Name: Colossal Snail [Herb]
Class: Warlord
Artifact: Vegetation: Nutrient-rich shell for rapid growth of gigantic organic weaponry
Back Story: The Horn of War sounded and was heard across the land of Polycount. Rapidly cultivating a flourishing ecosystem of deadly, poisonous flora and fauna on his artifact shell, Herb has answered the call to arms, ready to serve his kingdom in the field of battle.

Post deleted by boomz

A voodoo man commanding a heavily armored snail-beast into battle. The snail-beast lives inside of the giant skull of a baboon/human mix (human shaped/baboon teeth). Atop the skull are skewers with limbs, skulls, organs, anything a voodoo-man might require [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]. As for magic, I'm not sure. My mind initially goes to darkness/void, but summoning (the dead) would be cool too. Maybe he could have a little workshop going on inside the skull that spits out re-assembled bodies of the fallen? More to come with refinements.

Boomz, I think that you've got an interesting silhouette going on, and it definitely has potential. Did you any thumbnails or other sketches? I'm not saying that you shouldn't go with this idea but its good to produce a wide variety of options before zeroing in on one. Now as for your voodoo snail, there's something Gauss said that imo applies perfectly here, which is that the mounts are usually cooler that the rider. Get rid of the rider, do something with the skull as the zombified skull of a giant that commands the snail living inside it. Or something like that. Just stickin a guy on top and calling him a rider i think constricts your creativity. Anyway, just my thoughts. Keep it up.

I've done quite a few thumbs just didn't post them. This was one my more original ideas for this competition so I developed it further and I liked what I see'd (after 20 or so iterations haha). I usually gesture for a while, search for an idea within the originals and then refine. I might do more thumbs though, we'll see.

I have my reasons for using a mount (mainly that I'm more environmental artist, so a fortress mount is a homey subject for me since it entails lots of greebling) but I'll think of ways to drop the rider, as of right now he's but a speck on the canvas anyway. I'm not sure how frightening a snail can be without a powerful invoker using him as a big, slimy fortress though [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

*EDIT: Thoughts on dropping the rider
Short and sweet version: A powerful wizard dies, his decaying skull is inhabited by an innocent passing snail and his spirit invokes itself again within the snail to carry on his evil deeds. [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

Thanks for the great comments, they got me taking this thing in a new direction that is way fun (in my opinion). I kicked the rider off and changed his class and whatnot. His shell (still a skull) holds an entire ecosystem of poisonous flora and fauna. This could be including but is not limited to: poison dart frogs, barb-shooting flowers, poison ivy (its hard to fight a battle when you itch like a motherfucker), etc. I have to determine the details of his back but I'll be researching for a while on that. List some ideas or references if you'd like, I'd appreciate that a lot.

hahahah, yes. more

i dont know if someone else has mentioned it, but there is a type of crab that builds stuff on its shell for camaflage. maybe try finding that for reference

Seaweed Decorator Crab 1 | Sponge Decorator Crab 2 | Decorator Crab 3 | Decorator Crab 4
Awesome reference suggestion! Thanks richkid. Images of that crab really shows how things can grow and be patched onto a living, mobile creature. Ingenuity at its finest.

*EDIT:
He's like a gigantic chia-pet of destruction.

I just decided on him being a magnificent 82 feet tall. A mobile fortress armed with the most deadly of giant, organic weaponry; Barb-shooting flowers, poisonous pollen mortars, nasty spiders, wasp hive, fire ant brigade barracks, quick-snare ivy, fungi fortifications and more to come. I want just enough business to keep the eye moving... not so much as to throw it into chaos.

Cool, earth-toned colors (with splashes of brightness) to decorate most of Herb himself, but all growth will be derived from a real hot, exotic color palette. The Passiflora flowers are being referenced a lot. It will be some real Mesozoic looking shit.

Right now I am researching organic weaponry, reshaping his shell and then mapping it out for optimum growth support and tactical advantage. I'm really thinking about working ecosystems here too, so that adds an extra layer of depth and fun for me. Of course, the food chain depends on a hefty supply of the fallen soldiers of our sworn enemies [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

I'm trying out some organic weaponry, somewhat crude sketches but really trying to get a good coloring down on them. I don't want anything to be too familiar looking to anything on Earth. Definitely WIP

To sit correctly on the shell at possibly odd angles, the bagpipe-like mortars need a lower center of gravity and I'd like them to appear more as a vegetable/fruit. Thusly they might get a pumpkin style base and the reed itself will be placed next-to, (not on top-of) the air sacks. They'll likely be vine-grown. I'm happy with the overall barb-shooter but I'd like a bigger bloom perhaps. Oranges will likely lean more toward red. Blue/Purple will stay the same. The hornets nests are outlined for now, I'm imagining a blobby mass of dried-mud spires with a beige-gray outer color to separate from the lush garden around them but the inside will glow with greenish/yellow with florescent nectar. Thoughts?

Very Cool Idea. I likw those sillouette studies. Go with the skull shell, my 2cents

Interesting design on this, looking forward to seeing it in 3D.

I want to see you push the colors! toxic things tend to be super bright [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img] Either that or it needs to be completely withered and dead > : )

Josh_Singh - I decided for sure on the skull shell. Something about a regular shell doesn't seem as cool on this guy.
Soccerman18 - I'll be starting on 3D sometime today hopefully.
r4ptur3 - I agree. I'll push the reds and yellows even more, its hard to get the contrast going on a white background. Most of the underlying layers of foliage will likely be a dark green while the blooms and deadly stuff is going to be really bright and pop out against the darker background.

Thanks guys for the C/C. I have an idea to pitch so let me know how you like this: