'Himmapaanensis'

[Blade-of-the-Moon]

Wow, that's great! I have a hard time drawing plants.

Your not the only one..thought I tend to use a comic-style when doing them...Himmapann's is so much more realistic.

[Himmapaan]

Thank you, guys.

Here is a slight diversion. The Thecodontosaurus was so hearty a meal, I had to indulge in a quick dessert.



From right, Sepp, Dr. Adam and I holding the fort. 

The image was conjured up by this message of Dr. Adam's and I couldn't let go of it (even though it took me a while to finally draw it!). It also strongly reminded me of this scene from Kung Fu Panda 2 ('Gongmen City is under the stewardship of the Masters' Council, and we will protect it, even from you'.) 

Naturally, I want to emphasize that this in no way excludes the other moderators. The three of us just happen to be around more frequently at present, and were certainly here at the time of the 'attacks', so to speak. And it tides me over whilst I'm having to put the 'Forum Migration' illustration on hold.

I would have liked to make much more of the forum entrance, but for a relatively quick drawing, this will do. Perhaps one day, if I'm really persuaded, I might explore the idea further.

[DinoToyForum]

Wonderful. I'd never before envisaged how the forum might appear if it existed in the 'real world'. 'Tis a cave of delights!

Another frequent presence around the forum entrance would be Marlies. We have agreed she is a Meganeura. She never ventures inside, but flits back and forth in the sunlight. She occasionally takes rest on a pillar, or makes use of a sauropod neck as a perch, and keeps a watchful pair of compound eyes on all of us. Every now and again she may chirp a welcome opinion, or bring warning of some distant threat that even Niroot, with his towering vantage, may not yet have spied upon the horizon.

You could probably put together a whole graphic novel based on the drama that has taken place on the forum over the years.

[brontodocus]

Phantastic! Again, this is one of those drawings so wonderful I find it difficult to find the appropriate words for. At least one thing: It's the first finished marine reptile drawn by you that I've seen... and I wouldn't mind seeing more (and more, and more...) of them!

[DinoToyForum]

Phantastic! Again, this is one of those drawings so wonderful I find it difficult to find the appropriate words for. At least one thing: It's the first finished marine reptile drawn by you that I've seen... and I wouldn't mind seeing more (and more, and more...) of them!

There is also the Attenborosaurus he drew for me

[brontodocus]

Oh, sorry, how could I forget about that, now that I see it I remember it again...

[postsaurischian]

   Extremely beautiful!

[stoneage]

Thank you, guys.

Here is a slight diversion. The Thecodontosaurus was so hearty a meal, I had to indulge in a quick dessert.



From right, Sepp, Dr. Adam and I holding the fort. 

The image was conjured up by this message of Dr. Adam's and I couldn't let go of it (even though it took me a while to finally draw it!). It also strongly reminded me of this scene from Kung Fu Panda 2 ('Gongmen City is under the stewardship of the Masters' Council, and we will protect it, even from you'.) 

Naturally, I want to emphasize that this in no way excludes the other moderators. The three of us just happen to be around more frequently at present, and were certainly here at the time of the 'attacks', so to speak. And it tides me over whilst I'm having to put the 'Forum Migration' illustration on hold.

I would have liked to make much more of the forum entrance, but for a relatively quick drawing, this will do. Perhaps one day, if I'm really persuaded, I might explore the idea further.

Wow Adam can float in mid air, and Niroot I'm sure your physical presence will scare away any intruders!     J/K  For some reason I always thought Sepp was an Albertosaurus,

[Himmapaan]

Thank you, folks.

Wow Adam can float in mid air, and Niroot I'm sure your physical presence will scare away any intruders!     J/K  For some reason I always thought Sepp was an Albertosaurus,

Haha, my presence usually tends to provoke contempt.  That or it demonstrates what easy prey I am.  And yes, all the marine creatures on the forum can 'swim' through the air, remember? Just like the whales in the Pines of Rome sequence of Fantasia 2000. Sepp is a Coelophysis.

Another frequent presence around the forum entrance would be Marlies. We have agreed she is a Meganeura. She never ventures inside, but flits back and forth in the sunlight. She occasionally takes rest on a pillar, or makes use of a sauropod neck as a perch, and keeps a watchful pair of compound eyes on all of us. Every now and again she may chirp a welcome opinion, or bring warning of some distant threat that even Niroot, with his towering vantage, may not yet have spied upon the horizon.

Ah, then she must appear in the forum migration picture too.  And you can bet that, vantage or no, I'm often too dim or too woolly to notice a real threat if it was looking up at me. 

You could probably put together a whole graphic novel based on the drama that has taken place on the forum over the years.

Though it might perhaps make for very tedious reading. 

[DinoToyForum]

You could probably put together a whole graphic novel based on the drama that has taken place on the forum over the years.

Though it might perhaps make for very tedious reading. 
[/quote]

Hehe. Maybe so. But your artwork would surely keep the readers beyond engrossed no matter how dull the narrative might be!

[Blade-of-the-Moon]

Really cool piece ! Has a nice Dinotopian feel to it !

[sepp]

Beautiful as always! I also really enjoy the thought of the physical embodiment of this forum as a Dinotopian cave

[Himmapaan]

Hehe, do you know what my inspiration actually was? The Nabataean rock-cut architecture at Petra. And no, Indiana Jones had nothing to do with it, before anyone asks. 

It's funny, I first fell in love with Gurney's Dinotopia because I shared his love of both human cultural history and natural history, rather than being influenced by his vision afterwards. I get compared to him frequently because of these similar aspects in my work (The Airing gets it particularly often). But it wasn't because I drew inspiration from him so much as our being independently fond of similar themes. He just got there first in having an entire world created and imprinted in popular imagination. 

[Gryphoceratops]

Gorgeous as usual!  I would totally read a comic about our dinosaur world haha. 

[Himmapaan]

Thanks so much, Chris. Another project to add to the growing list, perhaps? Oh, boy... 


Right, here is the completed Thecodontosaurus then.



There are even larger detailed views in the blog entry, if anyone is interested (click images to open in a new tab instead of viewing in slideshow mode).

[DinoToyForum]

It really is quite wonderful!

[Weaver]

I feel as if I could fall into this and heck, I'm very sure that this drawing is a portal to the Triassic. Beautiful craftsmanship Niroot!

[Arioch]

Unbelievable. Really gorgeous scene.

[Blade-of-the-Moon]

Amazing work !

[stoneage]

   Not that there's anything wrong with the Thecodontosaurus, but I really love the background even more.