Skulltula Ambush!, Nate Hallinan (2D)

Title: Skulltula Ambush!
Name: Nate Hallinan
Country: USA
Software: Photoshop
Submitted: 15th January 2014

My version of what a real Skulltula might look like. If you haven't played any of the Zelda games, Skulltulas are a nasty spiders in Hyrule. These awful enemies like to drop down and ambush their prey from above. If the fall doesn't knock you out, their deadly venom will. They generally like to feed on the contents of the head (brains, eyes, etc). If they need a new shell, they’ll carve out the skull and use it as armor like hermit crabs. The larger they grow the larger the skulls they have to obtain.

As always, more art and art tips on my FB art page: https://www.facebook.com/NateHallinanArt

Okay, that's awesome! I love Zelda, especially Ocarina of Time, so I'm familiar with the creatures. I think the level of detail you got on this character design is amazing. It's almost like the spider's a hermit crab by using it's web to attach a protective skull around the main part of its body. I remember what you did with the "Smurf Sighting" piece and I was blown away by that one as well (although the other one has more charm than this one, but it's hard to add charm to a spider-type creature). I love the attention to details with the hairs on the spider's legs and the webbing around it's body. Your attention to creature anatomy is really strong and I feel like this is a conceivable creature from another world (hats off to you). Is that an eye in the skull eye socket? It's really creepy (actually the whole creature is creepy; if I came across it, I'd run like hell; I hate spiders).

I like the out-of-focus look to the background (good perspective and correct environment, and there's enough there to know what the environment is but without taking away from the main subject). I also like the bits of dust or water that's falling off or around the creature (nice touch, very subtle). I can't really find anything to critique on (not without studying it for a long time, which I don't have right now), so I'll just say that this is an awesome piece that looks photo-realistic and came out great, and it's a great tribute to a familiar creature in the Zelda universe. Definitely a keeper for your portfolio. Keep it up. Great job.

Incredible work!!!

This looks awesome! Nice perspective, lighting and design for the spider. It looks very natural, and horrendous! I would not like to meet one of these

This is fantastic! I love your Goron too. Please keep doing these!

Fantastic work. The details you put in for the cobwebs are great. Now I have the urge to dust off my Ocarina of Time cartridge!

I don't suppose you have WIP shots of this? Would love to see a making of.

As a Zelda fan (Who isn't), I just love this!

Mylenium

looks good, hope The Legend of Zelda (Wii U) is close to that.

Both very freaky and very pretty at the same time. I don't like spiders much but this is very good looking

Cobra 6

was a bit scared. but now, thank you sweet heart ;-)

Amazing work!

big Zelda fan - saw this on reddit and fell in love, happy to have stumbled upon it again just now!

Great work. I personally am a zelda hardcore fan.

I really enjoy how the spider has webbed the skull unto his back very fun.

Really good work with the different textures and materials on the legs and the skull back end!

At first glance I thought it was a real spider you had found. Scary as hell!