Okay, today’s Finished Product isn’t actually finished yet, and it’s not even a proper pen/cil-and-paper drawing. Shame! But the “drafts” follow my unwritten rules, so at least I’m not wandering too far off the path here.
Basically, it went this way:
Me: [tries to think of some fun combo-animal to draw, fails. Decides to ask someone else instead] HEY, HEY. Name two animals.
Her: Um … a duck and a dolphin.
Me: Hm. Okay, I can do that … let’s see, duck and a dolphin … [draws for four seconds]. Wait. No. That won’t work, choose two more.
Her: What? Why.
Me: It’s a penguin.
Her: What?
Me: You gave me a penguin. A duck and a dolphin, that ends up being a penguin.
Her: …Okay. A deer and a walrus.
Me: No, that’s a musk deer.
Her: A what?
Me: Nevermind, pick two more. They don’t have to be similar or plausible or anything, just pick two.
Her: Well now the only ones I can think of are a reindeer and a trout. [laughs nervously]
Me: Hm … A reindeer trout! Perfect! And it’s basically a hippocamp, so it shouldn’t be too hard … [wanders off muttering crazily and looking for paper]
So, the results of that rather strange request are reproduced for your viewing pleasure below:
Ignore all those little stray boxes, my scratch paper is reject pages from Ants Are Stupid. (Long story.)
And, a grainy peek at the not-actually-finished product, drawn in PSE and still comprised of many, many layers:
I couldn’t resist giving him coral antlers; they work so well with the pink markings of the rainbow trout, after all, and they add a watery touch to the otherwise stubbornly-mammalian reindeer half.
Drawn @ Random 