This looks awesome, and I love the option to maybe catch one after battling it in explore

I like the idea of having a water beast and I really liked the very first image ... maybe  because it reminded me of a seahorse... but I understand that the tail took up too much room... any possibitlity of curling the tail a couple of times to make it a better fit?

I don't mind how we get them ... be it catching after battle or anything else... just as long as we get them :)

Haha! Well I'm glad that it has support! Maybe I should start making a list! 

I would like a longer tail, if I have the time/patience to redraw it, I would certainly add a longer tail. I feel it would look more majestic and such! 

I love your idea a lot! The whole sea creature idea is great, and catching them in explore would be perfect!

I also loved the first sketch, but I think that is because it looks more anatomically correct. the second one looks like it has a broken hoof and it's position is a little confusing. Is it on water or land type thing. (I know it's in water but still)

Also, your sketches are beautiful however I thought your idea of a deer fell a little short. other than the legs, the head speaks more dragon than anything to me.

Other than that, great job!

I am nit the best artist at all. :p I appreciate tour criticism as things will often look "off" to me, but I can never place what. I'm going to have to play around with the hooves, I can't seem to figure out how they should go.

It does look somewhat "dragony". The makara of legend is truly a hodgepodge of animals. I think my attempt to make a watery deer/horse style face look aquatic did turn out a bit reptilian. Crocodiles are often included in the mix of creatures, but this doesn't look very crocodilian either. Do you have any suggestions?

I had hoped this would be an "underwater" pose. I admit I have no clue what to do with fins!

I want to revive this. Any ideas on different colorations or patterns??

Koi, Betta, and Guppies have many gorgeous patterns and colors of all types. Endless supply of to use for your creature if you are wanting to use aquatic creatures for its colorations. Also, a crocodile/alligator pattern I think would be pretty neat. Also could use horse patterns/colors. Maybe a horse pattern with fish colors, or fish pattern with horse colors.

Hmm. I wanted to try a Koi one... But I had not thought about betta! I could play with the fins for that. I don't much know how to do fins... But I think that I could look really cool!!! I'll give it a shot. :)

Oh this is neat! I love the design on it! Like others I do love the first design more though yea the fact the image is too long is buggy...I think its the head that I prefere on the first one :)

btw you using a mouse to draw it right?

also may I suggest using the selection tool when coloring in so you dont have colors behind the lines :) makes it much neater and cleaner :) and so much easier to actualy color in :D

but I admit after seeing your amazing idea Im scratching my cheasy Jackalope idea :/

I very much do like this idea, and the sketches are beautiful! I do have to agree, though, that the head of the original sketch does look better, and the hooves are a little off. Also the colouration ideas I've read are great! Maybe also some Angel fish colours or maybe even tiger shark, I am only throwing ideas. PLus, I do like the idea of achieving this creature through explore, and having a water temple with the borders of the islands. Gives a little more purpose to it.

Also, I did searched up images of the Makara, and many were of a elephant, crocodile hybrid or even with the mix of a serpent or seal. I do like your drawing, and would go with that over all.

I would also like to ask for permission, for I won't begin without it, if I could do a couple sketches of the Makara, just to see if I can help. I would do them based upon your drawing.

Nightingale, I'd say this was a wonderful idea! :D

I saw the first picture that you scetched and noticed the snaky-scales under the chest of the beast. But I don't seem to find them in the new colored one. Um, is it because you cancelled to put scales under its chest or is it because you missed it? Just wanted to know! :)

@ Porty's Pride- I say suggest it! I like it! So many people wanted to adopt Hoppers when they entered the islands, it could be fun!

I'm using a Wacom Bamboo Pen and Touch tablet- with a very worn down nib (I need to replace it badly so it's kind of a pain). I am also using Photoshop :P

I use multiply on my lineart layer so that the lines still appear, but aren't as bold as if they were simply black or opaque. I like having the lines somewhat visible, but not that visible.. idk... just a style. This is my first "not furred" critter, so I wasn't really sure how to draw the scales. Normally the fur covers all my lines. I still don't know how scales work. The stuff sticking out is just be not being able to color in my own lines and being sloppy. That is an easy enough fix :)

@ AWolfPaw- I'm not sure what you mean by snaky scales??? Those are poorly (very) drawn gills under the neck. They show as red on the new image.  Okay. I see what you mean. The belly scales, that look dragony. I got rid of them because I felt like it didn't fit those animals that I selected... Originally it was the "crocodile" part. But I didn't really know how to draw them on the new pose either. Like I said I mostly draw wolves and horses o.0

@GriffinRider- Feel free! Just keep them posted to this thread so they are in one place. I can put them on the title page with your name to make sure you have credit! Feel free to PM me and we can scheme. :P

Thanks! It was difficult to think of a "water" beast. Since we have horses and dragons I didn't want to make one that was too similar to those. Since Makara's are a mash-up of like everything I figured I could pick some of the more interesting ones! I like the elephant part... but didn't really figure a trunk would look good on it :P

It was redrawn to fit in a square shaped box and have a pose that showed movement.

Sorry I haven't had time to fix the hooves guys! I have been super busy :/ I'll get on that over the Holiday Break from work.  The hooves were kinda just thrown on haphazardly... I have so much art pilling up.

Any suggestions/red lines about the head? What do you like or don't like?

 Anyone have suggestions on fins? I'm terrible at them! As you can see... I totally gave up on the tail.

mhm thanx! I hall think bout it n try to finish it off :D

ah I was wondering cuz some of the lines appear rather wobbly so I thought you might use a mouse (itd still be incredible tho) like the back fin and the horn :)

oh I just lower the opacity on the lines or color the lines in a color thats a darker version of the base color :D

though I admire those girraffe like scales! I would not of had patience for that :D cant wait for more looks!!

Thanks, Nightingale, and of coarse I will. I do want to try the elephant/crocodile version as well, so I will do it as well as the one based upon your original drawing. I don't know if I have time though, at least not yet. There has been alot of baking and wrapping going on for Christmas, so I might start tomorrow or the 27th.

I'm going to try a coloured version also, just to test the scales, fins, and techniques.