Project Description

Atlas Animalia

Creative Director: Andreas Walters
Layout: Andreas Walters
Illustration: Sarah Dahlinger
Contributions From:Elizabeth Chaipraditkul, Annamarie Mickey, Bake Bullock, Elizabeth Sander, Carol Darnell, BJ Hensley
Editing: Carol Darnell

Size: 8.5×11  in | 169 pages
Published: 2017
Recognition: Electrum Best seller on DTRPG

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Background

I had wanted to do a D&D biology book that explored various types of creatures and how they would adapt to numerous ecosystems. What is an owlbear in the snow? marsh? or tropical forest?  I discovered Sarah Dahlinger who first posted anatomy pictures on a facebook group and approached her to work on the Atlas Animalia project.

Project Challenges

  • Variants with each beast, we did a standard (D&D) version and then explored 4 unique ecological takes. Deciding which creatures would be included and then defining them was tricky.
  • Schedule, as Sarah was the sole artist on the project, she was required to create approximately 125 pieces for the project.
  • Managing Contributors, Much like the Baby Bestiary book, we followed the same modular format of entries where each entry can stand on it’s own, in this case each entry was one beast and their 4 variants, it was tricky to oversee all writing and ensure that everything stayed within concept and scope.