# Creative Liberties



## voiceinsight (Mar 11, 2008)

[If this is posted in the wrong area, please let me know, and I'll ask a mod to move it in the appropriate section]


Recently a character I've had forever I decided to go though a redesign of her. And loving dragons [she's always been one] I wanted to steer away from what dragons typically with scales and such.

So I made her have a fluffy tail and made her look like she had fur.

I got a lot of flak for it on another forum I am involved in because they were all "OMG DRAGONS HAVE SCALES!!!!111"

And I personally thought..."They're mythological creatures. Do they have to look like lizards ALL the time?"

Has anyone ever thought of something along those same lines with certain drawings/art they have done?


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## Meliz (Mar 18, 2008)

um that dragon from neverending story was a big freakin' dog. furry as hell.

not original. but the flak was undeserved. where can i see the pic?


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## voiceinsight (Mar 20, 2008)

Never saw that movie. *sweat*

http://www.furaffinity.net/view/1125954/

and:

http://www.furaffinity.net/view/1107263/


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## Aden (Mar 20, 2008)

voiceinsight said:
			
		

> http://www.furaffinity.net/view/1125954/
> 
> http://www.furaffinity.net/view/1107263/



To me, those look like a feline and a more canine-like thing, respectively, with funny ears. Maybe that was the problem instead of simply the idea of slapping fur on a dragon.


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## RealZero (Mar 21, 2008)

Well, I'm not an drawing artist myself, but anyway I'd like to state my opinion here.

First of, I also think that those pics don't look much like dragons at all, BUT I think no one should "flak" you in any way. I mean, this is about fantasy, isn't it? It is our fantasy and if YOU draw it is especially YOUR fantasy and you should be allowed to draw like you want to draw. "Dragons have scales"? Yeah, well, and dogs/cats/whatever don't walk on two legs, don't speak and don't wear clothes, has this ever stopped "us" from drawing and liking them? I guess not, so it's, in my opinion, quite stupid to argue about such things, especially regarding dragons which are, like you said, mytological creatures.
Picking up the thread title here, "Creative Liberties":
I don't want to sound offensive, if "those people" think dragons should always have scales, fly and breath fire, well, so be it to them, they may draw them this way, I like it this way, too. But I think you should have all freedom in drawing that you want, and if you want to draw a dragon with bird-wings, wolf-muzzle and reindeer antlers, hey, it's your imagination and your work.

I think it's fully okay what you do, if you want to draw dragons this way, do it. But one thing you should remind: It is still not the "regular" case, thus if people don't know if your pics show dragons, hybrids or anything, don't get offended, but explain your idea to them.

That's what I think, go on with your work, greetings,

RealZero


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## kitetsu (Mar 21, 2008)

OP: The next time they throw a fit like that, ask them why the asians gave their dragons manes.


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## Marji4x (Mar 22, 2008)

Hear hear!  All of you are right...you can do whatever you want when you draw.  But I'd second the advice to be patient when people may not understand


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## Rhainor (Mar 22, 2008)

I agree with most/all of the others in this thread.  Nobody has the right to tell you what you can and cannot draw, or what to label your creations.

And yeah, that character does not look at all like a dragon to me.  If you'd shown me that pic and asked me what I thought she was, I'd probably have said "Uh...canine of some sort?".  In my personal opinion, unorthodox dragons should still have some sort of characteristic that identifies them as dragons (perhaps horns, in this case?)...but that's just my opinion.  If you say she's a dragon, then she's a dragon, end of discussion.


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