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cheapsweets
7 months ago

The Deflagrating Bawigrat

A pen and ink sketch of a creature that looks a lot like a bull, in three-quarters view facing forward and to the left. It has shaggy fur around its ankles, a wide belly, horns that curve up and then back, and a mane lying limply on its thick neck. It has its tail raised, and there are lines that indicate that it may be passing wind. It sits in a landscape of hills. On the leftmost hill is a stone hut with a thatched roof, on fire. There is a wooden fence leading down the hill that becomes obscured by the creature in the foreground. On the second hill from the left is a tree, also on fire. The rightmost hill is empty, but on the second hill from the right is a building and a tower in the far distance, both on fire. In the foreground is a hunched, hooded figure moving away from the creature. She has a stressed look on her face, and her hood is also on fire.

My response to this week’s BestiaryPosting challenge, from @maniculum

Pencil sketch, then lines in Sailor fude nib fountain pen, using Diamine Sepia ink.

Though process beneath the cut...

"In Asia an animal is found which men call Bawigrat. It has the head of a bull, and thereafter its whole body is of the size of a bull’s with the maned neck of a horse. Its horns are convoluted, curling back on themselves in such a way that if anyone comes up against it, he is not harmed. But the protection which its forehead denies this monster is furnished by its bowels. For when it turns to flee, it discharges fumes from the excrement of its belly over a distance of three acres, the heat of which sets fire to anything it touches. In this way, it drives off its pursuers with its harmful excrement."

My initial response to this one was 'oh boy!'... I'm pretty sure I know exactly what this creature is. If my suspicions are correct, there is traditionally a very specific way of depicting it, which might be dramatic but doesn't actually gel particularly well with the description...

Regarding the Bawigrat itself, we have a bull-like creature. I took a lot of inspiration from aurochs (and heck cattle) - the main difference being the horns curving up and back rather than forward and up, and giving it a fuller belly for maximum fermentation. I also tried to reflect the horse-like mane, though it's sitting a little lank across its neck while it's not in motion.

I was wondering for a while how to present the beast, and came to the idea of drawing a landscape, with the fumes slowly crawling across it and igniting anything they touch. Then I had another thought... Apologies Mac, I know you are going to get this reference.... ;)

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Bawigrat maniculum bestiaryposting bestiaryposting my art art challenge apologies to homestar runner Homestar Runner strong bad strong bad emails trogdor
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