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Yet another Counterdino...Still feel like I'm stumbling around in the dark with these guys, playing pin-the-horn-on-the-alternasaur. I think I liked the last one better. I'm happier with the tusks on this one, though, and I like the basic design better than that of the Choeropsauromorph ([link] ). It's been fun trying to synthesize the ceratopsian and artiodactyl skull anatomy, at least; they overlap in surprising ways.

Warthog x styracosaur hybrid, obviously (aesthetically/morphologically, that is--the Counterdinos are not true genetic chimerae in the same sense as many of my other creatures). Extrapolating from the conditions originally established for the Counterdino ecology, it's reasonable to assume that the tusks and other such craziness evolved from specialized nut- and fruit-cracking dentition. They now serve primarily as display features and weapons for intraspecific combat, though surely they have a practical secondary defensive function as well.

I don't know, I'm pretty disappointed with this one. I tried punching up the highlights for more dramatic value contrast, hoping to achieve a greater impression of depth, but I suspect I only lost subtlety instead. The Choeropsauromorph had more refined and nuanced shading; I wasn't happy with that at first, but in retrospect I think it led to a more dimensional and believable sense of modelling. Ah well, it's always a learning experience.

Description
Yet another Counterdino...Still feel like I'm stumbling around in the dark with these guys, playing pin-the-horn-on-the-alternasaur. I think I liked the last one better. I'm happier with the tusks on this one, though, and I like the basic design better than that of the Choeropsauromorph ([link] ). It's been fun trying to synthesize the ceratopsian and artiodactyl skull anatomy, at least; they overlap in surprising ways.

Warthog x styracosaur hybrid, obviously (aesthetically/morphologically, that is--the Counterdinos are not true genetic chimerae in the same sense as many of my other creatures). Extrapolating from the conditions originally established for the Counterdino ecology, it's reasonable to assume that the tusks and other such craziness evolved from specialized nut- and fruit-cracking dentition. They now serve primarily as display features and weapons for intraspecific combat, though surely they have a practical secondary defensive function as well.

I don't know, I'm pretty disappointed with this one. I tried punching up the highlights for more dramatic value contrast, hoping to achieve a greater impression of depth, but I suspect I only lost subtlety instead. The Choeropsauromorph had more refined and nuanced shading; I wasn't happy with that at first, but in retrospect I think it led to a more dimensional and believable sense of modelling. Ah well, it's always a learning experience.