The last few inks were landscapes and I wanted to zoom into some more close up subject matter. There isn't any creature more desert classic than the Gila Monster, so, it was decided. There's a lot of ways to abbreviate the round scales of the lizard and the lichen pocked rock beneath but I opted for visual complexity. I'm starting to think that visual complexity adds to the life of a piece. More for the brain to chew on. More for the brain to find and connect with. I've really pumped it up a notch with this one.
I was taken by the plotting of the scales on it's skin which arrange in a hexagonal pattern. Something out of a sci-fi artificial life-form design. So I started thinking about geometries and how it might relate with the landscape patrolling cell by cell through it's hive of rock, thus the hexagon matrix overlay. When you move so close to the ground, there must be some sense of direction more than searching the horizon. I overlaid a futuristic compass at it's side for easy reference. Caution barred warning triangle in the upper right noting the subjects dangerous bite. Truly the dragon of the desert.
