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Turkey's "Lake Van Monster" cryptid illustrated
🕑 Added 2025-11-24 17:52:34 +0000 UTCUnbeknownst to many cryptozoology enthusiasts, Turkey's Lake Van is home to a native cryptid, a horse-and-dinosaur-like monster known as the "Lake Van Monster", or "Cano".
I was recently commissioned by a native of the area to design "a wistful-looking Lake Van Monster" for a personal tattoo. Despite the fanciful nature of the commission, I took my task very seriously, and set to work after compiling a "mood board" of relevant imagery.
I was inspired by cryptid art, vintage natural history art, the only popular depiction of the monster in a local newspaper (seen here on the upper left), and friezes of the famous Armenian Monastery on the Akhtamar Island located in that lake.
Drawing from these sources, I first created a series of portraits for the beast.
We combined the eyes and overall features of two designs to arrive at our final portrait.
Then, I created three alternatives for its body.
The raw, inked illustration followed the final approved sketch.
Cleaned portrait and finalized line-art:
Screentones, and finally, colour!
Thus ends another neat commission.
Thank you all for supporting me on Patreon, and beyond! :)
Remember, you can commission me to draw all and any creatures you want!
Comments
C. M. Kosemen
I love loaches - such subtle diversity! :)
MrttdnzAAFn
Very nice. I once drew something like this too but it was a giant stone loach the size of a small rowboat instead. Your design is way better.
C. M. Kosemen
We spoke - it's in the works!
James Bell
If it's something the commissioning person would be comfortable with, seeing the finished tattoo would be an interesting epilogue to this
