C.O.W. #138 Cannibal Mother and Child -- WIPs posting thread

[Michael Jaecks]

For more infos and details about the rules go here:
http://www.conceptart.org/forums/sho...d.php?t=110879


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Round #138

Topic:
Cannibal Mother and Child!

Creature Description: Cannibal Mother and child. Design a new creature that eats its own. Your task is to show at least one adult female consuming one of her young from the same species. The reason is up to you, but obviously, eating one's own young can be considered Darwinian natural selection at its most savage.


Deadline:
Friday, 3 April 2009



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
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THREAD FOR FINAL ENTRIES

READ THE INFO IN THE 1ST POST OF THE FINALS THREAD TO SEE HOW TO POST YOUR FINAL IMAGE!!!

[skullbeast]

"Killer topic"! so many ideas!

[Michael Jaecks]

Thanks. I decided to keep this one as open ended as possible within the limits of the theme. It really could be anything you come up with so long as mom is eating (and I mean eating literally, not, placing her babies in her mouth to hide or protect them) one of her own young.

[rushwolf]

No... rainbow butterflies this week?

[LORD M]

Whoa! This is so damn odd! I just read about this in a chapter in my animal behaviour book (studying to become a biologist lol). If anyone is intrested, I can describe this infanticidal behaviour a bit more thourough so it makes more sense for those who think it's so cold hearted and doesn't make sense at all.

[Tyrus]

This is an initial sketch. What does everyone think?

There is a reason there are 3 creatures on there that will be explained later.

[rushwolf]

LORD M - A brief overview might be cool. I wiki'd around for a bit but I didn't find much. I guess the logical thing would be weeding out the weak or, if there's a food shortage, killing one so the other[s] have a better chance.

[gatling]

I would like a snippet of your knowledge too LORD M That would be awesome. Some recipes would be sweet too. :B

[Faernen]

First sketch, the mother is too fat to move, so her sons sacrifice themselves to allow her to live

[LORD M]

Hehe, sure guys. Ok, here it goes, I take some from the book aswell to make it more accurate.


Certain extreme conditions can lead to parent-offspring conflicts which can take form in filial infanticide by the parent(in this case maternal because of the topic). Imagine a female gets pregnant at a time when resources, like food for example, is plentifull. But as the pregnancy develops the resources in the environments degenerate and is very poor when the female gives birth.

In this resource-lacking scenario the mother have to share the few resources available with the young, which will try and get as many resources as possible from its mother in order to secure its own survival.

The female will have many more reproductive oppurtunities in the future if she survives this lack of resources and she is said to have a high "residual reproductive value". Some of these offspring can be born in times when resources are more pentiful, and the mother must now weight the future value of such offspring against spending a great deal of energy to provide resources for the current offspring in this poor environment.

When the costs and benefits to the future offspring weight more then the costs and benefits of the current offspring, then infanticide (that is cannibalism in this case) is favoured by natural selection. She both regain energy and increase her fitness by devouring her offspring and secure her future offsprings fitness.

This phenomenom is more common in younger mothers which have many more future reproductive chanses then an older mother.

In some animals like fish, maternal infanticide can occur when the mother guards and flaps oxygenized water on the eggs and get's very hungry while guarding them - and then might eat some.


Some nice links:

http://journals.cambridge.org/action...online&aid=693

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science...b7ce659380756b

I recomend this search I did on sciencedirect.com: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science...0aa02964439c98





I hope this helps, and if anyone have any kind of questions about anything involving biology then don't hesitate to PM me. I will try and answer questions the best I can with what I already know or by the piles of books that lies on my floor. And it's also good practise for me!

And sorry, I have no recepies because I dislike the taste of my own children.

[rushwolf]

International Mother's Day Special!
Everyday Children Discount!

糖醋婴孩
赤ん坊の刺身
Bebés con Arroz
Confit de Bébés
ബബി കൊകൊനുറ്റ് കുരൃയ്
σάντουιτς εγκεφάλου μωρών
Baby's Back Ribs
De Soep van de Babybol
Kindfleischwurst



I... am too easily amused.

[zimfin]

This is a great topic. I missed a few lately so have to get in this time!

[Michael Jaecks]

Yes, I think weeding out the weak is probably the easiest answer to cannibal mother and child. Perhaps the birthing process is harsh and some get injured. Remember that many animals have large litters... infant mortality is pretty common in the animal kingdom and maybe its just a way of disposing of the body and not leaving a scent.

I think some dinosaurs were thought to do this... didn't dimetrodons eat their own young? I seem to think I remember that from the Walking with Monsters DVD or something...

[rushwolf]

Wip #1

BBC's Life in the Under World
With David Attenborough

This week David takes us on a majestic journey through some of the most charming parts of Hell. David was very pleased to find the Kanabulli, a minor demon, sorting through its offspring to find a treat.

"The Kanabulli", David explains, "have a very interesting way of weeding out the weak. The mother Kanabulli, often referred to as a Momabulli, carefully inspects each offspring, trying to find the ones with the spiciest brain. A spicy aroma coming from the gray matter in newborn's head is often a sign of the feared holyiocopic faithopilis complex. The Momabulli also just love spicy treats. I often bring Tabasco sauce on these trips, as a sign of trust with these charming creatures."

[TimM]

Nice one, Rushwolf. Really clever.

[skullbeast]

tree slugg, and one with no arms, dogseal, byrd.

[rushwolf]

I demand more wips and participation!

[skullbeast]

grue, and sealdog/ looking like the freaking phantom of the opera concept. My head is just loaded with these ones for some reason, I have been painting nearly since 7:00 yesterday with just a few hours of rest. this one is fun!!!

[rushwolf]

ahh i see some nice potential in that last one.

[tompiswobblez]

Here i come, here i cooome! Awesome activity.

[skullbeast]

Grue update. does this qualify as too human? or humanoid.

[Pierropod]

It's very nice but it's kinda human like creature. I don't know if we're gonna have an exception for this topic. If yes, I have an idea too.

[Faernen]

Some progress...

[Chuck,mate.]

still wip


P.

[Korovyov]

first thing that popped into my head... lol

Saturn Devouring his Son by Francisco Goya

[zimfin]

Nice work guys. My image is very basic at the moment and will no doubt change, (looks too much like a spider or tick to me) but the idea behind it is that the creature is of a species that floats above a hostile land. When the young, (eggs) sticking below the mother grow, if there are too many, the Mother gains weight and begins to lose altitude. She then needs to eat one or more of her young in order to lose weight and remove herself and her remaining young from danger.

[Michael Jaecks]

Yes, please let's try to avoid the overtly humanoid.

I really cannot repeat this notion enough, so I will keep repeating it for the rest of my days modding COW... there is NOTHING wrong with a creature that walks on two legs with it's head held upright. That's a perfectly acceptable design motif and I welcome them here in every round of COW...

However, there is a HUGE difference between a gorilla and a guy in a gorilla suit. Your creature can have breasts to signify motherhood without looking like it's a person.

I've also said this before, but it bears repeating... a lot of times what makes something too humanoid is not simply that its a biped... it's proportion and center of gravity. There are plenty of ways to design a creature that walks on two legs without making it look like it hangs out at the Star Wars Cantina circa 1977.

So, skullbeast, yes I think it is too humanoid. There are ways though you can augment your design by reading what I have stated above. Also, here in COW we try to show the entire creature design for the most part, not a 3/4 shot from the legs up. That's allowed over in CHoW... character of the week.

Thanks guys...

[skullbeast]

Michael Jaecks - thanks when we do monsters at the studio we are forced to use the human form since it is a guy in a suit. Im trying to break free from the "box " way of thinking. here is another one.

Potauto

[Michael Jaecks]

Ah, sure. I see where you're coming from. Well, it's early yet and it looks like you're already started on something that works. Very cool.

[rushwolf]

Ended up getting a bit more serious on the hell creature. Trying to adopt the design style of Wayne Barlowe. First attempt i did, not liking it at. Looks too much like an individual demon rather than hell fauna. Just thought I'd share.

Beginning to work in Painter, learning the program as I paint. I think I likes it a lot. I'll be out of town for a while. Mah sketchbook will tag along, hopefully I can create some cool designs for when I get back.