Coleoptera

This page was created for artists helping out with my Animalia Project. It has specifications for sizes, DPI, etc that the project requires. If you have not been contacted by Yeesha Stone to help with the project you likely have wandered into the wrong place, please return here for basic Animalia stuff.

Artist Info

First and foremost I would like to say thank you for helping out with this project. It's because of people like you that this project even has a chance to become reality. If you have any questions please contact me (Yeesha Stone) and i'd be happy to answer any of them.

This document is filled with all the info you as an artist could possibly want when it comes to drawing the Coleoptera species. You do not need to read all of it unless you want to as there is a lot of fun lore out there about the species. However, the information on this page I believe is important to understand when it comes to drawing an Coleoptera so please take some time to read this page in its entirety.

Coleoptera physical characteristics

- All Coloptera start in a grub-like form

- When they reach sexual maturity most pupate into a beetle like form, however some stay in their grub form

List of physical characteristics that beetle-like Coleoptera have

Link to full page here

-Beetle like forms have long, segmented feet (about half the length of their bottom leg segment)

-their feet/ legs should be based on the shape of the beetle's IRL feet (most only have 2 'toes')

-their 'waist line' is quite high up

-their abdomen bends bends backwards much like a tail

-their chest/throax is quite small

-they do NOT have wings (and so can not fly) but they do have Elytra (the shell that covers the wings)

-their Elytra often rests on either side of their thorax

-a small bit of shell sits between their head and their throax called the 'mantle'

-the Elytra are tucked under this mantel

-they have small necks that are mostly covered by the mantle

- their arms should be shaped similarly to the beetle they are based on legs (may have ridges or multiple segments)

-their hands only have 3 digits (two fingers and a thumb)

-Their eyes are slightly raised above their head and can be colored if desired (see ancient vs modern eyes for more details)

-Their antenni sit near the base of their eyes and 'mouth' and are used like eyebrows as their faces can't really emote

-their mouths are made up of 4 parts, and 'upper jaw' a 'lower jaw' and two sides jaws that slice food that enters their mouths

-most also have palps near their 'mouths' that are like a pair of small antenna that help them with feeling what they are eating

-their head is rotated about 90 degrees forward from the IRL beetle's head position

-many beetles have different proportions on their body so be sure to follow the real beetles references

List of physical characteristics that grub-like Coleoptera haveLink to full page here

- Grub forms have mitten-like hands with one thumb and one large 'finger'

-They have tails that are exertions of their bodies

-their legs are stubby and have two 'toes'

-when babies may have only nubs for arms and feet

-grub body shapes can look very different, so please look at a reference of the real grub to get a basic body shape (some have armor, and some are more worm-like)

-all grubs have segmented bodies

-their mouths are similar to the beetle form mouths with a top and body jaw as well as two side 'jaws' that slice food as it enters their mouths

-they have short, stubby antenna and palp like extrusions on their faces (near the base of their eyes and edges of their mouth)

-unlike beetle forms, their brows have a lot of movement allowing them to express themselves a lot more

Animalia/ Coloptera Clothing and Gear

The clothing style for Animalia is what I like to call 'reserved steampunk'. This means the classic victorian outfits with the vibe of steampunk without all the unnecessary gears and pipes. Feel free to add extra flourishes, but try to keep it somewhat realistic/ usable stuff.

- please add at least one weapon and piece of armor to their outfit.

- there are no 'magic' classes in Animalia so please do not dress any Aves up as wizards/ warlocks.

-They wear pants, shirts, shoes, etc. Please cloth them as we don't want any naked beetles!

-All Coloptera subspecies belong to a 'house' based on the shape of their antenni

-each house has a symbol that represents it. Coloptera can occasionally be found wearing clothing with these symbles on things such as pendents, stiched into their shirts or even on some weapons

-the symbol can be any color but black is most common

-the symbol's are as follows

Filiform
Clavate
Capitate
Serrate
Pectinate
Geniculate
Lamellate

-more info on houses can be found here

Beetle form outfits

-they often button their pants in the back going around the bent part of their abdomen (much like buttoning around a tail)

-they have high waists and so wear their pants higher up then most Animalian

- Their shoes match their feet, so very long and flexable

- Their shirts button around their elytra and attach to the area around their neck between the neck and the mantle. This leaves a gap in the back to let the elytra move freely

-They wear their elytra with pride and hardly ever cover it up

-make sure their outfits can allow them to slip in and out easily (so lots of buttons)

-all head gear should not cover their antenni

Grub form outfits

-their clothing drapes over their body such as around their 'armor' or their 'waist

-rarely wear any kind of pants and wear skirts, dresses or kilts more

-any kind of 'pant' buttons up around them and has a whole for their tail

-use lots of belts and buttons to hold their clothing onto them

More References

You can find the full info on the Coleoptera species as well as fun facts, social characteristics, and other lore stuff here as well as common details people miss when drawing the species.

Helpful drawings that others have done for the project can be found here.

IRL beetle references can be found here.

Gear and clothing references can be found here.

Having trouble with something or need help contacting someone for the project? Check out our Discord here

Resolution and Specifications

There are many different kinds of art that are needed for this project each with there out specifications and outlines. Please follow the link below for the specifications for the type of art you are drawing for the project.

Subspecies sheet

Legend

Rules

Talents

Items/ other