T is for Timingila, The Whale Swallower

The Timingila is said to have been the most formidable predator in the oceans. It was enormous in size and its favorite food was said to have been whales. Some whales reach up to 60 feet in length, like the Whale Shark of the Indian Ocean. The Whale Shark is actually a whale that physically resembles a shark but is not a predator. The Timingila, on the other hand, was a fierce predator and used to eat whales in one giant gulp. gosai.com

S is for Scitalis** / Illustration Friday: FLUID

The Scitalis is a serpent from Medieval bestiaries with such marvelous markings on its back that its appearance would stun the viewer, slowing the person down so that they could be caught. Its bodily heat was so great that it shed its skin even in the winter.

F is for Fiffer-Feffer-Feff*

BIG F
little f
F . . f . . F

Four fluffy feathers
on a
Fiffer-feffer-feff.

*more fanart - from Dr. Suess's ABC Book

I really wanted to complete this drawing, but at the same time I really struggled with it… which is why it's so late in being posted. NOW I can move on to the G beast. :)

F is for Fandango** / Illustration Friday: VANITY

If the fancy Fandangos seem stuck-up and snooty,
It is because of their exquisite beauty.
They're most often seen with smug smiling faces,
By a crustal clear pond in a jungle oasis.
There they linger for hours with nothing to do
But sip the sweet water and admire the view.
And the view they admire, as you might well suppose,
Is their own reflection, right under their nose.

from NO SUCH THINGS, by Bill Peet

*This week I got to combine my extracurricular blog posts, and it was all do to kismet! I originally thought of doing a Dr. Suess creature (I still am, working on it!), so I ran to the library to grab a couple of the books I didn't have - and on display were a couple Bill Peet books I was not familiar with (I am a true Bill Peet fan from childhood - when we went to the books store, I was always asking for a new Bill Peet book), so I snatched them up and brought them home not even really paying attention to what they were about.
One of those books, NO SUCH THINGS, just happens to be a book of made up creatures! It was just perfect. I looked at the cover thinking, I really hope those horse-like creatures start with an F, because they are just so cool -- and they DID. And apparently they're extremely vane creatures, which totally fits in with Illustration Friday's theme this week: Vanity. Such lucky and fun discoveries this weekend. :)
**and also FANART

E is for Enfield

The enfield is a mythological beast most commonly (when seen at all) used in European heraldry especially in England and Ireland. It is most famously used in the heraldry of the London Borough of Enfield.

The enfield it has the head of a fox, the chest of a greyhound, the body of a lion, the hindquarters and tail of a wolf, and forelegs like an eagle's talons. The enfield is a creature of Celtic cultures, which has given meaning to the various parts: the head of the fox represents craftiness or cleverness. The chest of a greyhound suggests swiftness and endurance. The body of a lion means royalty and bravery. The hindquarters of a wolf implies fraternity and loyalty to family. Finally, the forelegs of an eagle's talons conveys strength, nobility and hunting prowess.



The creature had a role in legends as being a guardian of chieftains or leaders who had fallen in battle. The Celts believed strongly in making sure that their honored members and loved ones received what they considered to be proper funeral rites so that their spirits could rest in peace. Enemies would try to carry away bodies, especially of enemy leaders, so that they could tear them apart and use them to demoralize the enemy and serve as a warning. This was distressing to Celtic peoples and they believed the spirit of people debased in this way would haunt the world of the living until they were avenged.

Exerpted from Squidoo

*Gotta admit I struggled with this one… it's taken days and I really had to force it along in the end. Pretty happy overall, but only a scratch on the surface of where I initially wanted to go with it.

D is for Demiguise

The Demiguise is found in the Far East, though only with great difficulty, for this beast is able to make itself invisible when threatened.

The Demiguise is a peaceful herbivorous beast, something like a graceful ape in appearance, with large, black, doleful eyes more often than not hidden by its hair. Demiguise pelts are highly valued as the hair may be spun into Invisibility Cloaks.

quoted from Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, ©J.K. Rowling

B is for Byangoma (Part II)

Long overdue - Byangoma are supposed to have the ability tell a person's future, it's their magic… so when I drew the original group of them standing around, or "at rest") - I intended to include an imagine of one ACTUALLY performing this feat, or "on display". It took an week, but here he is at last.

C is for Capricorn

Sea goats came from the first sea goat, Pricus, who was created by the god Chronos, and they could speak and think and were favored by the gods. The legend goes that eventually all the sea goats made their way to up onto land where they became the four-legged goats that we know today, leaving Pricus as the sole sea goat and the figure in Capricorn mythology.

This, naturally, explains why there are no sea goats today.

* abbreviated, from Gods-and-Monsters website.

Mood Music: Sting, The Soul Cages

B is for Byangoma

Byangoma are birds who can tell fortunes, though they are renowned for their finicky nature, helping only those they deem worthy.  Scholars have debated for centuries whether the Byangoma are intelligent beings, or if they merely have a magical instinct.  The species originated in modern Bangladesh.
Every person experiences this fortune telling differently.  Some claim to hear a voice, others receive visions. The most common experience is to hear the birds song, and suddenly have an intuition about a future event.

These are my "resting" byangoma… I have plans for a "fortune-telling" byangoma as well (in other words, "on display"), but as usual I am up late working on this because I can't seem to work ahead of schedule. LOL

Flashback: Artwork Archive

I visited the Alphabeasts website this morning, and wondered at all the new additions to the A category… including Alicorn, which as far as I know is a version of Alicorno, the Italian word for Unicorn. It reminded me of a drawing I did for a friend of mine YEARS ago (his name is Ali - and he'd asked for a drawing of one of my unicorns - I decided to go for a play on the words ;). I searched my computer for this drawing, and ended up finding another, very stylized drawing from many years ago. Anyway, I thought it would be fun to share them, just to share… whether they make it onto the Alphabeasts site or not.

A is for Alphabeasts

A is for Amphiptere
I don't really know where this project originated, but it's right up my ally. :) Hope I'm not too late for today's deadline!
Check 'em out: Alphabeasts