Congratulations to our winner,
Jeff Brown!
“Inouri the Gelfling Courier”
What an amazing range of creatures came to us the past few weeks! So many handmade creatures perfect for the world of The Dark Crystal. We appreciate the care and attention that went into making these new beings. The extraordinary imaginations, as well as the wide range of materials and skills, intrigue and inspire us. Brian and Wendy Froud, Pete Brooke and I want to thank everyone who took the time to participate. Brian Froud writes:
I was delighted by the quality and diversity of the entries. Each one showed an extraordinary engagement with the world of “The Dark Crystal.” I was impressed by the people who understood and evoked the pioneering and creative spirit of the prototyping phase of “The Dark Crystal” and the elegant skills of those who chose to reflect the visual brilliance of the finished film.
The winner of this competition is Jeff Brown with a creature named Inouri of the Swoothu species of herbivors. What we love about Inouri is how unique he is, yet so of the world of The Dark Crystal. With his fur, feathers and flesh, Inouri is so many things at once, yet his traits are clear and believable. The story of the Swoothu fits well with the mythology of The Dark Crystal, yet is completely new. Congratulations, Jeff Brown.
But one creature alone does not tell the story of this competition. It is the range of ideas and talents shown in these creatures that impressed us the most. Therefore, we chose 10 more of our personal favorites to highlight here. Please look through these and enjoy the creative flow of some very talented people. Each draws inspiration from The Dark Crystal but is fresh and new.
I wish that we could honor all of our participants. We invite you to share your creatures on this site. I love the idea that most of these creatures were made in regular homes and back yards like the ones around us everyday; some taken outside and photographed in forests and swamps as though they were native to those environments. These creatures now exist. I hope that they will continue to be an inspiration to their creators. There are so many wonderful ones.
Thank you for sharing your creatures with us.
Cheryl Henson
Founder, DarkCrystal.com
Winner:
 | Jeff Brown Exton, PA “Inouri the Gelfling Courier” |
Honorable Mentions:
 | Joe Amaro El Paso, TX, USA “Mago the Moglin” |
 | Frank Casey Gig Harbor, WA, USA “skekNong, the Engineer” |
 | Tania Kerins North Mymms, Hertfordshire, UK “Daeydoim” |
 | Aistė Kliševičiūtė Vilnius, Vilniaus, Lithuania “Ākm the Stone Seeker” |
 | Melissa Nasby Salmon Arm, British Columbia, Canada “Nym” |
 | Alan Ozark Brookfield, IL, USA “Mamoot Kaiyoo” |
 | Céline Schmitz Liege, Liege, Belgium “Graine de Plumtchon (Dust Seed)” |
 | Carisa Swenson South Ozone Park, NY, USA “Pangir” |
 | Danelle Vierkant Glendale, CA, USA “Stri-garth” |
 | Rhonda Whitledge South Bend, IN, USA “Bearded Bogwallop” |
The Author Quest Competition proved one thing to us – we have extremely creative, imaginative fans.
And with the “Create a Dark Crystal Creature” contest, we wanted our fans to bring their fantastical creatures to life.
From July 1st, 2014 to September 1st, 2014, we asked for submissions of brand new creatures that would feel true to the world of The Dark Crystal. These built creatures (eg. sculpture, maquette, puppet) had to be accompanied by a character biography explaining the creatures characteristics and backstory. The winning entry would get a chance to attend a special screening of “The Dark Crystal” at “Puppets on Film” opening night at BAMcinematek in New York City, including a special meet and greet with Brian Froud, Wendy Froud and Cheryl Henson.
Rules & Regulations