beautiful o___o

love the design!

Really neat design - I love the detail in the spikes on the neck and head; it gives you a real sense of the ice element in that they look much like snowflake tips or crystals... the forelegs look wonderful as well (excellent shading and attention to anatomic detail). If I had to be nitpicky about anything, it would be the hind legs; everything below the knee seems a little small in proportion to the thigh and overall build of the body, but that's just a personal opinion.

I'll love to see this when it's finished - might I look forward to the possibility of a colored version, as well??

It's good to hear from you!
I agree on the legs as well. I also would like to round out it's chest area and make it a little more robust.
Thank you for your comment on my anatomic detail. It's tough when it's not a "real" creature. I have only what little is in my mind to pull from.

I will be coloring it, but not entirely. I'm going to leave a larger portion of the body uncolored/black and white. I would like to have it giving a deep "sigh" of sorts, with a few flames coming from it's nostrils, and using the color of the fire to highlight the areas of it's body (as well as the soon to come) and ice covering it.

Thanks for the comment!

I get what you mean with the difficulties with fantasy animals - sometimes you just have to resort to guesswork when it comes to anatomical details that don't correspond to real life. Still, since most fantasy critters draw on components of real animals, you can find "piece-wise" reference material, you know? Like, for dragons, I try to look at iguanas & reptiles with unusual features, and bat wings are similar enough in structure... or bird wings if that's your cup of tea...also more recent (i.e. better-informed) depictions of dinosaurs make for great inspiration... a dragon is really just a dinosaur variation, if you think about it!

The same can be applied to any fantasy critter, really.... pheonixes often draw on the plumage of pheasants and/or tropical birds, unicorns (obviously) from horses, sea monsters from various fish and other sea life, and I could go on forever. I keep tons of books and stock files of animal photos for just that sort of purpose. Sometimes I'll just flip through animal encyclopedias when I'm lacking inspiration.

Sounds like and interesting plan - though I am curious as to why an ice dragon is breathing fire, but, heck, it's fantasy! So it's all good. I do hope some pale blues find their way into the picture though! It would complement the orages of flames nicely and, of course, add to the impression of the ice.

You're quite welcome!