SKETCH STUDIES
I use sketch studies as warm ups for my illustration and concept art. It helps me get the initial impressions for the general design of creatures, objects, and places that I generate from research and imagination.
I studied various tropical plants to create a plant that functions as an ecosystem within itself. It is a host to other plants and animals the depend on it for survival. In turn the other organism provides this plant with its own benefits as well.
I created the Snapjaw Fly by studying insects with powerful mandibles, dragonflies, bees, and wasps. In the Econtigua Forest, you can find hives and colonies of this creature living around the Umbrella Plant due to a symbiotic relationship that favors both organisms. The Umbrella Plant provides shelter and food and the fly helps the plant reproduce through pollination and defense against predators.
The Econtigua Biome features organisms I created by studying flora and fauna found in tropical forests. Here you can find the Umbrella Tree which provides shelter for all sorts of creatures and plants. The various flowering plants like the Hydra shares nutrients with the tree, and in turn it draws in colonies of pollinating insects. The Snapjaw flies are one of the few species that are drawn to the Umbrella plant to help its host reproduce while receiving shelter and food in return.
This species of squid is created from combing features from the Colossal Squid, Leafy Sea Dragon, Kelp, and various deep sea bioluminescent life forms. The creature itself functions as a biome, providing shelter for organisms that helps rid the squid of parasites and waste. The bacteria creating the bio-luminescent nodules help the squid find prey.
This flower combine features from the Hydnora plant, corpse flower, and plants that live in high acidity environments. The plant is often found living on the trunks and branches of the Umbrella Plant which provides sustenance in return for the flower's ability to attract pollenators like the Snapjaw Plant.