Thyrokhys 3D - Happy Birthday to Me!

 

This one's a bit of a throwback- a 3D remake of a piece I made all the way back in 2016! (pictured below) 

For those not in the know, Thyrokhys (Anthroporaptor caltigarensis) is a fictional species of dromaeosaurid from one of the earliest fantasy story concepts I introduced on the original blog. I wasn't paying much attention to taxonomy when I made the original draft, but I found inspiration for the updated model in the velociraptorine Acheroraptor. A denizen of the Hell Creek formation, it had to share its habitat with absolute titans. What it lacked in size, it made up for in cunning, adaptability, and the ability to tough out most daily encounters.
Perhaps that's why fate destined one small pack to become something so much more...

I know that my goal lately has been shifted pretty heavily to trying to champion real science in art, and this photoreal rendering is right on the heels of a newly-introduced NPR style for my animations, but I figured I'd treat myself for my birthday.
...insomuch as two weeks of modeling and feather brushing can be considered a treat.

Original rendered in graphite and colored pencil. Remake rendered in Blender 4.1 Cycles