Alphabeastiary is
an advanced art challenge. While we encourage people to do the challenge on their own, we will only post pictures of those we feel are of an excellent quality in terms of skill and/or creativity. If you feel you are qualified, please read the rules to find out how this blog will work and how to apply and e-mail us your applications and submissions! We will put them up as we receive them.
Feb 20, 2011
Feb 17, 2011
Feb 16, 2011
Feb 15, 2011
Contest Update! -Deadline Extended.
So obviously today was the day I was supposed to put up the poll entry for the Beasts! book contest. I'm disappointed to say I didn't feel like we had enough entries to even hold a fair contest. So I'm extending the deadline till the end of the month. In case you missed it here are the rules. If you have any questions you can send an e-mail or ask in the comments. Our prize is the book...
BEASTS!
The book is a wonderful collection of mythological monsters drawn by some of the best indie artists around.
Rules-
1. All you have to do is turn in any letters you have yet to do OR your letter H if you have completed your previous letters OR both. Up to you.
2. To make it fair if you turn in more then one letter you will only be able to enter ONE in the contest. Your choice which. (specify in your e-mail)
3. At the end of Febuary I will make a post linking to all entries and have all Alphabeastiary members vote in the comments.
4. The winner will get the Beasts book and a drawing by me inside if you want one.
Our new contest deadline will be FEBRUARY 28th.
H - Hellhound
The famous Sherlock Holmes story "Hound of the Baskervilles" was basedon the legends of the Hellhounds of Britain.
This picture seriously creeps me out. Can you see the dog yet? Look harder.
This weeks creature is so dastardly its hard to even pin one name to it. Just a few of its many names include :Black Shuck, Gally-trot, Moddey Dhoo, Guytrash, Skriker, Hairy Jack, Padfoot, Choin Dubh, Muckle Black Tyke, Grim, Dip and of course Gwyllgi (dog of darkness or the black hound of destiny). Collectively this type of beast is known as a black dog or Hellhound.
Hellhound is a term that can be applied to a wide variety of sinister, ghostly or hellish supernatural dogs that appear in mythologies from around the world, particularly Europe and the British Isles. These supernatural canines all share a list of common attributes. Hellhound's are coal black and have eyes that glow bright red or on the rare occasion yellow. Some Hellhounds are no more then ghostly appraitions, while others are creatures of flesh and blood that attack travelers or lead them off the path at night to be devoured. In some stories the Hellhound will smell of sulfur and brimstone, travel great distances at amazing speed or even mimic human speech.
Hellhounds are always massive in size (ranging from the size of a horse to the size of a small rhinocerous). The dogs have been said to appear in large balls of fire or even glow with a blue light. Looking into their eyes or even hearing their howl can mean death. Some of the more responsible hounds are said to shepard the souls of the dead to the afterlife like a good dog herding sheep. In breed they can look like a Mastiff, Labrador, boar hound or even wolf like. Sighted in graveyards, near churches, and even on city streets the Hellhound is a phantom, a monster and a mystery.
Believe it or not to this very day there is a phenomenon known as black dog syndrome in which animal shelters have more trouble finding homes for darker colored dogs because of the stigma attached to them by years of superstition and negative portrayal in books and film. The idea of the black dog being evil is very ancient, and still lurks somewhere deep in our collective unconsciousness.
There is so much information on the different kinds of Hellhounds I just couldn't fit it all. I strongly suggest doing your own research on this one I promise it will be interesting. Here are a few helpful links.
Hellhound Wiki
Apparitions of Black Dogs
Phantom Black Dogs
Greatest Unsolved Mysteries- Hellhounds
Feb 13, 2011
Feb 11, 2011
Feb 7, 2011
Artist: Miisa Lopperi - F
Miisa's DeviantArt!Below is a rough translation of the poem that goes with Miisa's entry.
Comes a river burning,
in the rapid a burning islet,
in the islet a burning birch,
in the birch branches of fire,
in a branch a burning eagle (kokko);
quills bring the fire,
plumes pouring the fire,
its mouth burning fire,
jaws kiira's (evil spirit) warming,
nights it grinds teeth,
days it screeches claws.
Feb 4, 2011
Jan 31, 2011
Catch-Up Contest with Prize!
Contest time everybody!Instead of our usual two week deadline this next letter will have a THREE week long work period. In this time those of you who are behind on your letters will have time to catch-up and as an incentive I am offering a prize to the person who does the best overall entry by Valentine's Day! If you are one of the few people who has completed all the other letters you may turn in your letter G to enter the contest.
Everyone turn in a past or current letter in the next three weeks and automatically be entered to win a copy of the book Beasts!
BEASTS!
The book is a wonderful collection of mythological monsters drawn by some of the best indie artists around.
Rules-
1. All you have to do is turn in any letters you have yet to do OR your letter G if you have completed your previous letters OR both. Up to you.
2. To make it fair if you turn in more then one letter you will only be able to enter ONE in the contest. Your choice which. (specify in your e-mail)
3. At the end of the three weeks on Valentines day I will make a post linking to all entries and have all Alphabeastiary members vote in the comments.
4. The winner will get the Beasts book.
ITS THAT SIMPLE!
If you have any questions you can send an e-mail or ask in the comments
Jan 30, 2011
G- Gargoyle
The Gargoyle is a creature actually based on a legend found in France. The monster from the original tale was called the Gargouille or Goji. Gargouille, when translated, means literally "throat" or "gullet" and its root pronunciation represents the sound gargling water makes.
One version of the gargoyles story begins when the Bishop of Rouen, St. Romanus (or Romain to his friends) went out to destroy the monster as it was terrorizing the french countryside. The Gargouille was a very tradition dragon in this interpretation. It was described as having a long spiked neck, reptilian head and bat-like wings. All traits which are typically found in western dragons. After killing the dragon St. Romanus took it back to the city of Roen to burn it and found that the head and neck would not burn. He took them and mounted them on his own church as a warning for other monsters to stay far away or risk the same fate.
In another version of the story the Gargouille was a water monster that rose from the river Seine and had an appearance more like a sea serpents. He was again defeated by St. Romanus and mounted on his newly built church. Either way there is no clear idea of what the Gargouille truly looked like and different ideas of it appear in different translations.
The modern gargoyle as we know it has many shapes and sizes but owes its existence to this story. The gargoyle can have the appearance of a dragon, lion, dog, wolf, eagle, snake, monkey, goat or even a man. Most often the gargoyle is a combination of all these things. Since the middle ages they have been guardians and protectors of the places they inhabit. They are creatures of patience and guard churches and buildings from bad luck and evil spirits to this very day
Gargoyle Wiki
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