While playing the gold box AD&D games by TSR in my childhood I encountered a lot of D&D monster for the first time in my life. A lot of these encounters were so memorable that I still remember them vividly. One of those was my first encounter with a Gas Spore in the Cave of the Beholder in Curse of the Azure Bonds.
I always loved the idea of these fake beholders and when Mortal Arrow recently released a fantastic mini for one I had to get and paint it immediately.
Was really torn on how to paint the mini, though. In my mind Beholder and Gas Spores were always red, but I also love the blue coloring of Xanathar. After looking at a lot of references I finally went another way and settled for a greenish scheme, which fits the plant origins of the Spore best.