Kirin, Qilin, whatever you want to call it...
It's not a unicorn! Fun fact, the "Qilin" ("Kirin" in Japan) is a real animal! No, you're not going to find a draconic deer running about in the wild, but you will find what a Qilin really was describing: the Giraffe.
Seriously. As with many fantastical animals (such as the unicorn and manticore), when ancient Chinese people described what we know as a Giraffe, spots like scales became a literal depiction of a deer-like/dragon-like creature with scales like a dragon. And, based on which country's depiction of what became the Kirin you look at, it can be anything from a very dragon-like creature to something that very much resembles the Western unicorn.
Kind of sad that none of them really resemble what caused the Kirin's creation in the first place, so while keeping with a deer-like/dragon-like creature, I threw in a few nods to the Giraffe. Namely, a longer neck and tufted tail. Although the tail needs work. I'll need to mess with it some. Also, I went with two tones for the body to give the impression of a scaled hide, but soft underside...or something. Maybe I'm just being silly, but it looked cool in my head:
Kirin Plush Prototype by ~IchibanVictory on deviantART
I'm pretty happy with how it turned out. Also fun, I have been frustrated with seams being very visible, so after some reading online, I bought some polyester thread, so my creations are now entirely made of...plastic. Er...yay. BUT! The thread doesn't stand out since it is clear, so I'm very happy with how the test turned out! Also, it's easier to deal with when trying to sew around all of that fake fur, much more than when using cotton thread. I can't wait to sew more critters with my clear thread!
Seriously. As with many fantastical animals (such as the unicorn and manticore), when ancient Chinese people described what we know as a Giraffe, spots like scales became a literal depiction of a deer-like/dragon-like creature with scales like a dragon. And, based on which country's depiction of what became the Kirin you look at, it can be anything from a very dragon-like creature to something that very much resembles the Western unicorn.
Kind of sad that none of them really resemble what caused the Kirin's creation in the first place, so while keeping with a deer-like/dragon-like creature, I threw in a few nods to the Giraffe. Namely, a longer neck and tufted tail. Although the tail needs work. I'll need to mess with it some. Also, I went with two tones for the body to give the impression of a scaled hide, but soft underside...or something. Maybe I'm just being silly, but it looked cool in my head:
Kirin Plush Prototype by ~IchibanVictory on deviantART
I'm pretty happy with how it turned out. Also fun, I have been frustrated with seams being very visible, so after some reading online, I bought some polyester thread, so my creations are now entirely made of...plastic. Er...yay. BUT! The thread doesn't stand out since it is clear, so I'm very happy with how the test turned out! Also, it's easier to deal with when trying to sew around all of that fake fur, much more than when using cotton thread. I can't wait to sew more critters with my clear thread!