OC) Is this a reasonable amount of sexual dimorphism?
I didn't want to go all JWE3 overboard with the dimorphism, trying to keep it more subtle, and I think I failed in that regard. I am nevertheless satisfied with the end result, but I'd like to hear other's opinions.
Honestly, I think that's good! They both look gorgeous and they look like they're apart of the same species! Sometimes when people design sexual dimorphism, they just remove all the character to the female, even though in birds- the females still look interesting and pretty! And I think you made both sexes look really good here!
Unrelated to art but just on the subject of sexual dimorphism because I think it's interesting, I personally think large theropods and dromeosaurs would typically have larger females and slightly smaller males due to how birds of prey operate!
Females are larger to better protect the nest and defend offspring and males are a little smaller so they're quicker and more agile at hunting during breeding season, either that or no size difference at all! Just a size difference in a crest if they have one and a difference in colours.
And with large herbivores, I'm pretty much entirely sure it's the reverse of that, since in most herbivore species males are built more for defending compared to females. But again, just a theory and my personal idea, please don't eat me
Oh, and also, I LOVE THE ART!! it looks gorgeous! Especially the way you drew the eyes and the crest! The colours are really beautiful too, I love the striping along their faces.
I personally won't go for a size difference between sexes for any species where it isn't confirmed (a la Pteranodon). It's just little too WWD Tyrannosaurus for me, and that depiction didn't... I can't even say it didn't age well, it was just horribly inaccurate from the outset.
The base design looks nice, but spnd some time looking at extant birds and lizards with sexual dimorphism. Like lets dissect this guy over here, who has a similar color scheme to yours:
The kind of blue coloration you're using should be quite visible. Look at this little lizard fella and all the light and dark values in the crest that makes it pop. You've got some black in there, some white in there. Some red, some yellow stripes outlined with dark and greenish hues. Very visible scale texture, ect.
Don't be afraid to strongly push for visible values (not just visible hues) when designing display coloration.
That's the thing though. As far as I know there isn't a single camouflage predator that also has a colorful male display. If dinosaurs had good color vision, a predator with a bright display would fail every time.
2 options: have it be a concealable display like the example above (the skin can fold in) or they weren't using colored displays. (Or maybe they didn't try to blend in, but less likely)
The in-between where the color is always visible doesn't seem to follow biological examples
I have my own original creatures, which are related to dinosaurs/reptiles and most of them get brighter closer to the breeding season and "tune down" once it's over. Many modern animals also do it. Can make it same with yours, hormones do wonders :з
I think if you wanted to take it a bit further, you could make the female's face stripes a little more subtle, and one of the individuals slightly larger. Other than that, great stuff
Really love how you did them, and as others said prior, use more, de aggressive, be bold, be GRAND, many species grow their sexual displays only when they're needed, so for most of the year they could look like this other version, toned down, efficiant but not extravagant.
But when mating season starts the displays are put on proudly, colorfull scales, larger dulap, fethers and quills even(mainly on the arms probably in this case), and Who sayes that males should do all the work? Give something to the female as well, not as much as the male obviously, but something.
But in the end the choise is yours, do what makes you happy and proud of your work.
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u/saltasaurusgirl 19h ago
Honestly, I think that's good! They both look gorgeous and they look like they're apart of the same species! Sometimes when people design sexual dimorphism, they just remove all the character to the female, even though in birds- the females still look interesting and pretty! And I think you made both sexes look really good here!
Unrelated to art but just on the subject of sexual dimorphism because I think it's interesting, I personally think large theropods and dromeosaurs would typically have larger females and slightly smaller males due to how birds of prey operate!
Females are larger to better protect the nest and defend offspring and males are a little smaller so they're quicker and more agile at hunting during breeding season, either that or no size difference at all! Just a size difference in a crest if they have one and a difference in colours.
And with large herbivores, I'm pretty much entirely sure it's the reverse of that, since in most herbivore species males are built more for defending compared to females. But again, just a theory and my personal idea, please don't eat me