Art: Fantastic Phrenology - Elves

We have arrived at the last Fantastic Phrenology entry for the foreseeable future. I have reached my limit of boring profile and mug shots. If you look back over past entries, you can probably see a decline in the attention to detail and proportion - which is kind of the opposite of what drawing every day is supposed to do for you, as I understand it.

Dungeons & Dragons (4th ed. Monster Manual I)

Slightly shorter than humans, and of a slighter build, these Elves have almond-shaped eyes that are just slightly proportionately larger and turned up at the outer corners. They share the same high cheekbones and sharp, delicate features possessed by the large majority of elves, regardless of origin. They are one of the few traditionally heroic races with pointed ears, by which they are generally most recognized.

World of Warcraft
Barring the occasional daemonic pact, the elven peoples of Azeroth, despite a pronounced variation in skin tone, are nearly identical in most other respects. Possessing overly large pointed ears which sweep back past the skull, perhaps the most unique feature of the full-blooded Warcraft elf is the ability to grow facial hair. Elongated eyebrows, not unlike the antennae of some great insect, add to their uniqueness among the elven variants.

Warhammer Fantasy Battle (7th ed.)
Of the elves portrayed here - even among all of the races and variants selected for this series, the elves of the Warhammer world are likely those which most closely resemble humans, albeit ones with the tell-tale high cheekbones and sharp, well-defined features. The ever-present pointed ears should come as little surprise, though the fact that they are proportionate the rest of the head might.

Art: Fantastic Phrenology - Ogres

The term 'ogre' refers to a large, cruel, monstrous and hideous humanoid monster, featured in mythology, folklore and fiction. Ogres are often depicted in fairy tales and folklore as feeding on human beings, and have appeared in many classic works of literature. Of French origin, the term is often applied in a metaphorical sense to disgusting persons who exploit, brutalize or devour their victims and may have originally referred to giants, rather than a separate race.

Dungeons & Dragons (4th ed. Monster Manual I)
Resembling an early ancestor of humans, D&D ogres have sloped foreheads overshadowing beady, deep-set eyes. Wide noses and large maws full of misshapen teeth take up most of the facial region. Ogres are typically depicted as having a deeply recessed hairline and varying amounts of facial hair - though the area around the mouth tends to have little more than stubble. As with nearly every other monstrous race, the ears are pointed. They are also relatively small in relation to the size of the skull, protruding slightly

World of Warcraft
Of the selection of Ogres presented, those inhabiting the world of Azeroth are the most generally animalistic in appearance as well as being possessed of the widest amount of variation within a single species. Specimens have been observed possessing either one or two eyes, one or more horns, hair - even two dissimilar heads! Most, however, appear to have large, semi-pointed ears and tusks in common. Surprisingly, these ogres appear to be capable of learning how to harness and utilize magic.

Warhammer Fantasy Battle (7th ed.)
The ogres of the Warhammer reality appear as oversized humans bearing a distinct resemblance to a certain race of central Asian origin. Facial features, while large, are fairly proportionate to a human's, though noses tend to be flat and wide and the teeth will often protrude at odd angles due to a lack of dental hygine and an insatiable and nearly indiscriminate appetite. Facial hair is common and typically worn in a culturally-derived fashion, as are the locks of hair which can occasionally be spotted.

Note: Instead of scanning these images as a color document, as I had been doing up to this point, I accidentally left the setting on black & white for the final two entries of the Fantastic Phrenology series. Any differences in presentation are likely a result of this goof. Any deficiency in quality, however, is likely a result of my own ability - or lack thereof.

Art: Fantastic Phrenology - Trolls

Of all the commonly appearing fantasy races, trolls seem to be the most varied and divergent - even within their own realities. I endeavored to record the features of the 'basic' troll present in each.

In case you were wondering (and how could you not?) This series of sketches is being recorded in a 3.5" x 5.5" Moleskine Pocket Sketchbook, using a Pilot Better extra fine retractable ballpoint pen (black ink). There are no preliminary sketches or pencil roughs - good or bad, everything is presented as it was put down in a single pass.

Dungeons & Dragons (Monster Manual I, 4th ed.)
The face of a troll is dominated by its long, pointed nose. The mouth is wide and filled with relatively small - albeit sharp - teeth. Proportionately small, the pointed ears sweep back and out, and have a tendency to droop. An unkempt mane of greasy black hair is not uncommon in the species, though it does not appear to grow anywhere else on the body in any significant amount. The spine connects to the skull further back than in the more civilized races - a trait more commonly seen in lower order carnivores. Consequently, the overall posture takes on a slouched appearance, with the head thrust forward.


World of Warcraft
Like the goblins of the Warcraft world, trolls have large ears and long pointed noses. The former being more swept back and the later being thinner and only slightly more in proportion to the face than their smaller Horde-mates. Additionally, their facial structure tends to be longer and generally more narrow, in proportion. However, it would appear that the defining feature among trolls in this reality are the two large tusks that grow down and curve up out of their mouths. Hair may be present on the face and head, and tends to be a warm, bright color of a contrasting nature to that of their cool-hued skin.


Warhamer Fantasy Battle (7th ed.)
Most animalistic of the specimens observed, the Warhammer troll has thick, mottled skin bordering on the verge of being reptilian in nature. Indeed, the regenerative properties of the troll are not unlike those observed among reptiles and amphibians - though that topic extends beyond a casual taxonomic discussion such as this. The mouth is large and filled with oversized, misshapen teeth that jut out. The nose is large and flat with small nostrils, and the ears are little more than ragged scraps of flesh that sweep back and sag downward. The rearward connection of the skull and spine that is present in the D&D troll is even more pronounced in this specimen, exacerbating the hunched appearance.

Art: Fantastic Phrenology - Orcs

I am noticing an interesting phenomenon as I make these sketches - when I hate the profile, I am usually okay with how the mug shot looks; conversely, when I like the profile, the mug shot tends to be disappointing. I guess that's better than flat out hating both of them, right?

Dungeons & Dragons (4e Monster Manual I)
In comparing the realities, the Orcs of the D&D world appear the most simian in nature. A sloping brow leads down to a flat, upturned snout; which in turn follows a slightly convex upper perioral region to a powerful lower jaw dominated by two tusks. The ears are proportionally small to the head and situated slightly lower than other humanoids. The body is covered in a layer of short but dense hair, usually of a dull gray hue. A subtle brown or greenish tint may be present in the hide.

World of Warcraft
Like their D&D relatives, the Warcraft Orc is defined by his powerful lower jaw and the enlarged canines that protrude from it. The ears are large, pointed, and generally sweep back and slightly out from the skull. The brow and nose are most akin to humans, as are the areas and frequency of hair appearing on the head.

Warhammer Fantasy Battle (7th ed.)
The Warhammer orc has a thick, protruding brow shading beady eyes and an upturned snub nose that crown a disproportionately large upper-perioral region. A powerful lower jaw frames a large mouth in which teeth rapidly grow long and large enough to protrude at random from the lips. The pointed ears are not oversized, but do stick out more so than in the other realities. Warhammer orcs are naturally hairless. It is not unusual, however, to see an orc adorn its head with a pelt, tail or other hair-bearing accessory - usually taken by force from the original owner.

Art: Fantastic Phrenology - Goblins

Phrenology (noun) - The study of the shape and protuberances of the skull, based on the now discredited belief that they reveal character and mental capacity.

-The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.

Fantastic Phrenology (noun) - The comparison of the shape and protuberances of a given fictional race appearing across a spectrum of fantasy realities, communicated via a collection of casual observations and rough sketches.

- The Kingworks Creative Blog, 2010

Dungeon & Dragons (4th ed. Monster Manual I)
D&D goblins are the most individually varied, but still maintain a few common traits among their kind: A wide protruding forehead with a thick brow overshadowing the eyes; a small upturned nose; pointed ears swept back at roughly 45° angle from the skull. Small, mishapen teeth that are less sharp than they are broken and poorly cared for. These goblins have the most hair (usually greasy and unkempt) and the widest range of skin tones and texture (often mottled).

World of Warcraft
The goblins of the Warcraft world all appear to have pointed ears that sweep out to the sides of the skull and a long pointed nose, both oversized in relation to the rest of the head. The chin descends to a point and the lips are well defined. These features appear softer and more rounded on the females. Males typically have a shock of hair sprouting towards the back of the skull in a variety of colors - whether the colors are natural or not, this observer could not discern. The skin is almost always green, with males being a few shades darker than females. Of the goblins, the Warcraft goblin appears to have the largest eyes.

Warhammer Fantasy Battle (7th edition)
The face of the Warhammer goblin is dominated by a thick, fleshy nose. It has bhe most well-defined jawline of the goblins and it's ears, while not as large as the Warcraft goblin in proportion to its head, stick out to the side in a similar fashion. While the braincase is the smallest of the three, its teeth are the largest. The eyes are small and deep-set under a thick brow. The Warhammer goblin is always some shade of green and naturally hairless.