Cryptozoology: Sketch a Mystery Animal

Status: Closed
Prize: $50
Entries Received: 8
Winner: sbellshaw

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Contest Brief

This contest involves illustrating an eyewitness’ sighting of a cryptozoological animal. This is an animal not currently recognized to exist, but which may have existed in the fossil record. I will post below a description of the animal in the witness’ own words. Because it is an eyewitness report, some descriptive features may be difficult to understand. But I need a simple pencil sketch that best depicts what the witness is expressing. After I choose a sketch, I will show it to the witness and she will hopefully be able to tell me how well it fits with what she saw. Then I may need to have the sketch modified again if there are features that need to be corrected. Once that is done, payment will be confirmed.
The witness saw two of the animals, but I only need a pencil sketch or similar of one (it can be black and white or color). The descriptive features are as follows:

“… as tall as a 12 hand Shetland pony. They could sit like a dog, and standup easily. The only color was on their breast area, one had the beautiful color of a cock pheasant, the other was shiny like chrome, I that the shine might have come from crossing the river just feet away. Mouths that reminded me of the puppet Kermit the frog. What you could see of the legs looked more like gators. The body from behind the crown was as one continuous flow to the end of the tail. The crown didn't appear to be able to lay down, attached from jaw line to jaw line. The eyes were as rhinos, set close to the edge of corner of mouth. Feet were toed not sure if 4-5 toes much like a gator, long claws. Texture of the hide, seemed like heavy as a hippo, not armored like an armadillo. Again what you could see of the legs was like gator hide. Full bodied no joints showing, only the hock on hind legs. As for color other than the neck area, like the rhino, elephant, no spot, no stripes, just greyish.

“1. The tail. Not an attachment, just a continuous flow of the body. Underneath it was a continuance of the underline. That was about 10 inches off the ground. Then dragged on the ground, about 3'. Came to a point, no spines, or ridges. Texture was the same as the body.

“2. Body: barrel shape deep on the sides but narrow from the front view. Not paunchy. Length from behind the crown to where body sloped to start the tail, maybe the smaller one about 21/2' the larger one maybe 3'.

“Going on to #3: the crown I guess the frill would be the best answer. It went from jaw to jaw not tapering with a peak on top, it was consistent in size and shape. The Points were not spikes, more like a point on a 5 pointed star. These were spaced evenly apart maybe 1 1/5" to 2"s apart at the top. Didn't appear this crown would lay down, stationary upright. The base of this crown was a thick 3" rise then the points began. No neck that I would say head attached too. When they turned it was a forearm leading turn, not a head turn.

“#4 question: horns spikes no where on the animal. I did not see ears or holes in the side of the head.

“# 5 snout. No snout as in most animals. I just googled Kermit the frog, very similar. The bridge of the nose on Kermit is wrong. This area on the animals was flat, shape of mouth very right on. Again I didn't see nostrils. Mouth to crown was about 10"s eyes set close to corners of mouth up 3"s. The circumference corner to corner 20"s it was large. No teeth showing, never a tongue.

“#6 legs. As said before I think? You couldn't see joints as the body covered these areas down to about 15"s or so to the ground. Front leg and foot so looked like a gator. Long claws like a gator. Now I may have seen what I'd call a knee joint as they moved. You can't see anything except body from that point upward. As for a hock, no way the hind legs were more covered by the body than the front, thus you have the tail starting. So the legs appeared very short compared to what they were carrying, but stout legs I couldn't put my 2 hands around the circumference. 18-20"s?”

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Public Clarification Board

abudaby
- 7 years ago
Don't close,please.I need a few minutes!
- 7 years ago
Contest Holder
- 7 years ago
Keep in mind that the witness will not be able to view an image until I choose a winner; so I'm trying not to push changes yet, as my own perception might not be accurate. (There's one other individual planning to submit an entry, so I'm really just waiting for that before examining these closer.) I will point out one thing that might be confusing -- 12 hands is about 48 inches for the height. So general proportions for this, as a four-legged critter, is about 4 feet high, a torso length of about 3 feet (from back of head/frill to start of tail), and a tail that comes about about 10 inches, then "drags on the ground" for another 3 feet. I realize this is vague, but some witnesses have difficulty explaining what they saw. I wish she could have drawn this herself, but she's not able to. All I can do is pick an image that I think may best work, and see if she has any additional points to make (hopefully it will be very close).
- 7 years ago
adityabiswas7
- 7 years ago
Its reminding me of a dinosaurs. Which is close to the description.
- 7 years ago
sbellshaw
- 7 years ago
Similarly, please leave feedback so I rework or start again with the design, thanks!
- 7 years ago
bgillis
- 7 years ago
What kind of habitat does it live in?
- 7 years ago
1. Contest Holder
  - 7 years ago
  Hard to say for certain; seen in tall grass, but that may or may not be normal habitat. It's quadrupedal, but not too short for the grass, apparently.
  - 7 years ago
2. bgillis
  - 7 years ago
  please check my entry #1 and let me know if im on the right path for the body shape ect. Then I can remove it and do a proper illustration
  - 7 years ago