I am redoing an old sketch I did with a friend a while back. It is a Krival, and a creature made for one of my stories. Please disregard the colors, they are just a part of my process...



Also disregard the obvious mistakes. Now, what I need to know is which head size is better. The original size on the right was looking a bit big for flight to me.

My other debate is if I have to shorten the legs. Since the Krivals are hoofed mountain dwellers, I've been comparing them to mountain goats, which compared to horses are pretty stout. Indeed, horses and giraffes have long legs for speed and reaching leaves. This doesn't apply to the Krival, since I would expect it to fly when it needs speed and hunt goats or something (as a flock). But I just can't bring myself to shorten it! That wouldn't look right to me. So it is between function and style.

Yet another debate is whether it looks too thin. The explanation is lighter for flight, but it could probably put on a few pounds.

And finally, do they need thick fur to survive in the mountains?

So, any suggestions?

Apologies, I didn't realize I was logged out.

I'm not too good with mythilogical creatures but. . .

I think the back hooves may look a bit big and heavy and they do look rather skinny. The wings kinda confused me at first but that could be fixed with different coloring.

As for thicker fur or not, it depends on what type of mountain they live on, where they sleep, how many live together or if they're loners, etc. So I can't tell you anything there.

Otherwise, looks great. Good job

Thanks for the input.
I hope to make the wings more clear with shading, but for this stage I try to stick with those four colors to keep everything simple.

As for the type of mountain, I am not exactly sure. Probably a young one, so it will be steep. They Krivals would probably live above the tree line yet hunt below it. Some might occupy caves, but most will find windless places to sleep.

A flock is about sixty Krivals who will stay on the same mountain or small mountain range and if ever pushed out of their home fly together to another or defend their home from other flocks.

The flocks are broken into small, pack-like family groups with 2-7 members. I'm not sure what to call these, they might just be called packs. These groups live closely and hunt together. It is undecided if these 'packs' will ever have conflicts with other 'packs' of the same flock.

Yeah, probably. *dreads drawing all the fur* I'll have to find an efficient way of doing that

lol, at least you can draw. I can't draw anything. I should go practice but constant reseraching, working on my site, monitering this forum, moderating and adminstrating dozens of other forums, I just don't have time

I would expect that you don't have time. I hardly get in the time to draw these days, and my forum is tiny, though it is other things that really take up my time.

Ah, but your forum will grow with more advertising. Advertising takes up a lot of time though.

I will try to use my logic, and my knowledge of physics to do this, so bear with me.

Anonymous wrote:

I am redoing an old sketch I did with a friend a while back. It is a Krival, and a creature made for one of my stories. Please disregard the colors, they are just a part of my process... Also disregard the obvious mistakes. Now, what I need to know is which head size is better. The original size on the right was looking a bit big for flight to me. The biggest problem that i have with the creature is not that its head is too big, but its wings are way too small. To carry a creature like that (assumng its height is about 6') the wings would need a very big surface area, and need to beat a few hundred times a minute, or more. Now, the head itself is not a problem. The problem would be how it holds its head. If it were to extend its head foreward, like most creatures, mithological or not, do, the head size would not be a problem, it would be the shape. With the head of a lion, and that spike on its head, the fromt of its snout would have to be more slanted, in order for it to be able to breath while flying. My other debate is if I have to shorten the legs. Since the Krivals are hoofed mountain dwellers, I've been comparing them to mountain goats, which compared to horses are pretty stout. Indeed, horses and giraffes have long legs for speed and reaching leaves. This doesn't apply to the Krival, since I would expect it to fly when it needs speed and hunt goats or something (as a flock). But I just can't bring myself to shorten it! That wouldn't look right to me. So it is between function and style. How I would solve this problem it to give it padded feet, like a wolf. The feet would give it more stability, and the pads would prevent problems with its hooves getting cracked on rocks. The long legs should stay, because it might not always be able to fly, and the long slinder legs would let it run at incredible speeds Yet another debate is whether it looks too thin. The explanation is lighter for flight, but it could probably put on a few pounds. the wheight does not need to apply.it could be very muscular, and muscle wheigh more that fat, so it could still wheigh alot, and be thin And finally, do they need thick fur to survive in the mountains? no, it only needs a layer of fat, for insulation So, any suggestions?

that is what I think, I am in no place to suggest how to change your creature.

Whoa, thanks for the detailed suggestions!

The wings are supposed to be compact when folded, but yes, I see what you mean. I think I'm going to look into the size of bats in relation to wing span, since that is the base for Krival wings.

I hadn't considered how well it would be able to breathe in flight...I'll have to look specifically at the nose shape, see if that can be changed to let it breathe deeply enough with all the wind. To change the slant of the muzzle, even at this point, would be murderous. My program can only rotate images ninety degrees, nothing more or less, or I would change the slant.

Originally, the Krival did have wolf paws. But when I looked into mountain-dwelling mammals, only rodents have padded feet. Everything else has hooves, though I am not certain why. I decided I'd trust nature and go with those.

With the balance between insulation fat and light weight, I'm not certain how to deal with it. Birds don't need too much warmth for their legs, but I think that is because those in cold regions can fold them up against their body in flight. I can't see the Krival as being that flexible. That is another reason I consider shorter legs, less circulation problems. Perhaps feathers would solve that...they sure work for birds. But I don't think I could ever draw feathers well enough for this...

Oh, I was forgetting cats. But I can't think of a canine which lives as high in the mountains as this would.

The Krival wouldn't be going in the forest mainly because if wouldn't have enough room for flight and occasionally running.

Hollow bones have been a must from the beginning. Besides making sense physically, it also gives Krivals a weakness- necessary for my stories.

I really don't want to draw feathers. I wish they didn't make so much sense!

Okay instead of fur and feathers, what about having them be able to wrap their wings around themselves for warmth? If you make the wings be thick and leathery like a reptile skin then they could stay thin and not lose much heat, you could even give them the ability to pump extra blood into the underside of their wings to release extra heat onto the body. Or you could have them going into a torpid state when they sleep, slowing their metabolism and breathing and becoming almost dead.

Wing insulation could work...They wouldn't even need anything special in the wings as long as they can keep cold air away from their body efficiently. The head should be okay with all the fur and the legs and tail could curl up under it. Yes, that would work very well for when it is sleeping. Thanks!