Quetzalcoatlus Reconstruction Feedback?

[parasauroloafers]

Hello thar, I am a long time lurker who just joined up today!

I'm working on a project involving a Quetzalcoatlus reconstruction. After many days of research, I sketched up the one on the left. After many more days of research, I sketched up the one on the right, keeping the basics but making it a bit more robust. I was just hoping for feedback, which one is more accurate, what needs to be changed, etc...

I know they're just quick sketches so it might be hard to critique specific points, but I wanted to make sure I had it as accurate as I can before starting on the polished model sheets. Once I have the basic figure squared away, I want to do detail shots of hands, feet, head, so on and so forth.

Please let me know if you see any inaccuracies, or just have suggestions, or anything! My goal is to make this creature as realistic and accurate as possible, so even the smallest suggestion helps. I appreciate every bit of it!

[Kayakasaurus]

Welcome to the forum! I don't know enough about azhdarchids to help, but your sketches look professional! I'm sure I'm not the only one looking forward to seeing your Paleoart!

[jooooo]

This is what I could find.
-Pterosaurs have airsacks in next to their arms, you wouldn't have seen the contours of their arms other than their pychnofibers.
-Perhaps thicker coat of pychnofibers. And the scutes on bird feet are modified feathers and would only be found in Theropods.
-Not sure about that fenestrae, should not be visable.
-The tips of pterosaur wings are more rounded than here otherwise it wouldn't work in flight, the wings should be spoon-shaped.
-The skin texture on the wings isn't leathery but more of a smooth with some pychnofibers.
-The wing finger couldn't fold up like that if I recall correctly.

The one on the right is definitely more accurate. I notice your improvement due to the fact there is a pteroid on the right but not on the left. Just remember not reconstruct it skim-feeding. You have probably figured this out already otherwise it would look very different but just in case you haven't avoid David Peters as much as possible, he has two websites, pterosaur heresies and reptile evolution. If you have questions you can always ask Mark Witton.

http://jconway.deviantart.com/art/The-Structure-of-a-Pterosaur-74299968
This will link you to a handy guide made by John Conway. Good luck with drawing, the sketches look very promising so far

[parasauroloafers]

Thanks for the welcome and the advice! I'll definitely add that to my notes.

I've tried to reach out to Mark Witton, and many other pterosaur experts, but haven't heard back from any of them. I don't know if my e-mails are just going into their spam folders or they're just really busy (which I know many paleontologists usually are). Or maybe they just don't want to chat...who knows!

Thank you for the John Conway guide, looks like there's some great information there. Especially in reference to musculature.

[jooooo]

Thanks for the welcome and the advice! I'll definitely add that to my notes.

I've tried to reach out to Mark Witton, and many other pterosaur experts, but haven't heard back from any of them. I don't know if my e-mails are just going into their spam folders or they're just really busy (which I know many paleontologists usually are). Or maybe they just don't want to chat...who knows!

Thank you for the John Conway guide, looks like there's some great information there. Especially in reference to musculature.

You're welcome

[Halichoeres]

Welcome to the forum! I love the user name.

These drawings look great. I think most of the (fairly minor) potential issues have been pointed out, but I would add that although there weren't very many cervical vertebrae, they did have some give. This neck looks just a tiny bit stiff to my eye.

[Kayakasaurus]

Wait... Are you this Parasauroloafers?

https://parasauroloafers.wordpress.com

[parasauroloafers]

Thank you everyone for your feedback! Hoping to get to work on fixing these soon.

And yes! I am that Parasauroloafers. Unfortunately that blog has stagnated because I've been so busy. Day job + commission work leaves me pretty busy. But maybe one day I'll be able to actually post more than two things on there!

[Blade-of-the-Moon]

Thank you everyone for your feedback! Hoping to get to work on fixing these soon.

And yes! I am that Parasauroloafers. Unfortunately that blog has stagnated because I've been so busy. Day job + commission work leaves me pretty busy. But maybe one day I'll be able to actually post more than two things on there!

Ah so you work for Billings? You aren't on DA are you?

[Kayakasaurus]

That's great news. I found your blog last year and was really impressed with the Pachy, so I posted a link on the forum. I wanted to contact the creator, and now you're here  .


Here's my original link to your blog. I've been working on my own life size Ceratopsian, however it is much smaller lol.
http://dinotoyblog.com/forum/index.php?topic=3125.140

Have you gotten any more dinosaur related commissions?

[parasauroloafers]

Yes I do work for Billings.

I'm glad you liked our Pachyrhinosaurus!! It's probably one of my favorites. There are some weird things about it that I would change, but when we sculpted it, I wasn't in a position to lend any opinions, either scientific or artistic.

But now I'm in a position where I am able to influence more strongly the pieces that we make. Which is why I'm trying really hard to gather up a lot of research, contact experts, get feedback, etc...we're working hard on making our new stuff as scientifically accurate as possible (though there have to be certain allowances made for the internal mechanisms, cost, shipping, things like that).

As for me personally, no dinosaur commissions recently, but lots of decorative statues and dragons and other beasts! I really need to put up more stuff on The Interwebs, but...time, man.

Glad I finally joined the forum, the information I've gotten even from just this thread is great.

[Blade-of-the-Moon]

I asked because I have spoken off and on with a sculptor that works for them , we met on Deviant Art and I thought perhaps you knew him, Patrick Cupp?

Billings certainly could do with more of an update to many of the pieces, even my dearly loved Dinamation ones.

I know all about allowances..darn mechanics and material restrictions can be extremely annoying to trying to make something accurate, stable, and move-able.. lol