DRaWpril #3!
I technically sketched the base a few days ago, but I wanted to finetune it. This is the latest in my attempts to figure out realistic and satisfying anatomy for my race of alien dog/lion/bearish centaurs, the felnim. As I am not an expert in anatomy and don’t draw these guys super regularly, this struggle has been going on for over a decade.
I like some aspects of this, but other parts still make me unhappy. I want the upper body to be stockier and not so tall compared to the lower body. These guys are supposed to be significantly taller than humans, but a human would be just a bit taller than their backs, so this is TOO tall and too giantish in proportion.
I do like how the neck and the long back slope, though! And the toes look good to me. The front feet are supposed to serve for walking/running but also as large psudo-hands. Im wondering if it would make more sense for them to support all the weight on the “toes” like the back feet and dogs do?
I reluctantly changed how they “stand” upright, too; while they COULD still stand on tiptoe in that position, it makes more sense for them to shift into using their true heels when in that position, even if it looks kinda silly.
The li’l bird is something most felnim have—they’re half pet, half centuries-long symbiotic relationship. Even though most felnim don’t “need” an i’gna bird to keep mites out of their fur thanks to modern cleaning methods, most still have one anyway. The birds have been bred to be quite smart and are often trained for small tasks and sending messages.
Might try some photomanipulation on my computer to see if I can get the proportions closer to the vague concept in my head. Anyone with animal anatomy experience is welcome to make suggestions! (Btw, the bellyband is the minimum level of clothing for modesty; felnim reproductive organs are centered a little in front of the legs. Females also wear shirts.)
