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thomastapir — Echinapes
Published: 2009-05-12 23:04:30 +0000 UTC; Views: 2524; Favourites: 58; Downloads: 27
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Description
Relatives of the Hadropithecoids ([link] ) and Parrot Ape ([link] and [link] ). The echinocephalid phenotype has emerged on multiple Xenopithecoid-seeded worlds, and thus is likely a hard-coded genetic trait. Alternately, it may simply represent convergent adaptation to similar environments--notably, all Echinapes are either amphibious or fully aquatic. Regardless of origins, the Echinapes' distinctive cranial morphology and its manner of behavioral exploitation has earned this loosely allied group the collective informal nickname of "periscope apes."This head design was loosely based on a Peruvian jumping stick ([link] ) I saw at the Woodland Park Zoo the other day. I liked the idea of applying such a bizarre head form to a primate. I wanted to show two basic variants here--traditionally furry, and smooth 'n hairless. For some reason the hairy ones look happier; maybe because they're not cold and wet. (Though certainly the hairless variants look fairly well insulated.)
You know, it seems like all I can draw lately is these really rough little sketches; that's why I've been posting almost exclusively to my Scrapbook (which is probably where these will eventually end up). I don't know whether I should be worried about that or not, but even if I should, I don't think worrying would help, so why bother?
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Comments: 46
Echinapes, as in...echinoderms?
Very nice shapes and forms with these. The top right one reminds me very strongly of an algae-grazing reef fish, like a surgeonfish or butterflyfish. The high eyes and the probing mouthparts are very similar. The top left one is also a very nice assemblage of features; his mouth reminds me of King Louis from "The Jungle Book."
Also, I see that Mr. Bridgman was kind enough to do a study of one of their arms for you.
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Yeeeeah, that name's kind of a stretch...I was going for the implication of spine-headed, spike-headed; initially I was thinking "Echinocephalape," but I shortened it down to "Echinape."
Huh, I totally didn't make the connection with a reef fish...You're absolutely right! That puts an interesting spin on habitat possibilities.
That frog-like look is kind of odd...Maybe he's a Deep One/orangutan hybrid.
Bridgman does know his primate anatomy!
Thanks for the great feedback!
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shouldn't the nostrils be up there on the top of the periscope?
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Damn they are cute!
I'm betting they have troubles with some sneaky sneak predators. The noses should be up but that's all cool. Like you said sketches, which are very good.
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re: "Damn they are cute!"--That's how they sucker you in. The apes like a little fresh meat in their diet--especially free-range and organic!
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I bet they do. I'll have to explain to them that after I am done working in organic cafes I go and eat the most heavily processed things I can find.
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Hey, have you heard that humans corpses are taking a lot longer to decay nowadays because of all the preservatives in our food?? Damn, if anything was going to get me to stop eating Twinkies... (Except it didn't. Hey, it's free embalming!)
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Mmmm twinkies. I miss them, and pop tarts
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Whyfor have Twinkies abandoned you, and whence have they gone..?
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They live in far off lands. The odd straggler of Reeses Cups are sighted occasionally. But the Twinkie is a shy beast.
They would have to compete with the robust and active Lamington. [link]
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More likely they were slaughtered by this shaggy albino monstrosity!
In Ethiopia I hear there are pastries with no heads, and eyes in their bellies.
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I wonder what they taste like? Probably no good as I'd have to pick all those diamonds and gold chips out of my teeth.
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Better than choking on an 80-carat aquamarine!
[link]
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Jeepers you are right. You'd have to be pretty greedy to do that. Cookie Monster kinda greedy.
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Incredibly odd. Bottom right is my favorite, seems the most normal... which I gather isn't what your looking for.
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A little normal goes a long way for me!
Thanks for the feedback!
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Oh goodness these look really odd but... also they kind of work 0.o Well of course they work, you drew them. But just in my head while looking them over I could see them moving around and interacting XD But if I was in their presence I would not be able to cease my giggling.
Periscope up! XD
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"Depth charges...All hands on deck!"
It would certainly make for a different take on the zoo's primate house!
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Never had I connected King Kong and the Jaws theme in my head before XD
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Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the jungle...
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they are great and they look original
their expressions remind me of goats
i like the bottom right one most
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Hah, I was wondering if anybody would see them as goat-like! It was something I kept seeing while I was working on them and couldn't quite rectify no matter what I did...Of course the vertically compressed eye doesn't help.
Thanks for your feedback!
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LOVE
as for the scrapbook, just do what I do and throw a paper layer over the back with multiply. sketch instantly becomes field sketch. its not like you're spamming the uploads with terrible sketches like SOME artists I could name ...
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Great advice I keep forgetting to implement! I went and tried it with two different paper-stock backgrounds right after I read your comment, and neither of them really worked for me, but I may very well try it again later. It's certainly on my radar now for future projects!
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That's flippin' sweeet.
The bottom right image really gets me. I sit there picturing you walking around the zoo and putting this stuff together in your head. Wow. That almost sounded creepy. I like the shading. It doesn't seem like you've forced through a rendering, but captured something really visible in your mind. That's one of the things I love about your sketches. And I'm one of those guys that believes sketching is a perfectly appropriate medium. Visits to your scrapbook are always worth it.
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Thanks, man! It's funny you say that, because in this case I was really struggling to capture a certain mental image that just never quite made it onto the paper. The full-body figure also emerged much more organically, without any preconceptions about what it would look like...It actually started as an amorphous warm-up sketch. Anyway, I'm glad you like them...Thanks for the feedback!
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I absolutely think they kick ass. I'm a big fan.
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Excellent stuff, Tom.
Seems weird enough to be real!
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I love these, top right especially, but for some reason they make me hate the human ear, I feel its shape is just so stupid and boring.... idk why... also, wouldn't it be better for the nostrils to have migrated closer to the top of the head, its may just be the head shape which is messing me up but i feel like it would be awkward being aquatic and have to stick your whole head out of the water to breath, maybe a snorkel like trunk, or better yet individial breathing tubes for each nostil, that would be cool/different from most designs, maybe in predatory aquatic species they could be used as lures? hmmm, either way, these are great |Thomas!
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Hah, I knew somebody would call me out on the placement of the nostrils! It didn't even occur to me until after I'd already done these, but of course that would be far more viable. I still might give it a try, but honestly I think I'd lose the kind of distortion I'm going for if both the eyes and nose were migrated to the top of the head.
Funny that you say that about the human ear, I find it an endlessly fascinating and complex object! Different strokes for different folks.
Thanks for your feedback!
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yeah, i understand, either way, it looks cool, but just in case i would give the whole seperate notril proboscis a try. the evolution of something like that is unheard of on earth as far as I can tell, so you'd keep that distorted look but give it a new twist. They could use the proboscis for display and possible socializing..... maybe making out for animals like these would be the equivalent of nose tube wrestling, it would be like eskimos kisses to the extreme!
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Those are very cool.
Don't sweat sketches, I go thru times like that too. It's cyclic.
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Thanks!
I hope you're right, I really do...Because just one of these things managed to wipe out my entire crew in less than 24 hours, and if the colonists have been exposed there's no telling how many of them have been infected.
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