Creature Design Task: Using Silhouettes

This task involved having me design a monster/creature using the methods explained in FZDSCHOOL's tutorial here and here. Our monsters however, had to be based of crustaceans, like crabs, lobsters etc. So for this task I did some visual research and catalogued a few pictures that gave me inspiration.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-31988721 (05/10/15)

http://www.iflscience.com/plants-and-animals/top-ten-newly-discovered-species (05/10/15)

http://paleostories.blogspot.co.uk/2012/05/gobe-great-ordovician.html (05/10/15)

https://icebergstraightahead.wordpress.com/2009/08/18/another-day-another-trawl/img_0771/ (05/10/15)

Based on these crustaceans, I drew up the following 3 silhouettes:

After this, I went in and filled out these shapes with shading and detail:

Finally I had to add some colour:

Here is the final result. I found this technique to be very interesting and useful for forming strange creature shapes that each look unique, it also helps with practicing digital painting and getting shading right. I did find it difficult to include colour however. I find the first design to be rather boring in terms of colour but I do find the bio-mechanical theme interesting. The 2nd design is my personal favourite, the colours work well and the shape is very unique, not to mention the shading work on this seems the best. The last design is my least favourite, the shape feels uninspired and the colours don't seem to work well together. I may try this technique again in the future if I attempt to draw creatures again.