Jeff West A Christmas card re-imagining the Nativity scene
After several years of DinoBunny character holiday season greeting cards, I took digital pen to touchscreen to birth a new composition … with at least one dinosaur contributing.
Drawing on an earlier scenario
In my earlier post on the Spinosaurus aegyptiacus digital collage, I explored the return of this extraordinary creature to a pencil sketch that had been waiting for completion. This composition is the final rendering of that sketch, expanded into a full nativity scene where the Spinosaurus takes its place among a fellowship of fantastical beings.
Characters in the stable
Each character that participated seemed to lend itself [un]naturally to a fantasy‑twisted variation on the traditional nativity tableau. Once the idea of a mythological variation was spawned, I leant towards a somewhat cliched (traditional?) idea that a mysterious “monster” would have tentacles as the only part of the anatomy visible. So the Kraken idea was born. From there, each character that I was guided to draw seemed to have a parallel in the scripted dimension.
Medusa’s reptilian coiling curling hairdo echos this species of kraken, which must be fathered by a being at home in the water; welcome the Creature from the Black Lagoon. Variations and extensions to the original story touch on camels or elephants, alien influence and the need for trustworthy guardians.
The reverse of the physical card puts these interpretations into some sort of order.
The answer is on the back
A story as old as time—reborn with tentacles, tusks, and a touch of cosmic mystery.
A festive family fellowship of the fantastical, settled after the oddest odyssey. The tiny potential titan Kraken glows in the manger, a serpentine cephalopod infant—adorable beyond belief—born of Medusa and the Creature from the Black Lagoon.
Overhead, an ‘UnidentiFied’ Object shines its guiding light—echoing an alien alternative theory, but with no evidence (not even footprints). The Grey’s treats are out of this world, just ask the woolly mammoth, perhaps once ridden by a Magus—some say pachyderms were their beasts of burden—who has adored iced buns since… the Ice Age.
Rudolph, a Spinosaurus aegyptiacus, journeying from his aquatic home, casts a dromedary silhouette as he sails the dunes like the very first ship of the desert, setting a course for evolution to follow.
No room at the inn—but stellar company: the angel-winged griffin, Guardian of the Gold of Kings, lies like a lamb, yet remains eagle-eyed; eternally faithful canine Cerberus, Guardian of the Underworld, traditionally, tonight turns guardian against the untoward, tongues wagging at the prospect of a sweet pink treat. He sits obediently and at peace, having fetched his favourite olive branch. Loyal and gifted, he wears a shiny coat of three colours—gold, frankincense and myrrh.
Our magically upgraded donkey, the unicorn, rests with quiet dignity in this stable setting—her transportation and delivery duties done.
Just look into the eyes of that proud mother…
The internal message
‘Have a Kraken Christmas and a wondrous next year!’
Inspiration and influences
Medusa, Cerberus, Krakenand the griffin are all mythical creatures that feature in the films of Ray Harryhausen—a larger‑than‑real-life inspiration for me, and the subject of a future post.
Bringing this story to life
As a further development, I extended the composition was animated into a short video reel. For this version, the tagline “Whatever we believe… live together in peace” was added as an overlay. This addition was not part of the printed card, but grew naturally from its imagery, and was sub-conciously my intention. The animation emphasises the underlying message of unity—an inoffensive request that everyone, irrespective of background, belief, or tradition, can share diversity in harmony.
