I did this pic a while ago, I suppose Chinese mythology is its heaviest influence. No wings, a pearl near its head, a very flat, 2 dimensional design - yep, it's a Chinese dragon.

I'm interested in the interpretation of mythological creatures that different religions have. As far as dragons go, the interpretations seem to be tied to what a region's snakes are like - in areas where snakes tend to be a little more dangerous (ie. the Middle East, India), the area's religions portray dragons as evil. In the Americas and Asia, where there are a large number of non-venomous snakes, the indigenous religions thought of dragons as good luck and symbols of wisdom and knowledge. It's not a new concept - Greek mythology is used to demonstrate the psychology of the ancient Greeks - but as religion is thought of as real (by some), we don't often get the same kind of examination.