Nature Inspired Original Creature Design:
Gilbert the Dinosaur
Inspiration
Where did it come from?
The Hudson river is known for its pollution, filled with PCBs that line the riverbed. Over the last decade, there have been dredging endeavors to remove the contaminants. But, what if while they dredged the river, they awoke a creature? A dinosaur, asleep or in stasis since the late Triassic period.
Drawing from nature
I chose aspects of animals from the Hudson region and grafted them together into something unique, while also adding my personal flair. The design includes features from the Eurypterus (NYS Fossil), phytosaur, Atlantic sturgeon, and more.
A giant beast, buried for millennia, has been awoken
From concept
It started with the head, which I modeled independently of the rest of the project. I decided initially that the head would establish the design for the creature, so it was important to establish characteristics that would be influential to the rest of the process.
To finished design
Once the core model was created, I added texture and features such as the tongue to help bring it to life. I also used the head model to practice techniques such as the final photoshoot. I followed the same steps with the rest of the model that I did with the head, using the lessons learned the first time around.
And brought to life
By utilizing photoshop, I am able to bring Gilbert to life and put him under water. While a clay model is useful in visualizing the creature, to truly make it feel real, it needs to be seen in its natural environment.
