ORCHANIX: Creatures of nature and industry

Have you ever seen a character who is part man or beast and part machine? Some ideas would come to mind at first, such as the Terminator or DC Comics's Cyborg. Some might even think Transformers Beast Wars...

But rather than just simply slapping mechanical parts on an existing man or animal, I have instead crafted odd and unique creatures that utilize their mechanical parts in ways not too many people would expect. These mixes of "organics" and "mechanics" lend the name "Orchanix." Here are three of them...

What a mechanically odd bunch!

Mechowls are small, armless creatures that live in the forest. In ancient times, these creatures were vastly hunted down by predators. But as time went passed, Mechowls gained reasoning and intelligence, and, in retaliation, built an extra pair of "legs" to stand against those who hunt them. Mechowls then use their natural legs as arms and hands. When not threatened, these creatures are very docile and welcoming. Rub them the wrong way, however, and they will answer back with brutal -- and sometimes lethal -- force.

Froghogs, much like Mechowls, are armless. Though unlike the latter, these creatures only trust their instincts to survive. On the verge of extinction, due to a previous extinction of a vital food source, the Froghogs were saved by Slymaxes, who had mechanically enhanced the species. These enhancements include: light-up eyes to see in dark places, a defensive "electrobelly" to shock predators, and a plug tongue to absorb energy sources to survive instead of relying on organic food. The latter is what the Slymaxes have come to regret, as the Froghogs, in large numbers, can drain the power of an entire city.

Slymaxes are a race of beings made of organic slime and mechanical armor. In primordial times, these creatures were only masses of living, breathing slime. As the ages passed, they gained sentience and quickly became the one of the most intelligent beings of all the Organix, rivaling that of their neighbor the Mechowls. Through the use of their conducting armor, they can manipulate electricity. They can also take any form depending on what kind and how many pieces of armor they utilize, as well as how these pieces are arranged. Unlike the Mechowls, Slymaxes live outside of the forest, opting instead for cities and towns. In terms of behavior, Slymaxes are generally welcoming and peaceful creatures, but some have shown to have a much darker nature.

Now one question remains...which one of these strange creatures will be used in a looping 3D animation? Stay tuned to find out!

Happy modeling and animating! 

-Aaron Martin