From the depths of the Teide and the Guanche oral tradition emerges the Tibicena, a nightmare creature described as a colossal black dog with eyes of burning coal. Son of the demon Guayota, its legend speaks of a being that rose from the earth's cracks to sow chaos. In this scientific visualization project, we set out to give volumetric form to this myth, translating ethnographic descriptions into a photorealistic 3D model that allows studying and preserving this key figure of the Canary Islands' intangible cultural heritage.
Technical process: From oral tale to photorealistic model 🔬
The process began with ethnographic research to consolidate the scattered descriptions. The modeling focused on creating an exaggerated and distorted canine anatomy, with powerful musculature and a disproportionate jaw, suggestive of its devouring role. Texturing was crucial: complex material layers were used to achieve a non-uniform black fur, with bluish and reddish reflections that suggest a volcanic origin. The lighting was designed to highlight its eyes, created with internal emitters that simulate embers, and to project long, dramatic shadows, emphasizing its ominous nature and its link to the underworld's darkness.
3D visualization as a cultural bridge 🌉
Beyond the technical exercise, this model serves as a powerful dissemination tool. 3D visualization allows materializing abstract concepts from a vanished culture, offering a tangible interpretation of its imagery. By recreating the Tibicena, we not only illustrate a monster, but we better understand the fears, worldview, and relationship of the ancient inhabitants with a hostile and sacred landscape like the Teide, where the mythological and the geological merge into a single narrative of respect and terror.
Would you use photogrammetry of real specimens or modeling based on studies?