They've got...texture.

I've got other classes besides Don Brandes' Advanced Illustration Media, despite how my posts look. Most of today, for example, was spent in my Concept/Character/Environment class, which is a computer animation class taught to illustrators. Our current project uses different exercises to free up the imagination, including looking at photographs of textures (tree bark, rocks, stucco, etc.) to find faces and figures buried within. The dragon on the surfboard was inspired by some discoloration in the parking lot.