1. Basilisk

In European mythology, the basilisk is a serpent or lizard so venomous that it can kill with a single glance or breath. A white mark on its head was said to resemble a crown, earning it the title “King of Serpents.” Accounts of its appearance differ. In the Warsaw legend, it is described as part rooster, part snake, sometimes even part turkey, with a serpent’s tail and frog-like eyes. Some medieval bestiaries claimed it was hatched from a rooster’s egg and incubated by a toad, giving it an unnatural origin. The basilisk first appeared in ancient Greek writings and was later recorded by the Roman author Pliny the Elder, who noted its only weakness: the smell of a weasel.

Basilisks, from Monsters and Beasts, an Image Archive, by Vault Editions

2. Bigfoot / Sasquatch

In North American folklore, the Sasquatch, or Bigfoot, is a towering ape-like creature said to inhabit the remote forests of the Pacific Northwest. Witnesses often describe a creature six to ten feet tall, with a human-like face, long arms, and a body covered in dark hair. The name “Sasquatch” derives from the Halkomelem (Coast Salish) word sásq’ets, meaning “wild men of the woods.” In Indigenous oral traditions, beings like sásq’ets dwell deep within the forests, living apart from humankind. For artists, Bigfoot represents the threshold between myth and nature, inviting studies in anatomy, texture, and environment.

Bigfoot from How to Draw Monsters and Beasts, by Vault Editions

3. Brownie

In Scottish and English folklore, brownies are small household spirits who help with domestic chores at night. They sweep floors, churn butter, or mend clothing in exchange for simple offerings of cream, bread, or honey left by the hearth. Shy and easily offended, a brownie will vanish forever if mocked, given clothes, or treated with disrespect. Usually described as small, earth-toned figures with lots of hair, they are either naked or wear rough garments. Brownies can be mischievous, and when angered, turn malicious. For artists, they invite exploration of light and shadow — dim kitchens, flickering firelight, and quiet movement — perfect for atmospheric studies of texture and scale.

"O Waken, Waken, Burd Isbel", illustration by Arthur Rackham to Young Bekie, showing Billy Blind waking Burd Isobel

4. Centaur

In Greek mythology, centaurs are half-human, half-horse beings embodying the tension between civilisation and wild instinct. Early depictions show them as unruly and impulsive. Later myths introduced Chiron, the wise centaur who taught heroes such as Achilles, Asclepius, and Heracles. He symbolised harmony between intellect and nature. For artists, centaurs are ideal studies in anatomy and motion — merging the strength of the horse with the expression of the human form.

"Chiron an arrow took, and with the notch, Backward upon his jaws he put his beard", from The Gustave Doré Collection by Vault Editions

5. Cerberus

In Greek mythology, Cerberus is the monstrous three-headed dog that guards the gates of the Underworld, preventing the dead from leaving and the living from entering. The offspring of Echidna and Typhon, he serves as the loyal guardian of Hades. Ancient writers describe him with a serpent’s tail and a mane of snakes. His presence marks the threshold between life and death. Cerberus appears in the Twelve Labours of Heracles, Virgil’s Aeneid, and Dante’s Inferno, each time symbolising the power of appetite and the inevitability of mortality. For artists, Cerberus offers an opportunity to experiment with animal forms, expression and movement. 

Hercules and Cerberus from Greek and Roman Mythology by Vault Editions

6. Chimera

The Chimera is a Greek creature with the head of a lion, the body of a goat, and the tail of a serpent. Said to breathe fire and ravage the lands of Lycia, she was slain by the hero Bellerophon, who rode the winged horse Pegasus. The Chimera’s siblings include Cerberus and the Hydra, linking her to a family of creatures that personify chaos and danger; their defeat symbolised the triumph of order over disorder. For artists, the Chimera represents imagination and transformation — a hybrid of the real and the impossible.Chimera, from How to Draw Monsters & Beasts by Vault Editions

7. Cyclops

The Cyclopes were one-eyed giants famed as divine smiths who forged Zeus’s thunderbolts. In Hesiod’s Theogony, they are powerful craftsmen; in Homer’s Odyssey, they are savage herdsmen — most famously Polyphemus, who traps Odysseus in his cave. Odysseus escapes by blinding him, symbolising intelligence overcoming brute force. For artists, Cyclopes invite experiments in proportion and asymmetry — studies in strength, simplicity, and perspective.

Cyclops, from How to Draw Monsters & Beasts by Vault Editions

8. Faun

The faun, a half-human, half-goat creature from Roman mythology, was later conflated with the Greek satyr. Originally gentle spirits of the countryside and fertility, fauns were followers of the god Faunus. Greek influence transformed them into more playful, mischievous beings associated with Dionysus. For artists, fauns are studies in form and movement — capturing the balance between humanity and wildness.

Sleeping Diana Watched by Two Fauns, 1877–1885, by Arnold Böcklin

9. Green Man

The Green Man, or foliate head, is a motif found throughout European architecture — a face formed of or surrounded by leaves. It symbolises renewal and the cycle of growth. Found on both sacred and secular buildings, the Green Man appears in many forms: the Foliate Head (covered in leaves), the Disgorging Head (vegetation issuing from the mouth), and the Bloodsucker Head (foliage sprouting from eyes, nostrils, and ears). For artists, the Green Man offers studies in texture, pattern, and transformation — merging human and plant forms into one living design.

6th-century Byzantine mosaic in the Great Palace Mosaic Museum, Istanbul

10. Grotesques

Grotesques are fantastical figures carved on buildings for decoration, often mistaken for gargoyles. Gargoyles function as waterspouts, while grotesques exist purely as ornament. Appearing in Gothic architecture, they merge human and animal forms into imaginative hybrids. For artists, grotesques offer opportunities to exaggerate anatomy and explore the boundary between structure and fantasy.

Stone grotesque from France depicting a chimera

11. Giant

From the Norse frost giants to Greek Titans and Irish Fomorians, giants embody strength and power while reminding us of the limits of mortality. Their vast scale challenges gods and heroes alike. For artists, giants test proportion and perspective — reminders that scale is a powerful tool to create awe and dramatic tension.

"This proud one wished to make experiment, Of his own power against the Supreme Jove", from The Gustave Doré Collection by Vault Editions

12. Goblin

Goblins are mischievous and often malevolent creatures found throughout European folklore. Their nature shifts across regions — from the spiteful household spirits of England to the cave-dwellers and treasure hoarders of Germanic and Norse tales. In all their forms, goblins embody the uncanny edge of the human world, thriving in darkness, chaos, and mischief. For artists, goblins offer studies in expression and character — exaggerated features, twisted anatomy, and the play between menace and humour.

Goblin, from How to Draw Monsters & Beasts by Vault Editions

13. Griffin / Gryphon

The griffin (also spelt gryphon) is a mythical creature with the body of a lion and the head and wings of an eagle. In medieval bestiaries, it symbolised divine power and the union of strength and wisdom — the lion representing the earth, the eagle the sky. Artists can study balance and form through the griffin’s anatomy.

Griffin, from Monsters and Beasts, an Image Archive, by Vault Editions

14. Headless Horseman / Dullahan

The Headless Horseman is a spectral rider found in Celtic, Germanic, and American folklore, symbolising vengeance and unfinished business. In Irish legend, he appears as the Dullahan — a headless harbinger of death who rides a black horse and carries his severed head beneath his arm. Most famously, the tale endures in Washington Irving's The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, where the figure evokes fear and fascination through absence — a presence defined by what is missing. For artists, the Headless Horseman offers opportunities to explore dynamic composition, movement, and atmosphere without relying on facial expression.

A notgeld note from the town of Berga, 1921, depicting the German headless horseman

15. Hippogriff

The hippogriff is a legendary creature with the front half of an eagle and the hindquarters of a horse. It first appeared in Ludovico Ariosto's Orlando Furioso (1516) as a symbol of love conquering the impossible — a beast born of natural enemies, the horse and the gryphon. In later art and heraldry, it came to represent harmony between opposing forces. For artists, the hippogriff offers a study in combining fantastical animal forms.

Roger délivrant Angélique (1824) by Louis-Édouard Rioult 

16. Imp

Imps are mischievous spirits from European folklore, often depicted as tiny tricksters with pointed ears, sharp teeth, and wiry limbs. In medieval tales, they served as familiars to witches and sorcerers, though their pranks were more playful than evil. Sometimes winged or horned, imps were said to hide in corners, whisper temptations, or knock over candles for amusement. They embody curiosity, mischief, and the temptation of human impulse. Their appearance varies from childlike sprites to grotesque miniatures, reflecting the medieval fascination with the boundary between innocence and sin. For artists, imps are perfect studies in expression and anatomy — exaggerated faces, elastic poses, and lively character design.

Illustration of imps, Simon Blocquel (1780–1863, under the pseudonym Julia Orsini) 

17. Lion

The lion holds a central place in medieval bestiaries, symbolising courage, royalty, and divinity. In medieval times, people thought the lion’s cubs were believed to be born dead and revived by their father’s breath after three days — an allegory of the resurrection of Christ. For artists, the lion offers rich studies in proportion, muscle structure, and poise.

The Lion, from The Animal Reference Book by Vault Editions

18. Manticore

The Manticore, originating in Persian mythology, is a fearsome hybrid with a man's face, a lion's body, and the tail of a scorpion or a venom-spined carriage of quills. Its name derives from the Old Persian martya-khvara, meaning "man-eater". Early descriptions claim three rows of teeth and a tail capable of firing poison-tipped spines. Medieval bestiaries added that its fur was red like cinnabar, its eyes vivid blue-green, and that it hunted humans. For artists, it offers an exercise in combining human expression with beastly anatomy.Manticore from Monsters and Beasts, an Image Archive, by Vault Editions

19. Medusa (Gorgon)

In Greek mythology, Medusa was one of the three Gorgons, daughters of the sea deities Phorcys and Ceto. Unlike her immortal sisters, she was mortal — a beautiful maiden transformed by Athena into a monster with serpents for hair, her gaze turning any onlooker to stone. Armed with a mirrored bronze shield given by Athena, Perseus slew her without meeting her eyes. From her blood sprang Pegasus, the winged horse, and Chrysaor, a giant bearing a golden sword. Athena placed Medusa's severed head upon her shield, the aegis, where it served as a talisman of protection and divine power.

In early Greek art, Medusa was shown as grotesque and terrifying, but later artists depicted her as tragic and beautiful, embodying both horror and grace. The gorgoneion, her severed head, became a powerful emblem used to ward off evil on armour, temples, and shields. For artists, she offers a study in duality — strength and vulnerability, terror and humanity — expressed through gesture, emotion, and the interplay between human and serpent anatomy.

Medusa, from Greek & Roman Mythology, by Vault Editions

20. Minotaur

In Greek mythology, the Minotaur was a creature with the body of a man and the head of a bull, born from the union of Queen Pasiphaë of Crete and a beautiful white bull. Her husband, King Minos, had refused to sacrifice the bull to the god Poseidon, who cursed the queen to fall in love with it. To conceal his shame, Minos ordered the craftsman Daedalus to build the Labyrinth, a vast maze beneath his palace, where the creature was imprisoned. Each year, Athens sent seven youths and seven maidens as tribute, sacrificed to the beast until the hero Theseus entered the maze and slew it.
The Minotaur symbolises the shadow of human nature — the primal violence concealed beneath the order of civilisation. The Labyrinth itself reflects this struggle: reason attempting to contain chaos, architecture restraining instinct. In Jungian interpretation, Theseus's journey into the Labyrinth mirrors the descent into the unconscious, where confronting and mastering the Minotaur becomes an act of self-realisation — the hero's victory over the beast within. For artists, the Minotaur offers a study in contrast, symbolism, and the merging of human and animal form.

Minotaur, from How to Draw Monsters and Beasts, by Vault Editions

21. Ouroboros

The Ouroboros, a serpent or dragon devouring its own tail, originates in ancient Egypt and later Greek, Gnostic, and alchemical traditions. It represents the eternal cycle of creation and destruction — life feeding on itself. For artists, it offers a study in symbolism, form, texture, and pattern.

Illustration of the Ouroboros in an emblem

22. Pegasus

In Greek mythology, Pegasus is the winged horse born from the blood of Medusa after Perseus beheaded her. His father was Poseidon, god of the sea and horses. He was tamed by the hero Bellerophon with the aid of a golden bridle given by Athena. Together, they defeated the Chimaera, and Pegasus later ascended to Mount Olympus, where Zeus placed him among the stars as a constellation. According to legend, wherever Pegasus struck the earth with his hoof, a spring would burst forth — the most famous being Hippocrene, sacred to the Muses on Mount Helicon.  For artists, he offers a study in motion and poise, and a merging of equine strength and winged power.

Dark Pegasus, from How to Draw Monsters and Beasts, by Vault Editions

23. Satyr

In Greek mythology, satyrs are wild woodland spirits who follow Dionysus, the god of wine, festivity, religious ecstasy, and theatre. Dionysus is a dualistic deity, embodying both the life-affirming joy of wine, liberation, creativity, and revelry, and its destructive side, including madness and excess. Often shown with goat-like legs, pointed ears, and expressive faces, satyrs dance, drink, and play the pipes in frenzied celebration, embodying a joyful defiance of order and restraint.
For artists, the satyr offers a study in movement, rhythm, and expressive anatomy — a chance to capture the vitality and abandon of the natural world.

Satyr from How to Draw Monsters and Beasts by Vault Editions

24. Scorpion-Man (Girtablilu)

In Mesopotamian mythology, the Scorpion-Men, or Girtablilu, are hybrid beings with the upper bodies of humans and the lower bodies of scorpions. They first appear in The Epic of Gilgamesh, standing as guardians at the twin peaks of Mount Mashu — the gateway through which the sun god Shamash (Utu) passes each day. Their glance was said to bring death, and their presence marked the boundary between the mortal world and the divine. For artists, the Scorpion-Man offers striking opportunities in silhouette and proportion — the meeting of armour-like scorpion exoskeleton and human anatomy.

Drawing of an Assyrian intaglio depicting scorpion men.

25. Sphinx

The Sphinx is a hybrid creature with the body of a lion and the head of a human. It symbolised protection and royal power. The Sphinx gave travelers riddles: "What walks on four legs in the morning, two at noon, and three in the evening?" The answer — a human being, who crawls as a baby, walks upright in adulthood, and uses a cane in old age, an answer that symbolised the passage of life and the inevitability of decline.
The Sphinx embodies human intellect joined with animal instinct and offers studies in symmetry, poise, and expression.

Sphinx, from Ancient Egypt, an Image Archive by Vault Editions

26. Troll

In Scandinavian folklore, trolls are large, human-like beings who dwell in mountains, forests, and caves. Their forms range from monstrous giants to smaller, more human figures, but all are tied to the wilderness and are said to turn to stone in sunlight. Trolls symbolise ignorance, greed, and stagnation. For artists, trolls invite exaggeration of bulk, texture, and expression to evoke their earthy strength and slow, menacing presence.Troll, from How to Draw Monsters and Beasts by Vault Editions

27. Unicorn

The unicorn is a legendary creature symbolising purity, grace, and healing. Described since antiquity by writers such as Ctesias and Pliny the Elder, it was later reimagined in medieval bestiaries as a small, fierce woodland beast that could only be captured by a virgin — an allegory for innocence and divine incarnation. Its spiralled horn, or alicorn, was believed to detect poison and purify water, and was prized in the Middle Ages as a talisman of protection. For artists, the unicorn offers a study in equine elegance touched with the fantastical — a balance of strength, serenity, and imagination.

Unicorn, from Monsters and Beasts, an Image Archive by Vault Editions

28. Werewolf

In European folklore, the werewolf — from Old English wer, "man," and wulf, "wolf" — is a human who transforms into a wolf or wolf-like creature, often under the light of the full moon. The transformation could be voluntary, brought about by curse or magic, or involuntary, like a punishment or affliction of fate. The werewolf embodies the conflict between civilisation and savagery, self-control and instinct, serving as a reminder of the beast within. For artists, it offers a study in anatomy and metamorphosis and an opportunity for imagination to take flight.

Werewolf, from How to Draw Monsters and Beasts by Vault Editions

29. Aspidochelone

In medieval bestiaries, the Aspidochelone is a colossal sea creature, part whale, part turtle, whose back is so vast that sailors mistake it for an island. When they light fires upon it, the beast sinks, dragging ship and crew into the depths. In Christian allegory, it symbolised deception and false security: the danger of mistaking illusion for solid ground. For artists, the Aspidochelone offers a fantastical study in scale and composition — the calm of the sea broken by the awakening of something vast and unknown beneath.

An Aspidochelone from a French manuscript, c. 1270

30. Lernaean Hydra

The Lernaean Hydra is a Greek mythological serpent with multiple heads and venomous breath, said to dwell in the swamps near Lake Lerna. Each time one of its heads was cut off, two more would grow in its place — making it nearly impossible to kill.
The Hydra was the offspring of Echidna and Typhon, and a sibling of the Chimaera and Cerberus. She was defeated by Heracles as the second of his Twelve Labours, aided by his nephew Iolaus, who cauterised each neck-stump as Heracles struck it to prevent regrowth. In later interpretations of Greek myth, the Hydra came to symbolise the multiplying nature of evil and chaos — a problem that becomes stronger the more one struggles against it. For artists, the Hydra offers endless potential for composition and texture, with intertwining serpentine forms, tangled coils, and rich symbolism.

Hercules Slaying the Hydra, from Greek and Roman Mythology by Vault Editions

31. Hippocampus

In Greek and Roman mythology, the hippocampus is a sea creature with the forepart of a horse and the tail of a fish or sea serpent, often depicted pulling the chariot of Poseidon (Neptune), god of the sea. It appears frequently in classical mosaics, vase paintings, and Roman reliefs. For artists, the hippocampus provides insights into equine and reptilian anatomy, as well as dynamic movement.

Hippocampus, from Monsters and Beasts, an Image Archive by Vault Editions

32. Kraken

The Kraken, a legendary sea monster from Norse and Scandinavian lore, was said to dwell off the coasts of Norway and Greenland. Described as a colossal octopus or squid, it symbolises the fear of the deep and the unknown. Early natural-history writers such as Erik Pontoppidan recorded it as a many-armed creature massive enough to pull down ships. Modern scholars suggest the legend may trace to sightings of giant squid. For artists, the Kraken's sweeping tentacles and immense scale invite exploration into dynamic composition and movement.

Kraken attacking a ship, from Sea-Life and Monsters of the Deep by Vault Editions

33. Leviathan

The Leviathan appears in Biblical texts as a monstrous sea serpent and symbol of chaos subdued by divine order. In medieval theology, it represented sin, envy, and destruction. For artists, Leviathan offers a study in form, texture and motion. 

"And God said - Let the waters generate, Reptile with spawn abundant, living soul; And let fowl fly above the earth", from The Gustave Doré Collection by Vault Editions

34. Melusine

Melusine is a European water spirit depicted as a woman with the lower body of a serpent or fish, sometimes with wings or two tails. In one medieval French legend, she marries the mortal Count Raymondin under the condition that he never sees her on Saturdays. For ten years, she remains in her human form and brings him prosperity, until his curiosity leads him to glimpse her half-serpent shape, at which point she flees. Her story appears in the Roman de Mélusine (c. 1393). For artists, Melusine offers the chance to experiment with human–serpent hybrid forms and to explore texture like scales and fins.

Melusine, 16th-century woodcut depicting the legendary water spirit of European folklore, shown as a crowned woman with two serpent tails.

35. Nixie

In Germanic and Scandinavian folklore, nixies are shapeshifting water spirits who dwell in rivers, lakes, and pools. Often appearing as beautiful men or women, they use music to lure humans to the water's edge — sometimes to their peril. If offered gifts, a nixie may reward you by teaching its music. It is difficult to describe the appearance of the nix, as shapeshifting is central to its nature; perhaps it has no proper form at all. In stories, it might appear as a fair man playing a violin beside a waterfall, elegantly dressed rather than naked as later art imagined. It could also disguise itself as treasure, a floating object, or even an animal — most commonly as a brook horse, a shining white water horse of Scandinavian legend that entices travellers to ride before plunging into the depths. For artists, the shapeshifting, water dwelling nixie invites studies in anatomy, form, reflection, and movement.

"Näcken och Ägirs döttrar" by Nils Blommér (1850) depicts the Nixie with Nine Daughters of Ægir and Rán from Norse mythology.

36. Scylla

In Greek mythology, Scylla is a sea monster who dwells on one side of a narrow strait, opposite her counterpart Charybdis (a whirlpool-forming creature who swallows and spews out the sea), forcing sailors to navigate between them. Once a beautiful nymph, Scylla was transformed into a monster with six long necks and ravenous heads after being cursed by the sorceress Circe. Hidden in a cliffside cave overlooking the strait, she snatched sailors from passing ships, most famously, Odysseus's crew as they sailed between her and Charybdis. For artists, Scylla offers a study in dynamic, serpentine form and the chance to explore tension, human and serpentine anatomy, and the movement of the sea.The Adventure with Scylla, from 'Tales of the Greek Seas' by Andrew Lang, 1926 by Henry Justice Ford

37. Sirens

In Greek mythology, the Sirens were female beings whose enchanting voices lured sailors to their doom. In the Odyssey, the hero Odysseus has his crew plug their ears and tie him to the mast to resist their song. Depicted initially as half-bird and half-woman perched on rocky shores, the Sirens later came to be shown as mermaid-like figures in medieval traditions. For artists, Sirens invite exploration of duality, physically blending human and animal forms but also of beauty and peril.

Miniature illustration of a siren enticing sailors who try to resist her, from an English Bestiary, c.1235

38. Anzû

Anzû is a demon from Mesopotamian mythology. In Babylonian myths, he is depicted as a massive bird, sometimes as an eagle with a lion’s head, capable of breathing fire and water. This imagery echoes earlier Sumerian traditions, where he appears as a half-human storm bird. He is best known for stealing the Tablet of Destinies from the god Enlil, an act that disrupts divine order. The warrior god Ninurta — or Ningirsu in older versions — defeats Anzû and restores balance to the cosmos.

Ninurta with his thunderbolts pursues Anzû stealing the Tablet of Destinies from Enlil's sanctuary (Austen Henry Layard Monuments of Nineveh, 2nd Series, 1853)

39. Dragon (Eastern)

The Eastern dragon is a benevolent symbol of power, good fortune and the harmony of nature. It is closely associated with water — rain, rivers and the seas. Rather than the fire-breathing menace of many Western dragons, this serpentine being moves through clouds and mist, expressing grace, flow and balance. For artists, the Eastern dragon invites a study of fluid form and dynamic serpentine motion; it's a creature of swirling line and atmospheric presence rather than raw aggression.

Eastern Dragon, from How to Draw Dragons by Vault Editions

40. Dragon (Western / European)

In European legend, the dragon is a fearsome emblem of evil and insatiable greed. It hoards treasure in dark lairs and dwells in caverns and mountains, unleashing a breath of fire on all who approach. For artists, the Western dragon invites a study in anatomy and texture — the massive sweep of scales and bat-like wings, the glowing breath of flame, the tension of tail and claws, unified in a vast, dramatic form.

Western Dragon, from How to Draw Dragons by Vault Editions

41. Harpy

In Greek mythology, Harpies are winged female spirits, part human, part bird; Ovid described them as human-vultures. Their name means "snatchers." They are personifications of storm-winds and agents of punishment, swooping down to seize wrongdoers and carry them off. For artists, they present a compelling contrast of human features and a mighty avian form.

Harpy from Monsters and Beasts, an Image Archive by Vault Editions

42. Pelican

In medieval Christian bestiaries and iconography, the pelican symbolised self-sacrifice and redemptive love. It was believed that the bird wounded its own breast to feed its young with its blood, a Christian allegory for Christ's redemption. This motif appears widely in art, heraldry and devotional manuscripts under the title "pelican in her piety" or "pelican vulning". For artists, the pelican invites exploration of devotion and compassion through animal form, nurturing and suffering expressed in a single image.

Phoenix and Pelican from Monsters and Beasts, an Image Archive by Vault Editions

43. Phoenix

The phoenix is a mythical bird symbolising rebirth and renewal, said to burst into flame at the end of its life and rise again from its own ashes. Associated with the sun, it represents immortality, transformation, and the cyclical nature of life. Artists can explore its fantastical presence, imagining its majestic, feathered form reborn from fire.

44. Fairy

In European folklore, fairies are supernatural beings, generally described as human in appearance and possessing magical powers. They range in size from nearly human to diminutive figures, and while later art often depicts them with insect-like wings, traditional folklore notes that wings are rare and that they flew by means of magic rather than physical wings. Fairies are associated with nature and with unseen forces of the world around us, and in many tales, they live in otherworldly realms.
Their behaviour can be benign or malevolent: some fairies play harmless pranks, while others may lead travellers astray, steal objects, or punish humans who offend them by causing illness or misfortune. For artists, fairies invite exploration of lightness, translucency, scale, and the combination of the human form and otherworldly.

Illustration of a fairy by C. E. Brock, 1892

45. Banshee

In Irish folklore, the Banshee is a female spirit whose wailing or keening foretells death. Her cry is a lament to mourn the dead. Legend says the Banshee sings when a family member dies or is about to die, even when the death occurs far away, her voice being the first warning of loss. In some tales, she appears alongside the death coach, summoning it or travelling with it, while the appearance of several Banshees at once is said to mark the passing of someone of great importance. Descriptions of her vary: she may appear as a young woman of the family, or a short, older woman. Some stories call her a fairy; others say she is a ghost.

Banshee, from How to Draw Monsters and Beasts by Vault Editions

46. Succubus

In medieval and early Christian demonology, the Succubus is a female demon believed to visit men in their sleep, taking the form of a beautiful woman to seduce them and drain their vitality. Described in early texts as a spirit of lust and deception, she came to symbolise temptation, corruption, and the dangers of uncontrolled desire.
For artists, the Succubus offers a study in contrast — the play of beauty and menace, light and shadow, attraction and peril.

Succubus, from How to Draw Monsters and Beasts by Vault Editions

47. Vampire

In European folklore, the vampire is an undead creature that feeds on the life force or blood of the living. The term and much of the folklore originated in Eastern Europe during the late 17th and 18th centuries, when widespread belief in vampires led to reports of exhumed bodies and alleged attacks on the living. These beings were thought to rise from the grave at night, seeking victims among their relatives or neighbours. Typical signs of vampirism included a body that appeared unnaturally well-preserved, with fresh blood at the mouth. Protective measures varied by region and included placing garlic, iron, or holy symbols in the grave, driving a stake through the heart, or decapitating and burning the corpse to prevent its return. The vampire's characteristics—pale skin, aversion to sunlight, and nocturnal habits—developed from these early accounts and remain central to later traditions.

Vampire, from How to Draw Monsters and Beasts by Vault Editions

48. Witch

In many cultures, a witch is a person believed to practise witchcraft—that is, using supernatural powers or sorcery to affect the world. In Europe, especially from medieval into early modern times, accusations of witchcraft were frequently connected to fears of malevolent magic, acts of maleficium, or pacts with evil spirits. Witches were believed to deploy incantations, potions, curses, familiars (often animals), and harmful magic to cause illness, misfortune, or death. Defensive and protective magic—such as charms, amulets, or witch-bottles—was also employed by societies seeking to counteract witchcraft. For artists, the witch offers a study in the human form, imbued with otherworldly power.

Witch, from How to Draw Monsters and Beasts by Vault Editions

49. Salamander

In medieval bestiaries and alchemical texts, the salamander (usually depicted as a lizard-like or serpent-shaped being) was believed to endure fire, remaining unharmed by flame. The legend likely arose from real salamanders sheltering in damp logs that, when placed on a hearth, caused them to dart out through the smoke — appearing as creatures born from fire. For artists, it offers a study in fantastical reptilian forms, pattern and texture.

A salamander unharmed in the fire from a 14th century bestiary

50. Will-o’-the-Wisp

In European folklore, the will-o'-the-wisp — also known as ignis fatuus, or "foolish fire" — appears as a faint, flickering light hovering over marshes and bogs at night. Often bluish-white or pale in colour, it drifts just out of reach, leading travellers astray into treacherous ground. Some traditions describe the lights as mischievous spirits or fairies; others see them as the souls of the dead. For artists, the will-o'-the-wisp invites studies in creating atmosphere with light and shadow. 

The Will o' the Wisp and the Snake by Hermann Hendrich (1854–1931)