HAOLONGGOOD - New For 2023

[Concavenator]

I asked Paleofiguras if the model @Flaffy shared will be the resin version, because Haolonggood's 1:20 resin Carcharodontosaurus is a different sculpt than the mass-produced PVC version. They told me that Dilophosaurus is the prototype, possibly the 1:35 version. If that's the case, what a shame, because to me it looked pretty clear that WIP of the Dilophosaurus had lips. Haolonggood said this too, on Instagram:

Because the 35 ratio is too small and the teeth are too thin to produce, it is designed to close the lips

Also:

We have been working hard on our lips to do this. I mentioned it before.When it comes to this ratio and size, it is regrettable that something must be discarded.
There will be some product transitions, thank you very much for your support.

So yeah, if the Dilophosaurus won't have lips, I'll be disappointed, especially after believing it will indeed have lips. On another hand, if the Dilophosaurus will really be made at 1:35 scale (we will see about that) wouldn't it be more difficult to sculpt those tiny teeth rather than just giving it lips? Doesn't make sense to me any way you look at it: surely more difficult to sculpt, there would also be complaints after letting people to believe it would have lips...

I spotted a detail that's very odd, not sure if it's maybe the perspective (?). Doesn't look like so... The matter is, in the first pic @Flaffy shared, to me it looks like the left hand of the Dilophosaurus doesn't respect the proportions between the phalanges, which doesn't seem to be the case with the right hand.  If that's the case, that's an inaccuracy and a weird one at that, the very first WIP we were shown got this detail right...



Fingers crossed the PVC version will have lips (this is frustrating), and that potential hand issue is just a matter of perspective. Regardless, this is a very good depiction of a Dilophosaurus, with an unbelievable paintjob to boot*. Unlike the Carnotaurus, this is one situation where I feel that (if you're only going to have 1 figure of the taxon) it isn't worth it to shell that extra cash and space for any of the upcoming Creative Beast versions (though I personally prefer Dilophosaurus being feathered).

* Seriously though, just look at it! You could really mistake this with one of those gorgeous MK Studio figures painted by jagsaurus. 

[Bread]

A bigger concern than lips, for me, is whether or not the skull reflects the robustness of the 2020 reconstruction. right now it's hard to tell, but I'm not sure it does.
The sculpt and paint job are looking fabulous otherwise, however. This could very well be one of the best Dilos on the market upon release.

Assuming this will be a 1/35 scale figure (or at least close to), it's going to be a small model regardless. So I wouldn't expect robustness to reflect so much. It at least definitely looks more built than Safari's, though consider that model was finished before the paper.

If the colorscheme is anything like this in the PVC version (or this is the pvc version) I don't mind lack of lips. This is a splendid paint job! This is exactly what I want on my shelf!

I'm noticing that various collectors are making statements like this- that the lack of lips isn't the end of the world as we know it, so to speak. This is a highly realistic  approach to collecting.

I am pretty sure the colors are carrying this figure tremendously. Smart move on their part since the lack of lips.

I do agree that it's not the end of the world, but still a bummer the genus is missing that sort of "perfection" we are lusting for.

[edu]

Are we sure the images posted (the incredibly painted prototype) doesn't have an articulated jaw? I think it has...
Lips or not lips, it's fantastic

[Concavenator]

@Fembrogon as a reconstruction of the post-2020 Dilophosaurus, this Haolonggood figure appears to be a pretty good representation to me, when compared to skeletals like the ones by randomdinos and TheSynopsis (at least upon initial impressions). The shape of the crests is still unknown, and the only real issues I see are the lack of lips (which hopefully the PVC version won't have) and that potential hand issue I talked about.

Indeed. A real shame. Had hoped that Haolonggood would be more rigorous in their scientific research after the Ouranosaurus debacle. While I understand that companies generally like to keep the production process under wraps for various reasons, I personally believe sharing WIP stages of sculpts can garner invaluable feedback from customers. And in the case of dinosaur models, customers can help spot any inaccuracies before the sculpt goes into production

Couldn't agree with you more. If companies shared WIP stages of their figures more often, we would have gotten the so-called "definitive" versions of different genera way sooner. I'm also just a simple collector and therefore, I don't know how feasible it is to always do that, but I think an approch like:

"Okay, we are a company that claims to produce scientifically accurate prehistoric animal figures. So our target market does care about scientific accuracy and will judge our products based on such a criterion. Some of them, depending on the presence/gravity of flaws of our products, don't buy them. So we must really take scientific accuracy seriously and offer the most scientifically accurate product as possible. Does sharing WIP stages help us for that? Why not? We post the pictures and if someone spots an inaccuracy, they will let us know, and we can modify the product accordingly, so the final product will be of a higher quality, and therefore, more likely to be successful".

Than:

"Okay, we are a company that claims to produce scientifically accurate prehistoric animal figures and our target market cares about scientific accuracy. Sharing WIP stages isn't feasible from a business perspective, so we just announce our figures: voilà, here's our new prehistoric animal figure which we believe is scientifically accurate".

Again, I don't know how feasible this actually may be for a company, but if it indeed is, why don't companies do this more often? Is keeping their target market intrigued and wondering what will they plan to release somehow more important than just showing them what they plan to make and try to ensure the final product is as good as possible? FWIW, David Silva does share WIPs of Creative Beast models, and Eofauna also shared WIPs of their Diplodocus and Tyrannosaurus figures.

[marisaura]

i heavily prefer lips, but if the paint job looks anything like that on the final figure it's hard to care too much. looks like my safari dilophosaurus's days might be numbered...

[bmathison1972]

Theropod lips. I guess people need something to complain about or immediately jump on now that the debates on tripod stances, feathers, and clown feet have calmed down.

I feel every discussion on every thread lately is lips, lips, lips. If someone sculpted a Dilophosaurus with Stegosaurus tail spikes and no lips, people would pay more attention to the lack of lips     

Lips or not, that's one beautiful Dilophosaurus! I won't replace my Safari figure, but it's a splendid model

[Ikessauro]

I don't mind the lack of lips at all. Wonderful sculpt, my favorite species, will be buying for sure.

[postsaurischian]

 The most beautiful Dilophosaurus since the Kaiyodo Dinoland figure it seems .
 Pretty sure this will be my first HAOLONGGOOD theropod.

[Quiversaurus]

I honestly am fine with the lack of (complete) lips. As mentioned earlier, the roots aren't showing, and to me that's already a big plus.

And that colour scheme, wow. Assuming this model remains at HLG prices, this would be an amazing purchase and addition to any shelf!

[Fembrogon]

@Fembrogon as a reconstruction of the post-2020 Dilophosaurus, this Haolonggood figure appears to be a pretty good representation to me, when compared to skeletals like the ones by randomdinos and TheSynopsis (at least upon initial impressions). The shape of the crests is still unknown, and the only real issues I see are the lack of lips (which hopefully the PVC version won't have) and that potential hand issue I talked about.

Interesting, thanks for referencing those skeletals. I'm sure I've seen them before, but I had forgotten about them.
The Haolonggood designs does look closer in skull shape to those two, rather than the more robust Brian Engh version that I tend to default to. Looking at them now, however, I'm noticing something else: is the Haolonggood design's torso long enough?

[postsaurischian]

Theropod lips. I guess people need something to complain about or immediately jump on now that the debates on tripod stances, feathers, and clown feet have calmed down.

I feel every discussion on every thread lately is lips, lips, lips. If someone sculpted a Dilophosaurus with Stegosaurus tail spikes and no lips, people would pay more attention to the lack of lips     

So true!  . I wouldn't call what reptiles have and Dinosaurs probably had "lips" anyway.

[Roar]

Stapf it!   the only reason some of you want dinosaurs with lips. Is because you want dinosaur kissy's! No Dilo Kissy's for you! Hahahaha. Other than that. Will they also perhaps do animals like Dimetrodon, Edaphosaurus, Diictodons. I only could imagine how they would colour the sail. It would be so precious!

[Lynx]

Lips or not, I am glad I held off on getting a Dilo, this looks great!

[Halichoeres]

IMHO, Safari Ltd.'s Carnotaurus is criminally underrated.

Agreed. I plan to keep the Safari one and skip this one. The distribution of enlarged scales feels like a trivial detail to me, I care more about leg and tail proportions, and I prefer fixed jaws to articulates ones.

The paint work on the Dilophosaurus is stunning!

[Samrukia]

IMHO, Safari Ltd.'s Carnotaurus is criminally underrated.

IMHO, CollectA's Carnotaurus is criminally underrated.

regarding HAOLONGGOOD's, planning to acquire gray variant

[Jose S.M.]

IMHO, Safari Ltd.'s Carnotaurus is criminally underrated.

IMHO, CollectA's Carnotaurus is criminally underrated.

regarding HAOLONGGOOD's, planning to acquire gray variant

Both are worthy Carnotaurus but both are a bit bigger than I would like and I favor the Safari one, which I own, because the colors and pose look better to me. I find the CollectA one a bit boring.

Carnotaurus became a genus with plenty of nice sculpts as of late. Some years ago only the retired Carnegie and the JPesque Papo were good. The Schleich ones have never appeal to me.

[Sim]

Battat's Carnotaurus was good too!  Haolonggood's is the best one in my opinion though.  I've never liked Safari's, partly due to the large scales going down the midline of the face, no dinosaur is known to have that and it looks monstrous to me, like it does on Schleich's Giganotosaurus.  More to the point though, I think one can explain the cornified cover on Carnotaurus's snout as being present but not really visible on most Carnotaurus figures, but not Safari's which has feature scales there.

[Halichoeres]

IMHO, Safari Ltd.'s Carnotaurus is criminally underrated.

IMHO, CollectA's Carnotaurus is criminally underrated.

You're right, that one is also very good.

[Blade-of-the-Moon]

1:35 Ampelosaurus

[Ivántirrophus]

Great Ampelosaurus, I want to buy it!! 😃
But my wallet doesn't agree with me 😅