# Dragon Heads



## Ankari (Feb 14, 2013)

I need help selecting two of the six dragon heads in the image below.  Which two do you like and why?


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## Nihal (Feb 14, 2013)

Oooh, all of them are wicked cool! I'm not sure which use you're going to make of them, but I would pick a heavier one and another more slimmer/elegant, so they compliment each other. Like the last and the first (and I would switch the color of the first for the stripped blue one).

All of them have particular traits that are really cool, but it's nice to have some clear contrast - think of them as black silhouettes. Before tiny traits as feathers come into play it's the general silhouette that dictates the overall design, being faster to spot and leaving a lasting impression. (I'm a little awkward to explain concept art, sorry)

And the color change, if possible, is to get a muted dragon and a colorful one. Muted colors = camouflage, what is good for a dragon that looks bulky as a rock. Stripped, bright colors = poison, what goes well with a slender shape.


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## Ankari (Feb 14, 2013)

I'm designing a race of dragons for my universe.  When you say first and last, from which side?  First on the right and last on the left?


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## Nihal (Feb 14, 2013)

Top left, of exuberant horns and slender head and bottom right, compact and with a strong jaw.

Numbering the options does help at such times, haha (I've made the mistake of not numbering my own concepts some times in the past).


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## OGone (Feb 14, 2013)

I love them all, why only two? 

1 2
3 4
5 6

If I had to choose, 1 & 2 are my favorite although I don't like the horn so much on #1. They juxtapose well against each-other, give a good impression of good and evil plus their silhouettes are the most easily identifiable as dragon. 3 & 4 look more serpentine, I really do like the feathers on #4 though if they could be incorporated into the other designs. 5 & 6 look like they're made of rock, some basilisk golem type creatures. I love all of them the top two are my favorite. 

You say race, are they humanoid dragons or quadrupeds?

My answer remains the top two, regardless.


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## Ankari (Feb 14, 2013)

OGone said:


> You say race, are they humanoid dragons or quadrupeds?
> 
> My answer remains the top two, regardless.



They're quadrupeds and they fly.  Thanks for your (and you too Nihal) feedback.


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## Nihilium 7th (Feb 15, 2013)

I like the last 2 on the left side. To me they have a "regal" look that I like to see in dragons especially the last one.


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## T.Allen.Smith (Feb 15, 2013)

Top left...top right... bottom left.

I know you asked for 2 but I like all threee of those equally. Natural colors, differing horn patterns, head shapes that look like natural reptilian heads but with a twist. The other three don't looks as plausible to me. I'm not sure why...


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## CupofJoe (Feb 15, 2013)

Top Right - I like the chin and neck ridges... it looks like they could be a sexual display device [flush with colour when in heat etc...]
Middle Left - I love the colour... it looks the most metallic and for some reason I feel dragons should look metallic...

Personally I think they are all a bit too horny and teethy... and I like a long snout... but there again I've really gotten passed Smaug on the cover of "The Hobbit"


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## Nihal (Feb 15, 2013)

P.s.: As most people pointed out, the top right speaks "DRAGON" really loud. That's why I didn't pick this design, choosing the middle ground instead.


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## Jess A (Feb 15, 2013)

I like the green and blue dragons for their slenderness and elegance. The colours also attract me. Each dragon seems to be related to a habitat at first glance. The middle right for instance bought to mind ice (perhaps due to the ruff) but I think the horn is far too big. The bottom right is very rocky, and the green speaks forest.

Brighter colours remind me of male (or female if you swap it) dragons looking to impress potential mates, or a means of camouflage.


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## Steerpike (Feb 15, 2013)

I like the top two. The colors are nice. They are dissimilar enough to be interesting, but similar enough to share a common heritage. Plus the have a certain elegance of form. I tend not to like dragons with all kinds of thick plates and armor sprouting from their heads.


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## SeverinR (Feb 15, 2013)

Blue and green, ie the first two on the left.


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## Sheilawisz (Feb 15, 2013)

All of these look like very strange and exotic dragons from my point of view, quite original designs!!

My two favourites would be the green dragon and the purple and black one, maybe because I like those colours but also because the other designs look like they are made of rock or something...

The red dragon is good as well =)


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## Anders Ã„mting (Feb 15, 2013)

Red one, top right. They all look kinda messed up, but that one still has a degree of dignity. The other ones just look kinda goofy.


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## Zero Angel (Feb 15, 2013)

Ankari said:


> I need help selecting two of the six dragon heads in the image below.  Which two do you like and why?



I like the bottom L trio of dragons. I'd be hard pressed which of the bottom two I like the best, but the middle-left is definitely my favorite of the six. I don't care for the triangular skin/growths on the red in the top-right.

If you're making races of dragons, then why not have all of them? I break dragons into five groups that are called "races" but the dragons are so magickal that even their races are ridiculous with the variations.


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## Caged Maiden (Feb 15, 2013)

The middle on the right looks dopey.  I like the top right and bottom right if you're looking for two very different but equally cool ones.


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## Anders Ã„mting (Feb 16, 2013)

Looking back, the blue one is actually pretty okay. So, yeah. Top right and middle left.

Though I do wonder how the blue one is supposed to bend his neck with those chin-horn-thingies in the way.


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## mbartelsm (Feb 16, 2013)

I say third and fifth (left and bottom left). Dragons are supposed to be scary SOB beasts that seen up close would make you pee your pants, IMO those are the scarier ones.


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## Zero Angel (Feb 16, 2013)

Anders Ã„mting said:


> Looking back, the blue one is actually pretty okay. So, yeah. Top right and middle left.
> 
> Though I do wonder how the blue one is supposed to bend his neck with those chin-horn-thingies in the way.



Looks like he has to move the whole neck with only slight bending. Maybe we're spoiled by dragons that have the flexibility of yoga masters...?


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## Geldor (Feb 17, 2013)

Call of Heroes?


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## Ankari (Feb 17, 2013)

Geldor said:


> Call of Heroes?



Yes.  It's the universe I'm creating for my stories.


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## OGone (Feb 17, 2013)

Can I ask Ankari (kinda related to the thread), I've plodded through your site a little, is it just you who works on "Call of Heroes" or do you have other writers & artists?


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## Zero Angel (Feb 17, 2013)

OGone said:


> Can I ask Ankari (kinda related to the thread), I've plodded through your site a little, is it just you who works on "Call of Heroes" or do you have other writers & artists?



Nice website! I love how straightforward it is, but seemingly comprehensive as well. And having colored art for most things is nice also. 

I liked the "Sorry this is coming soon" for pages you haven't gotten around to yet, but I would appreciate a * or something on those pages in the nav-bar — unless you're doing a beta version right now and won't start marketing the site until they're all complete.


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## Ankari (Feb 17, 2013)

I'm doing the writing.  I have an artist to do the art.  Thanks for the compliment Zero.  I'm hoping to do a revamp soon.  I'm messing around with certain background software.  Yeah, you can consider the site in beta for now.  I also have to write up a new religion and two races.

The site will also include various political/social factions.  I intend for my universe to as a basis for an RPG (pen and paper and hopefully digital much later down the road).


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## Jabrosky (Feb 17, 2013)

I like the red one slightly more than the others, but truthfully their proportions are all too cartoonish for my taste. That would work fine for a kid's animated movie, but I get a much more grown-up vibe from the whole _Call of Heroes_ project.

Then again, it is fantasy, so take my feedback with a grain of salt.


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## Ankari (Feb 17, 2013)

Thanks for the honest feedback, Jabrosky.  These are just concept renditions.  Something thrown together to help narrow down the direction we should take.  So far, the overwhelming response is the top right.  I'm telling my artist to go with that head for one of the dragons.  I'll make sure the final product is consistent with the tone of Call of Heroes (you're assumption of a darker, more adult theme is correct).

My question is, what makes them appear for cartoonish?  Is it the coloring or the actual features?


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## Jabrosky (Feb 17, 2013)

Maybe cartoonish is the wrong word, but their skull proportions seem different from what I expect from dragons. Again, given that dragons are a fantastical species, you can take my advice with a grain of salt if you want. I'm just giving you my personal aesthetic opinion.


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## Zero Angel (Feb 18, 2013)

Ankari said:


> I'm doing the writing.  I have an artist to do the art.  Thanks for the compliment Zero.  I'm hoping to do a revamp soon.  I'm messing around with certain background software.  Yeah, you can consider the site in beta for now.  I also have to write up a new religion and two races.
> 
> The site will also include various political/social factions.  I intend for my universe to as a basis for an RPG (pen and paper and hopefully digital much later down the road).



That's cool! It's a lot like what I want to achieve with WotA, although yours is much more professional already. 



Ankari said:


> Thanks for the honest feedback, Jabrosky.  These are just concept renditions.  Something thrown together to help narrow down the direction we should take.  So far, the overwhelming response is the top right.  I'm telling my artist to go with that head for one of the dragons.  I'll make sure the final product is consistent with the tone of Call of Heroes (you're assumption of a darker, more adult theme is correct).
> 
> My question is, what makes them appear for cartoonish?  Is it the coloring or the actual features?



You know, I think they appear cartoonish as well. I'm not sure what it is, or if it is a combination of several things. But they just don't seem real. It's possible this will be resolved when we see their bodies? Maybe Nihal can chime in with her artistic perspective?


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## mbartelsm (Feb 18, 2013)

Zero Angel said:


> That's cool! It's a lot like what I want to achieve with WotA, although yours is much more professional already.
> 
> 
> 
> You know, I think they appear cartoonish as well. I'm not sure what it is, or if it is a combination of several things. But they just don't seem real. It's possible this will be resolved when we see their bodies? Maybe Nihal can chime in with her artistic perspective?


I think it's because the heads are too small compared to the bodies, it seems like they are dumb but strong


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## Zero Angel (Feb 18, 2013)

mbartelsm said:


> I think it's because the heads are too small compared to the bodies, it seems like they are dumb but strong



I've thought about this some more and think that the coloring is a bit too "clean" in the sense that it is covering up the detail of the creatures. Yet, it seems to mostly fit with the rest of the art for Call of Heroes (CoH?), so it's not necessarily a bad thing.


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## Ankari (Feb 22, 2013)

I've been talking to the artist.  The cartoonish look is gone.  Once I get a presentable image, I'll post it for those who are interested.

FYI, if anyone ever needs a great artist, let me know.  This guy is amazing to work with.


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## Addison (Feb 22, 2013)

They're all great. But I like the last two on the left. They look more like what I see dragons looking like.


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## Ankari (Feb 23, 2013)

Thanks for the feedback, everyone.  I'm linking one of the dragons.  Tell me what you think of the transition from concept to (nearly) completed product?  This was the top right head.


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## T.Allen.Smith (Feb 23, 2013)

Looks pretty awesome. I love the fire breaking through skin and forming the end of the tail. that effect really changes the idea of a fire dragon and make an old image idea fresh (at least to my eyes).

Looks fearsome.


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## Steerpike (Feb 23, 2013)

Looks great, Ankari.


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## Addison (Feb 23, 2013)

That is amazing work. Way to go!


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## Zero Angel (Feb 23, 2013)

Ankari said:


> Thanks for the feedback, everyone.  I'm linking one of the dragons.  Tell me what you think of the transition from concept to (nearly) completed product?  This was the top right head.



Looks great! I really enjoy the subtle background showing the ground faaaaaarr below


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