My name is Dana Elliott La Rosa. I am male and also go by the name of Dan.
I draw creatures out of my own passion and entertainment. I started making them about 7 years ago.
I started drawing them by a random fluke. I was bored in a study hall back in 8th grade, and decided to doodle a random creature. I was pleased with the design I had came up with, and decided to draw more of them from there on ever since.
I don’t know how I’m able to come up with new ideas so easily.
I’ve always figured that my autism gives me a unique ability to visually imagine things that nobody else has ever seen before. I basically just try to picture a bunch of random shapes, colors, and designs in my head, and then I combined them all, and come up with a new creature design.
It takes me anywhere from an hour and a half to three hours to draw one. The part that amazes me the most is how when I first started drawing them it was much harder to come up with ideas, but it has instead become easier and easier to come up with new ideas over the years.
Anybody would expect that the more ideas that I come up with then the closer I would be to running out of ideas eventually, but the exact opposite has proven to be true. I have gone on many hiatuses over the years with drawing them due to a lack of motivation, because sometimes I wonder if I will never be able to make a use out of them.
If I could somehow have consistent motivation with drawing these, then I know the sky will be the limit for how many more I can draw.
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Dan would like to know how he can make a living out of drawing these creatures. If you have any ideas email him at artist5822@gmail.com. Dan currently has 265 of them and counting. See his portfolio here.
Dan,
265 creatures is an impressive footprint for a property.
I was thinking of several possibilities:
Gift shops and newsagents are always looking for new gifts. If you like to give the creatures to others this is a possibility.
Restaurants are looking for decor and conversation pieces.
Many of these creatures are probably open to conventions and cosplay. How would you like to have your creatures embodied? And it opens up the possibility for scripts.
Animations are great.
Perhaps they could serve as guides to maps and locations.
Each one probably has a characteristic. Do you have any character sheets which could be used? That way you could maintain control over each creature and their interactions.
The portfolio link seems not to be working for me at the moment.
These are awesome drawings!