch had already gone to the art collector. 
This is version #2 that I drew a bit larger, added a full background, inked and colored to give the creature more life.

Below I'm adding a number of WIP photos and details from this art. 

SkullHead: pencil detail

DragonHead: WIP inking photo

WIP Inking photo 2

SnakeHead: Ink detail (close up)

 

Dragonizor: Full Ink version
* view LARGER here: INK version (on DeviantArt)

The cave walls in the background were done as a separate pencil drawing.  They were drawn in a more fully shaded and painterly style than my line work.  The idea was to have these structures really swarming with darkness, alien shapes and mystery. There are various familiar shapes woven into the crawling surfaces as well.  Setting and atmosphere have always been very important to me and I was happy with how this design merged together with the Dragonizor. 

Here's the background drawing by itself and a couple close up details.

Walls of the Abyss: pencil

Walls Detail 1

Walls Detail 2

Finally here's a couple color details from the final.

DragonHead: color

ScalerHead: color

And an OLD little ink drawing dragon scene, that I stumbled across in my art folders.

Dragon Encounter: (old/early work)