Dragon Interview on NPR with William O'Connor

Interview with William O'Connor at WNPR

Click the link below to listen to author/ artist William O'Connor on WNPR radio talk about the history and cultural legacy of the world of dragons.

http://wnpr.org/post/dragons-rule

Dragon of the Month: Lernaen Hydra

Lernaen Hydra

Hydrus lernaeus 
Size:20'
Recognition: Snake body with multiple necks and heads.
Habitat: Mediterranean seas, marshes and lakes
Classification: Draco/Hydradracoforme/
Hydridae/Hydrus/ H. lernaeus

 


















The Lernaen Hydra is one of the most famous species in the dragon class. Once quite common along the Mediterranean sea coasts and rivers, today the Lernaen Hydra is a rare find. Similar to other species in the Hydra family the Lernaen Hydra possesses multiple heads with which it uses to hunt for its prey along the river beds and lake sides. Primarily feeding on small rodents, fish and eels the Lernaen Hydra is usually not a threat to the human populations nearby. However its poisonous bite can kill a man if consecutive bites are suffered. Because of a historic fear of all dragons the Lernaen Hydra has been hunted extensively throughout the centuries leaving their populations greatly decreased.

The most famous accounts of the Lernaen Hydra is that depicted in the classical Greek legend of Hercules, who traveled to Lake Lernae in Greece to slay a specimen that lived there. This legend has produced a large number of works of art depicting the encounter.  A secondary legend of Hercules has the hero battling a one hundred headed hydra named Ladon.

The Lernaen Hydra
3rdC bc. Greek


The Lernaen Hydra
2nd C.ad. Roman Mosaic

Hercules and The Hydra
Gustave Moreau

To view a selection from the book or purchase Dracopedia visit:
Amazon.con/Dracopedia


©2009-2017William O'Connor Studios.  Dracopedia is © & ™ William O'Connor and William O'Connor Studios.
All rights reserved.

Dragon of the Month: Fafnir

by

William O'Connor

Arthur Rackham.  "Fafnir and Sigurd"

For thousands of years dragons have fueled the imaginations of artists and writers all over the world.  The primeval fear, awe and respect that we humans have had for these creatures has written them into the very fabric of our cultures, with myths legends and fables about dragons filling hundreds of volumes.  Perhaps nowhere in the world was the legend of the dragon more iconic than in the legend of Sigurd and Fafnir.

Fafnir was not a true dragon but was in fact a dwarf who was transformed by greed into a dragon killing his father Hreidmar, and stealing the golden horde for himself.  Sigurd, the son of Sigmund is enlisted by Fafnir's brother Regin to take the legendary sword Gram, hunt down Fafnir and slay him.  Once Sigurd encounters Fafnir he realizes that the dragon is too powerful to fight and so he digs a pit outside the dragon's lair and hides inside.  When Fafnir leaves his cave to find Sigurd, he steps over the pit and from below Sigurd thrusts the sword Gram upward and impales the dragon, killing him.

This tale is a classic story of Germanic dragon lore and establishes one of the best stories that influences dragon stories for hundreds of years, where the hero is unable to vanquish the dragon through strength of arms and must use cunning and deception.  Pieces of the Sigurd and Fafnir tale are seen again in the JRR depiction of Smaug in The Hobbit.  

Below are some historical examples of art of Fafnir...

Enjoy.

WOC

Python Dragon Time Lapse Sketch

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=deU3AGtGoPM&feature=share

Check out my Time Lapse video of a recent digital painting: Python Dragon

Enjoy!

WOC

Dracopedia on Facebook

Dracopedia now has a Facebook page!

Like Dracopedia and get all the news, informations and updates for what's happening with the Award winning book series by William O'Connor.

Events, Signings, Convention Schedules, and Contests!

See you there.

WOC

Muybridge Dragon

Recently discovered Muybridge photos of a dragon in flight.

Enjoy.

WOC

Dracopedia:The Great Dragons

The second installment in the Dracopedia series is coming!

Dracopedia: The Great Dragons is due for release in June 2012. Following my around the world expedition to draw the dragons in their native environments the book is filled with sketches, drawings, and exciting history of the amazing dragons of the world.

This edition is filled with new drawings, paintings and tutorials for understanding these amazing creatures in more detail than ever before. Including in-depth tutorials for artists and dragon enthusiast alike!

Keep watching for updates for my appearances, demonstrations and discussions in the coming months.

Thank you.

WOC

Dracopedia Sketchbook #6

New Dragon Sketch for The Dracopedia Project. Enjoy.

WOC




















Ligurian Dragon Stantant
Pencil on Paper
11"x14"

Dracopedia: Dragons of the World Poster

Remember that every copy of Dracopedia comes with a 27" full color poster of all the Dragons of the World....

Check it out.

WOC






To view a selection from the book or purchase Dracopedia visit:
Amazon.com/Dracopedia


©2010William O'Connor/William O'Connor Studios/Dracopedia:A Guide to Drawing the Dragons of the World/The Dracopedia Project. All rights reserved.

The Redcrosse Knight and the Dragon

I'm currently working on a new private commission of the Redcrosse Knight and the Dragon. As the digital sketch develops I will transition to a traditional oil medium. Still working on the design. It is also the subject of my new video sketch evolution on YouTube
To watch the video click here: Redcrosse Knight

Enjoy
WOC










































To view a selection from the book or purchase Dracopedia visit:
Amazon.com/Dracopedia


©2010William O'Connor/William O'Connor Studios/Dracopedia:A Guide to Drawing the Dragons of the World/The Dracopedia Project. All rights reserved.

Dracopedia Sketchbook #005

Dragons love to sleep. Warming themselves in the sun is a big part of the day, using their wings as solar panels.
Two studies of dragons in Couchant pose.

Enjoy

WOC


















To view a selection from the book or purchase Dracopedia visit:
Amazon.com/Dracopedia


©2010William O'Connor/William O'Connor Studios/Dracopedia:A Guide to Drawing the Dragons of the World/The Dracopedia Project. All rights reserved.

Dragon of the Month: British Spitfire Dragonette

British Spitfire Dragonette(Dragonel)
Volucrisus britainicus

Size: 25'
Wingspan: 30'
Recognition: Bipedal body with small fore limbs. Long tail and broad wings. Bright green and tan markings (male) Brown Markings (female)
Habitat: Highlands of the British Islands
Taxonomy: Draco/Aerodraciforme/Volucrisidae
/Volucrisus/V. britainicus

Soaring high over the lake district, or winging across the English Channel in bright formations, no sight in the dragon world conjures a more romantic image than the English Spitfire Dragonette. The Dragonette has a long history in Britain, beginning with its introduction by the Romans during the reign of Claudius in the 1st C. Although small breeds of wild dragonettes existed earlier, it is the Roman Dragonette that begins the proud tradition of riding dragons in England. When Rome abandoned its English provinces in the early 5th C. the English dragon riding tradition went fallow for hundreds of years during the reigns of the many saxon and viking warlords.In 1066 William the Conqueror reintroduced the riding dragon to England where today's breeds begin their lineage. During the middle ages the monarchy prided itself on a formidable dragon force, and many knights used riding dragonettes as their mounts. During the crusades many knights returned to England with Arabian breeds that were additionally added to English breeding stock. King Henry V is known to have rode an early English dragonette into battle at Agincourt. Even Oliver Cromwell is documented as having used the riding dragon during his campaigns.

The modern riding dragonette that is today known as the British Spitfire was first documented in 1815 as the name of the mount of the Duke of Wellington at the Battle of Waterloo. The field marshal's fame led to the breeding of his personal dragonette into an seperate breed that became known as the Spitfire. The Spitfire became the most famous and popular riding dragonette breed during the nineteenth century, and in 1833 was adopted as the official breed of British Royal Dragon Guard, which was a small elite troop of British dragoniers, and is still to this day.The Spitfire is most famous for coming into its own during WWI. At the height of the war in 1914 there were over 1000 Spitfires on active duty, performing reconnaissance missions over enemy held territory. Sadly however the slow flying, unarmored dragons were easy prey to the new weapons and by the end of the war only a few dozen still remained having been completely eclipsed by airplanes. In WWII it is no coincidence that the most beloved and famous fighter aircraft was dubbed The Spitfire.

Today the Royal Dragon Guard still uses Spitfires as their mounts, and are kept at the Royal Mews, near Hyde park in London. These Spitfires are used for ceremonial purposes only, but the Spitfire is still a favorite among breeders and racers.











Spitfire Overhead View














Wild Spitfire Habitat



To view a selection from the book or purchase Dracopedia visit:
Amazon.com/Dracopedia


©2010William O'Connor/William O'Connor Studios/Dracopedia:A Guide to Drawing the Dragons of the World/The Dracopedia Project. All rights reserved.

Dragon of the Month: North American Wyvern

North American Wyvern
Wyvernus morcaudus

Size: 30'
Wingspan: 30'
Recognition: Bipedal body, with long barbed tail and broad wings. Bright wingspots (male)
Habitat: Alpine mountain North America
Classification: Draco/Aerodraciforme/Wyvernidae
/Wyvernus/W. morcaudus




The most dangerous species of the Wyvern family of dragons, the North American wyvern has become synonymous with danger. First recorded in 1805 in what is now Yellowstone National Park by the Lewis and Clark expedition. The animal has quickly become both hated and admired for its ferocity. Making its natural habitat in the North American Rocky Mountains stretching from Utah up into Canada, the NA wyvern is the largest predator in its environment hunting bison, elk, and caribou as it is available. The NA wyvern may live in packs of up to a dozen individuals hunting in teams, bringing down several prey at a time. The male wyvern is the primary hunter bringing kill back to the lair for females and hatchlings to feed. In the fall rutting season, the male wyvern's unmistakable wing spots grow more vibrant and are used in complex displays to attract females.
Scientists believe that the North American wyvern is a direct cousin of the extinct European wyvern, much depicted in medieval and gothic paintings. It is argued by some dragon-biologists that with the rise of humans in Europe throughout the middle ages and into the Renaissance, that the much-hunted wyvern migrated to North America. Abundant and larger game in America aloud the wyverns of the Rockies to grow to almost double their European counterparts size, becoming the largest member of the wyvern family.
The North American wyvern was hunted extensively throughout the 19th century during the expansion of the frontier. In 1913 Glacier National Park in Montana was designated the first protected habitat of the North American Wyvern, followed afterward by Yellowstone and Rocky Mountain National Parks. Illegal poaching by ranchers, as well as the decimation of the bison population (their primary food source), brought the NA wyvern to the brink of extinction. In 1965 the World Wildlife Organization placed the wyvern on the endangered species list. In 1998 the population of the wyvern had grown back to such a point that today the animal is legally hunted in certain places. There are over 100 reported wyvern attacks every year by hunters, hikers and ranchers throughout the Rocky Mountain States. Despite the dangers the North American wyvern is one of the most powerful and beloved animals in America and every year millions of people flock to National parks hoping to catch a glimpse of this magnificent animal.

Historical Imagery of the Wyvern....
















To view a selection from the book or purchase Dracopedia visit:
Amazon.com/Dracopedia


©2010William O'Connor/William O'Connor Studios/Dracopedia:A Guide to Drawing the Dragons of the World/The Dracopedia Project. All rights reserved.

Dragon of the Month: Storm Dragon

Storm Dragon (Chinese Dragon)
Nimibiaquidus tempestus

Size: 50'
Recognition: Long serpentine body with broad fur mane. Markings vary by region.
Habitat: Northern Asian highlands and mountains.
Classification: Draco/Terradraciforme/Nimibiaquidae
/Nimibiaquidus/n. tempestus
Also Known As: ChineseDragon, Thunder Dragon


The Storm Dragon is a creature that has been imbued with centuries of powerful legend, but is today one of the rarest of the dragon species. A large predatory flightless dragon in the family Nimibiaquidae, the Storm Dragon lives in the alpine regions of the Asian continent stretching from the north in Siberia to as far south as the Tibetan Plateau. Its thick pelts of fur insulate the dragon in the harsh arctic climates it favors and the twin antlers, (unique to the male only) are used in mating competitions between rivals. In the winter months the Storm Dragon will migrate south to find nesting lairs. The long whiskers, tongue and unique nose structure give the storm dragon the ability to travel and hunt in blinding weather conditions, attacking prey undetected. This habit of moving silently and invisibly through the clouds of fog and snow that blanket the Asian highlands have led to the Storm Dragon's name and fed the mythology of many of its supernatural abilities.

Hunting for large game such as elk, caribou, and yak, the Storm Dragon is a powerful animal that has become the very symbol of power itself in many Asian cultures. In China the Storm Dragon is synonymous with the emperor and graces many works of art. Come to represent good fortune and prosperity the Storm Dragon is loved and feared around the region.

In the small Himalayan country of Bhutan, the Storm Dragon is known as the Thunder Dragon and is emblazoned on their flag. Such mythological importance is placed on the dragon there that the ruler of Bhutan is referred to as The Dragon King, and its inhabitants called The People of the Thunder Dragon. The Jigme Dorji Wildlife Sanctuary in northern Bhutan is the largest nesting grounds of the Storm Dragon.

Today, with the industrialization of much of its habitat,
and the loss of many of its natural hunting and breeding grounds, the Storm Dragon is endangered. It is believed that there may be as few as 500 specimens living in the wild. Efforts by the Chinese government to breed the dragon in captivity have all failed. With effort, this beautiful, majestic and powerful creature will hopefully survive for centuries to come.


Below: Historical images of the Storm Dragon:






































To view a selection from the book or purchase Dracopedia visit:
Amazon.com/Dracopedia


©2009William O'Connor/William O'Connor Studios/Dracopedia:A Guide to Drawing the Dragons of the World/The Dracopedia Project. All rights reserved.