Building a Sea Dragon

I was comissioned to animate a sea dragon (based on the sea horse relative) and this being one of my first swimming animations, I was fairly excited to get to it. Anybody familiar with my work would know I love monsters and dragons especially, so this was something else that got me eager to start.

Initial pass on 6s to get that motion roughed out.

Most of this was completed while at a panel of drunken experts explaining their field at a convention. Including one animator!

Now on 3s (where it will stay).

Tightening up the motion and nailing down the details a bit more.

Inbetweens in. Cleaned up enough I could follow what was happening and move on to inks.

Body first. Face was a winner from the start,

but the back end needed some tightening. 

Wing added, more frills.

Body motion smoothed out to be less choppy.

Considered whether to keep it at this level of complexity, or go further.

Went further :D

MORE details! More frills. 

Finished image.

More detail. Shadow applied to better follow motion of limbs. Some hatching even!

And a snappy second pair of wings.

Pretty please how this came out.

The mix of seal and snake motion was a challenge to nail but so satisfying to watch.