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grayorca β€” Ref Sheet - Knob

Published: 2014-01-14 21:06:14 +0000 UTC; Views: 616; Favourites: 9; Downloads: 4
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Description My first attempt at drawing a sperm whale - ever, in life. I made many a correction while working on the digital lines. So pardon any mistakes, but I think he's at least 80% anatomically correct. Worked on while watching an episode of The Natural World - "Sperm Whales: Back from the Abyss". Who knew narration by David Attenborough could be so motivating?

The following specs are written in keeping with an RP verse at Cetus Sea, "Tides of Change" by AkelahNaih . The intent of said roleplay is to explore what sperm whaling was like in the 1700s, from the whales' POV.

Name: Knob
Species: Physeter macrocephalus / Sperm whale
Gender: Male
Age: 40
Appearance: 55 ft. long at approximately 30,000 kilograms. Long, lean build with a dark gray hide. Relatively scar free. A faded cluster of harpoon scars adorn the left side of his head, above his eye. His name is derived from the 'clefted' nature of his chin, and the depression along his back that leaves a distinctive gap in his otherwise-flat dorsal ridge. Bronzey, brown eyes.
Personality: Knob is a very mellow animal whose only guiding wisdom is to take the path of least resistance. He does not spook as easily as he did in his youth, knowing he can rely on his lung capacity and navigational senses to escape whatever dangers he may encounter on the surface. Owing to his experiences, he resents humans and avoids their ships at all costs. Rather than align himself with an established bachelor group, he travels alone, as means of making himself a scarce target for whalers. Only occasionally does he make temporary ties with nursery pods of females and their calves, and is usually quick to yield them to competitive suitors who challenge him.
History: Hailing from the North Atlantic, Knob's immediate relatives were among the first to be targeted by whalers out of Nantucket Island in the mid 1700s. Born into a pod numbering two dozen individuals, consisting of his mother, two aunts, one older sister, and a few cousins, he led a relatively uneventful early life until the age of three. One such morning, during a series of deep-dive hunts, while Knob and his mother rested at the surface, a fleet of whaling vessels happened upon them under the cover of fog. Unsure of the humans' intentions, they did not think to flee until the smaller whaleboats closed distance and began to throw harpoons. Attempting to stick close to his mother, Knob was grazed above his eye by one such barb, prompting him to flee on a far deeper dive than any he had yet attempted. His mother, already harpooned and tiring rapidly due to blood loss, remained behind, presumably making a diversion of herself to give him a better chance of escape. This separation proved permanent.
Knob rejoined his sister, aunts, and cousins a day later, shaken but relatively unharmed. At first they did not understand his account of humans and scoffed at the possibility that one of their kind had been killed by a species so much smaller. Knob spoke very little of the event in years to come, as more whalers appeared at sea and their pod began to thin as a result. Upon reaching his teenage years he split from their ranks, intent on traveling to the most remote waters he could find to avoid humanity's reach. It has proven to be a lifelong undertaking.
Other:
- He has a tendency to be more active at night, when poor visibility hinders whalers' ability to see.

Other sperm whale OCs/art:

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Comments: 12

AltairSky [2022-01-12 10:46:47 +0000 UTC]

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albinoeasterndragon [2018-02-15 02:52:09 +0000 UTC]

* a lone Spanish galleon sails the Nuestra SeΓ±ora de la SantΓ­sima Trinidad is lost with only the captain*


captain sir Williams: i'm all alone, expect for this whale calf.....*sigh*Β 

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AkelahNaih [2014-01-18 22:24:18 +0000 UTC]

He is a gorgeous character! Love the notched dorsal and scar placement. Very well done bio, his personality is very unique and very fascinating. Great anatomy too, these guys have a tough anatomy to get right but you did perfectly.

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grayorca In reply to AkelahNaih [2014-01-19 16:20:16 +0000 UTC]

Thank you. The real test will be in rendering a proper painting of him, though.

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AkelahNaih In reply to grayorca [2014-01-28 20:59:18 +0000 UTC]

You're welcome Can't wait! Β 

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Angelorca6109 [2014-01-15 22:36:30 +0000 UTC]

Reminds me of the book, Sounding. It's about an old whale and his journey.. it's a good book. if you can find it, read it

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grayorca In reply to Angelorca6109 [2014-01-16 00:56:16 +0000 UTC]

I'll keep that in mind.

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Angelorca6109 In reply to grayorca [2014-01-16 01:28:15 +0000 UTC]

it is one book i remember getting out of my dad's collection when i was a kid, i adored it.Β 

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SergeanTrooper [2014-01-15 04:27:10 +0000 UTC]

Awesome work, Love how he came out as well as his bio. I love his think jaw

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grayorca In reply to SergeanTrooper [2014-01-15 04:40:43 +0000 UTC]

Thank you. I look forward to making a proper painting of him soon.

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SergeanTrooper In reply to grayorca [2014-01-15 04:44:05 +0000 UTC]

You're welcome, and can't wait to see. I been doodling some Traditional Neptune sketches will probably share them after I am retired.

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grayorca In reply to SergeanTrooper [2014-01-15 04:46:51 +0000 UTC]

Great, I look forward to seeing those.

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