C.O.W. - #038: Portal Opener

**Fozzybar** · February 12th, 2006, 08:42 AM

Round #038

Topic:
Portal Opener

Deadline:
Sunday, 19th February 2006

- for any questions or help go here:
http://www.conceptart.org/forums/showthread.php?t=37512

note: The deadline won't be EXACTLY after a week...it can last up to 24 hours more, i am human and have to work also, you know

Post your creature for this week!

**Fozzybar** · February 12th, 2006, 08:43 AM

thanx to Snarfevs for the suggestion!

It's a rather open topic, so go wild...

Oh and:

- no human/humanoid design

- no character

- state your WIPS and finals if it's not obvious

**Tyranx** · February 12th, 2006, 08:48 AM

Gotta flex my creative muscle for dis one!

**Sady** · February 12th, 2006, 08:58 AM

Yog-Sothoth ia! Ia!

*hides*

**Hookswords** · February 12th, 2006, 12:54 PM

Originally Posted by Fozzybar

- no character

What do you mean by that?

**nathonicus** · February 12th, 2006, 02:29 PM

Originally Posted by Sady

Yog-Sothoth ia! Ia!

"We have no business calling in such things from outside, and only very wicked peaple and very wicked cults ever try to." -- Dr. H. Armitage

**Fozzybar** · February 12th, 2006, 04:06 PM

Originally Posted by Hookswords

What do you mean by that?

i mean, that the creature should be some sort of species which generally opens portals for whatever purpose...but not something like a guard dog with the name Tony which opens portals in the name of Zeus...you know?

**silentkitty** · February 12th, 2006, 07:15 PM

Originally Posted by Fozzybar

i mean, that the creature should be some sort of species which generally opens portals for whatever purpose...but not something like a guard dog with the name Tony which opens portals in the name of Zeus...you know?

...awww. *starts over*

; P

**chaosrocks** · February 12th, 2006, 08:39 PM

thanks for the explanation...I don't play many games and all my gamer cronies were less than helpfull, so I can go with the fantasy literature explaination originally thought of, there's there's not a long tradition of "portal guardians" that I should understand ?
thanks
C.rocks

**meeatu** · February 12th, 2006, 09:13 PM

(right eyes twitching) gah ... gotta think

**Nexus** · February 12th, 2006, 10:45 PM

Ok, everyone thus far seems to be stumped or at least lacking ideas for the moment. Let's get the synapses firing. Ok so it's a creature, obviously. Also it has some sort of inherent power to create portals. The title is "Portal Opener" but if you take that literally that's just the same as door opener or gate opener, neither of which is very interesting. No, no it has to be something that creates portals. Alright so creature that creates portals. Ok, but how? And for what purpose? Does it create them through magic, advanced technology, or some natural energy it possesses? Why does it create them? Perhaps it hunts this way, warping from portal to portal, making it the quickest predator ever. Maybe it's the servant of some vastly powerful being who uses it to transport troops from battlefield to battlefield. The possibilities are limitless for this thing guys. Just nail down why it creates portals and how it creates portals. Think of how animals in real life function. They have certain attributes that allow them some pretty amazing abilities. What organs, protrusions, or other device would create a portal? Come up with a little story and the thing will almost create itself. Hoped this stirred up some ideas for someone. Good luck all and I can't wait to see your submissions.

**theshunzun** · February 12th, 2006, 11:14 PM

that was some inspiring creativitiy, Nexus. Thanks!

**Pawige** · February 12th, 2006, 11:18 PM

Does it disturb you as much as it does me that the goatse guy immediately springs to mind?

**theshunzun** · February 12th, 2006, 11:25 PM

the what???

**artiphats** · February 12th, 2006, 11:26 PM

ok here is my idea: the creature has a very large "mouth", which is actually the portal that it's masters use to go through. The creature is very old, and has been the slave of the evil ones who trapped and enslaved it countless ages ago. The mouth is huge, surrounded by teeth, and its limbs chained. Mouth is also kept open, chains pull the jaws in different directions. Also, the portal is activated when the evil ones introduce the fumes of an ancient herbal combination to the creatures nose.

Off I go to render now, what do you guys think, sound any good so far?

**Demiurgic** · February 13th, 2006, 12:30 AM

Originally Posted by artiphats

ok here is my idea: the creature has a very large "mouth", which is actually the portal that it's masters use to go through. The creature is very old, and has been the slave of the evil ones who trapped and enslaved it countless ages ago. The mouth is huge, surrounded by teeth, and its limbs chained. Mouth is also kept open, chains pull the jaws in different directions. Also, the portal is activated when the evil ones introduce the fumes of an ancient herbal combination to the creatures nose.

Off I go to render now, what do you guys think, sound any good so far?

Sounds bit more like a character to me... i guess. From what I understand by "no characters" is that it shouldn't be a single being or creature, it has to be just an example of a normal member of the speicies, tho you can make the speicies itself as abnormal as you like. What I am thinking anyways...

**ceberae** · February 13th, 2006, 12:41 AM

Concept: Nehebkau.
Description: A nehebkau can be found roaming the southern deserts easily enough from miles away, its giant horns a dead giveaway among the endless sands. On its back it carries a portal to other worlds. One must approach it with a destination in mind; otherwise it will choose a world for you. Little is known about the origin of these serpents, aside from the fact that it is unwise to bother one when it’s shedding its skin: the portal may lead you to a place no mortal would want to be in, regardless of what world you chose. Some believe, that nehebkau is really everywhere and nowhere at once, and the serpent that greats you is the very same one that sees you on the way out.

**Jonoy** · February 13th, 2006, 01:21 AM

I had seen the disgusting looking creature in Halicor's laboratory every time I had been there, cowering in the corner and shivering in fear; wether of Halicor or the stranger that was invading its home.
I knew the portal had to be in the laboroatory, more than once I had hidden beneath his stairs watching and waiting for the moment he would use it but never had I seen him do so. Yet he would disappear from his laboratory for days on end with that sickly looking creature still cowering in the corner, the stitched mass of scar-tissue running vertical down its belly oozing pus and ichor.
Had I not felt a brief moment of pity for the grotesque animal and cleaned up its filth I would never have seen the pseudopod trailing into the wound, nor tried to pull it clear as I cleaned away the goo. At the mearest tug upon it the creature had begun unlacing the stitching and to my initial disgust, had opened the wound in its belly wide, emmiting a gastly pale blue light thru-out the room and across my face. Echoing ripples of light danced into an impossible distance within that cavity while the surface rippled around the edges like a shaken mirror...
And to think that the portal had been under my nose from the very beginning...

**Nexus** · February 13th, 2006, 01:48 AM

Ceberae, what medium do you use to do your sketches? Is that conte' crayon? Looks good by the way.

**artiphats** · February 13th, 2006, 02:06 AM

Sounds bit more like a character to me... i guess. From what I understand by "no characters" is that it shouldn't be a single being or creature, it has to be just an example of a normal member of the speicies, tho you can make the speicies itself as abnormal as you like. What I am thinking anyways...

Hmm, I dont think it sounds like a character at all. I didnt say it was the only one, although if it were unique in its universe I dont think that would prevent it from being a creature either. It could be the last of its species. The vision I have that is kinda spidery like, actually. A creature who, when stimulated as I stated above, does something special- in this case opens a portal.

Look at Jonoy's sketch. It looks like a creature and is described as one, and also opens its mouth to open the portal. (Guess we were on the same thought-process Jonoy).

**Jonoy** · February 13th, 2006, 02:21 AM

Oops! sorry, wasn't trying to rip your idea, I hadn't read your description.
I'll try to make it more obvious as I go along that the portal is an incision (make the stitching clearer) in the creature and emphasise the small mouth above it.

**Liviu B.** · February 13th, 2006, 04:52 AM

@ceberae: keep going with yours! very homogenous and straightforward look. keep at it.
@jonoy: so far it looks cool, like something out of an old comic book. I'm curious about your approach on your human-creature relationship
@nexus: I personally prefer #1, its got cool design, a good sense of 3dimensionality and good integration of the portal concept.
I'll try my hand at this one too. Later guys

**Fozzybar** · February 13th, 2006, 05:58 AM

yeah, 1 looks cool...and the one which looks most like a creature...

**MichaelMotion** · February 13th, 2006, 07:06 AM

Here's my final
C.O.W. - #038: Portal Opener

BottomSpecie that creates the illusion of a portal to another dimension, think noone's (other bottom creatures) falling for this one.. Guess that's why these species are extinct.

**Liviu B.** · February 13th, 2006, 07:48 AM

I'm thinking... you should've somehow made that obvious..?

**Hookswords** · February 13th, 2006, 08:29 AM

Originally Posted by Pawige

Does it disturb you as much as it does me that the goatse guy immediately springs to mind?

Deeply disturbing that that's the first thing in your mind at any time for anything. That said, I do understand your point of reference. *shudders* I feel a animated gif coming on.

**asoir** · February 13th, 2006, 08:46 AM

Jonoy..You're taking the piss! That must have been inspired by goatse! *shiver*

**Jonoy** · February 13th, 2006, 08:52 AM

Whilst I have seen that deeply disturbing footage, it was Clive Barker (and to a lesser extent the mutant prophet in Total Recall) that was on my mind...lol!

**flatliner** · February 13th, 2006, 08:59 AM

Originally Posted by Asoir

Jonoy..You're taking the piss! That must have been inspired by goatse! *shiver*

Should I be glad that I do'nt know what 'goatse' is?

**Erilaz** · February 13th, 2006, 08:59 AM

An early pencil sketch before I get to work with the wacom.

WIP work:

The Subterranean Rift Beetle
This species of beetle are only found in the caverns below the surface of the moon T7A18 in the inner northern spiral. Their life cycle is vast for an insect, and they mate perhaps 10 time during that exisitence. Their name comes from the fact that their breeding technique is unique from any creature across the known galaxy. Rift Beetles have no visible sexual organs, and are hermaphrodites. A pair breeds by aligning themselves on the walls or stalagmites of the caves, then opening a dimensional rift to each others organs via a displacement gland resting in a cavity between their spiral shell whorls. Impregnation can occur in either the current or an alternate dimensional field.
The side effect to this rift sex is dimensional disturbance between the two breeding beetles. Any object or creature that has the misfortune of walking between a pair of mating Rift Beetles will find themselves somewhere else entirely.
Harvesting the beetles' glands has gleaned some promising results. By tuning the DNA of the Rift Beetle to particular cloned offspring, it is possible to predict where a mating gland rift will take you. Further investigation is required.
SIDE NOTE: Don't walk into a cavern during mating season. You will die. Or at least BITS of you will.

Sorry for the long speal, but i was just trying to firm the idea in my head.