My New Book: Zero-Drag, Murder-Mouth: Alien Sharks And More

My new book, Zero-Drag, Murder-Mouth: Alien Sharks, explores the process of creature design – from the first thumbnail sketch to the final 3D render.

A bit about me, I grew up in the woods. We had a little camper with no heat, running water, or TV. I spent all my formative years outside, growing and observing the world around me, and memorizing animal identification books. This put me on the path that led to becoming a professional creature designer as well as a scientific illustrator.

I am fascinated by the way animals work. To survive in the wild, animals have adapted in thousands of amazing ways – be it venomous spines, glowing lures, invisible skin, retractable jaws, or teeth covered in an anti-drag coating. They hunt, feed, hide, fight, and mate in a world that only rewards the most clever and skilled among them.

What would it be like to apply those same principles to alien life?

In this book, you’ll see my thought process through six chapters with three highlighted creatures: a shark-like being, a creature that’s eaten by the shark creature, and a humanoid creature – which may or may not eat both of them.

More info: sarahdahlinger.com