Minkets! I know I said everyone likes kovers, but honestly, minkets are really everyone’s favorite monster. To find out why, read the book! :) I started designing them using aye-ayes as my model. For those of you that don’t know what I’m talking about, here is a picture of an aye-aye:
Picture of an aye-aye, with big ugly eyes, weird scraggly fur, and sort of leathery ears. Image source.
Ugly isn’t quite the right word—hideous? Terrifying? Granted, some other pictures of aye-ayes are a bit easier on the eye, but this is where I started.
Minkets are relatively friendly monsters, in it for themselves, obviously, but willing to work with other animals, humans, or monsters to survive. They will eat anything (literally anything), and are ravenous gobblers of all cuisine. If you are insecure about your cooking? Get a minket.
You know Nibbler from Futurama? I love the way he eats, so that’s how I imagine minkets eat.
Here’s another one, with a meal scene right in the middle:
Anyway, you get the drift.
So minkets eat a lot and everything. They are wily, smart, able to communicate to a certain extent. They are social animals, but are perfectly capable of being independent. They have families, and remember them, even when they get separated or one dies.
They have big ears, human-like fingers, and sharp blades that extend from their knuckles that they use when fighting or to rip apart food to make it easier to eat. They can climb, run, and hunt. And they have blood red eyes. There are a few other characteristics of minkets as well, but since they are a key monster in the series, I’m going to keep a few secrets. Muahahahahahahahahaha.
Here was my first sketch:
A rough sketch of a minket sitting on a branch, done in red, black, and brown.
And of course, here is the full illustration, done in stippling:
A minket sitting on a branch, with big ears, long tail, wiry fur done in pointilism.
For this drawing, I experimented with layering textures, especially in the fur and her left hip, and was really pleased with the results. Also, her teeth are amazing.
If you’re interested in reading the book, click here to order it on Amazon.