Open Species February Prompt

Tag: #OSFeb24

Goal: To create (or further develop) a species (open or closed) and delve into it’s lore, traits, what makes it unique and what you like about the characters you’ve made from said species! This is meant to be fun and causal, so feel welcome to bend or edit any prompts to fit your own needs.

Prompts:

1. Introduce Species: Show the species that you intend to use for this prompt. The easiest way to start is by showing the OC you plan on showcasing throughout the month.

2. Share Lore: What lore have you developed for the species? Is there any? Even for the most simple of species, what makes them what they are? Showcase their history or charm with art or writing!

3. Trait Sheet: Share some of the more common or baseline traits your species can have. This can be an expansive list of every trait of various rarity, or just the essential features that makes your species what it is.

4. Expressions: Explore your species by sketching some expressions. How do they emote? How does their face morph with certain emotions?

5.  Body In Motion: How does your species move? How do they carry their body? Draw an action shot or dynamic pose to bring your character’s body some activity!

6. NPC / Trait Expression: Draw your species’ traits in some plain characters. These characters are meant just to show what certain traits or combos there are, so don’t worry about designing something too grand.

7. Daily Life: For your species, or the character you’ve chosen to showcase, what does their day look like? Take a slice out of their day-to-day to make art of!

8. Flora & Fauna: Does your species live somewhere that has its own special or alien life? Design your open species a little critter companion! If not, draw them interacting with an animal that may have inspired your species’ design (in any way!).

9. Baby Mode: What does your species look like in its infancy? As a toddler? Is there big jumps in growth or development? Draw your character as a baby!

10. Fashion Show: Does your species wear any special outfits? Ceremonial garbs? Species-specific or lore-relevant outfits are welcome, but if not, dress up your OC!

11. Chibi / Style Change: Draw your OC as a chibi! This is a good way to make sure that your species’ unique features are still identifiable, even compressed or on a small scale. If you can’t do chibis, try drawing in a style unfamiliar to your own.  

12. Rare Traits: Showcase some of the rare traits that your species can have! Is there anything that may turn your species into Semi-Open or Closed by having said trait? If not, draw a character with your favorite trait!

13. Anthro <-> Feral: If your species is Anthro (upright), draw them a Feral (animalistic/quadruped) form! If the opposite is true, draw them from Feral into Anthro. (These designs do not have to be canon to your species!)

14. Sketch Page: Do a page (of any size) full of sketches of your species. These are meant to be fast and loose, so make sure to capture the essence and feel of your species without worrying about the details.

15. With Weapon / Prop: Is your species full of warriors? Maybe artists? Use staffs? Bookish? Draw your OC with any prop or interacting with a prop.

16. New Trait: Design a new trait for your species! Do they grow new horns, develop spikes, or maybe become a new subspecies? Workshop as many as you’d like!

17. Realistic Texture: Take a part of your species and focus on rendering that part realistically. Do they have iridescent scales? Fine fuzz? Whiskers? Tusks? Showcase some realism if you can!

18. Full Art / Render: Draw a nice, clean piece of artwork of your OC. Make sure it has clean lines and a little shading, if able!

19. Faux Merch: If you were to make merch of/from your species, what would you make? A marketable plushie? A vinyl figurine? An accessory from your OC? Acrylic charm? Decide what you’d like and mock up what that merch might look like.

20. Chara Bio 1: Design a character or showcase a character from your species. Introduce them and give them some personality with things like likes, dislikes, and such!

21. Chara Bio 2: Design another character or showcase a character from your species. Introduce them and give them some personality with things like likes, dislikes, and such!

22. Chara Bio 3: Design a final character or showcase a character from your species. Introduce them and give them some personality with things like likes, dislikes, and such!

23. Group Photo: Draw all three characters from days 20, 21 and 22 together! This is a nice way to show how even though they’re from the same species, various traits can create tons of individuality.

24. Dig In: Does your species have a special diet? A cultural food? Or maybe just a favorite snack? Draw how your species chows down!

25. Favorite Things: What’s your favorite part of your species? Do you have a trait you like over any others? If not, draw your OC doing something either you or your OC love to do.

26. Romantics: How does your species show love? Is there any dimorphism between the sexes? Want to do something more NSFW? This prompt is left up to your interpretation!

27. Rest: Draw how your OC or species sleeps! If not, rest up before the last day!

28. CELEBRATE: This is the final day! Celebrate it however you’d like, but for some ideas:
- Compile your favorite pieces
- Showcase the designs you’ve made from the month
- Update your species reference sheet from the beginning of the month (if relevant)

Thanks for participating! Do as many prompts as you’d like and feel welcome to change whatever you need to do for what you’re able to!