Zbrush Dinosaurs and 3D Prints

[wings]

Just looking at the rough design and some pics of a fossil mount and fleshed out pics. Just my thoughts of course..feel free to weigh in.

I've only asked because in the original paper (http://library.worldtracker.org/Science/Science%20Magazine/science%20magazine%201993-1994/root/data/Science%201993-1994/pdf/1994_v264_n5160/p5160_0828.pdf) of the animal; it mentioned that they've only found two metatarsals (foot bones) for the foot element of the animal but these materials were never figured. In the more recent paper ("Osteology of Cryolophosaurus ellioti (Dinosauria: Theropoda) from the Early Jurassic of Antarctica and implications for early theropod evolution" by Smith, Nathan D.; Makovicky, Peter J.; Hammer, William R.; and Currie, Philip J. (2007)), these element aren't figured or described either. Due to this reason, I thought that you might have seen a even more recent publication on this and made your statement. I don't know if the museum mounts were cast from the original metatarsals found, from what has been published we have no idea of its shape or its measurements (unless you've contacted the authors of course). It's hard to make any judgement calls when we are looking at the mount(s) since they were based on the proportion of allosaurs rather than their closer relatives (Dilophosauridae).

[Gorgonzola]

Yeah, that's what I had found out - not a whole lot of skeletal information on this fellow.  For the feet I've been following cues from dilophosaurus since that seemed like the best shot for it.  So in that regard, are the feet weird or near the mark?

[Blade-of-the-Moon]

No problem Wings,  I'm far from an expert of course. Just posting my observations.

Your middle toe, to me, looks like maybe it's still a bit long or the side toes are a bit short.

Here's a pic I found of the skeletal foot : http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/dilophosaur/closeup.html

[radman]

So I got 5 models, 2 carnos and 3 paras.  As usual, the unpainted WSF versions are difficult to photograph, so I worked up one of each species a bit, remember these are just preliminary, undetailed models, but I wanted to go several shades of grey with the carno (not 50!), and something a bit more lively with the para.  The para actually stands well on a flat surface, but with the convenient hole in the solar plexus, a toothpick made posing both models more easily on the sward:

[Blade-of-the-Moon]

Nice paint ups Radman !

[wings]

Yeah, that's what I had found out - not a whole lot of skeletal information on this fellow.  For the feet I've been following cues from dilophosaurus since that seemed like the best shot for it.  So in that regard, are the feet weird or near the mark?

Sounds like you've seen those articles mentioned as well so I wouldn't post too much diagrams from these papers here. Above is some of the images of Cryolophosaurus, Dilophosaurus and Coelophysis (I've included this since it's part of the Superfamily and we have relatively good materials on them); I have roughly scaled the ankle bones to similar width on these animals. Coelophysis are smaller animals and they have more slender elements whereas Dilophosaurus are medium-sized animals and their foot elements are more robust. So here are the illustrations and you can probably make your own judgement calls because to say certain elements are too long or too short is a bit vague for me (How long is too long or how short is too short??).

[postsaurischian]

Love the Para!

[Blade-of-the-Moon]

Yeah, that's what I had found out - not a whole lot of skeletal information on this fellow.  For the feet I've been following cues from dilophosaurus since that seemed like the best shot for it.  So in that regard, are the feet weird or near the mark?

Sounds like you've seen those articles mentioned as well so I wouldn't post too much diagrams from these papers here. Above is some of the images of Cryolophosaurus, Dilophosaurus and Coelophysis (I've included this since it's part of the Superfamily and we have relatively good materials on them); I have roughly scaled the ankle bones to similar width on these animals. Coelophysis are smaller animals and they have more slender elements whereas Dilophosaurus are medium-sized animals and their foot elements are more robust. So here are the illustrations and you can probably make your own judgement calls because to say certain elements are too long or too short is a bit vague for me (How long is too long or how short is too short??).

Good point. Maybe it's getting closer to aesthetics. You also can have some differences in each individual animal.

[wings]

@ Gorgonzola

One thing that I've forgotten to mention though is that from looking at your finished sculpture (Parasaurolophus from TQ's post) perhaps you should probably follow the musculature arrangement of animals like crocodiles and birds rather than basing it on the mammalian arrangement.

[radman]

So I haven't had time to put any base paint on the other models, unfortunately.  I also realized I hadn't said much about any of them, so here goes:  I really like both the 3 Parasaurolophus and 2 Carnotaurus models.  The figures are dynamic, the detail is as good as you can expect to get with WSF, wrinkles and skinfolds, large scutes on the Carnos, nice long tails.  Both the standing para and carno can stand  on their own without support.  Compared to other models, I'd say  the para's heads are a bit smaller and the necks longer, proportionately, which makes the horn look bigger.  The legs are also not quite as long as on Angies or mb-cg's.  The carno has appropriately long legs and its arms look fine to me  too, although I know there is a lot debate about their actual size and length.  At first, I thought the carnos were way too big for 1:72, but after a little research and discovering that there is really only one known fossil, I think a lot of flexibility, size-wise, should be allowed.  Lastly, the prominent horns which name the species and are usually exaggerated, are actually refreshingly restrained in these models.  Again, I want to emphasize, that these are my observations, not criticisms; I actually love that the proportions vary from other artists.  Just like in real extant species, body proportions vary upon climate, habitat, biome, whatever.  Thanks, Gorgonzola for making these models, I plan on getting the other 3 paras, and especially thanks for making them available in both 1:40 and 1:72, thus satisfying the large and small collectors alike.  When I win the lottery or make my big patent, (whichever comes first) I'll get them all in 1:40, or even 1:20!
The weather here has been rainy for a while so I can't go out and get shots in favorite locations, but here's a crummy group pic of the 3 paras with some similar-sized models:

l

BTW, what's the latest on gender-based crest size?

[Gorgonzola]

@Wings: For sure, I think I may have strayed a wee too far into "cow" territory with the Paras, but I'm hoping to be a bit more mindful of musculature on the Cryolophosaurus.

@Radman: Haha, I love your little herd of Parasaurolophus!  I'm right now in the middle of a move to a new house, but I'm hoping afterwards I can get around to ordering some of them for myself - I always wanted to do up a nice big dinosaur diorama, maybe of them at a watering hole...Glad you like the figures though, I have to say I'm quite happy with how they turned out.  Can't wait to see the paint-ups you do for them.

I'm also really happy to hear the standing Para is self-supporting.  I wasn't sure if he'd be too front heavy or not, but it was worth a shot, so glad to hear it worked out.

Not a lot of work has been done on the Cryolophosaurus as of late, freelance and moving have taken higher priorities.  The rough box model phase for it is almost done though, I'm just roughing out the hands, then after that I just need to fix up anything else before I actually take it into Zbrush and sculpt/detail it out. I'm looking forward to having some nice poses for this fellow - something I had been mulling over is maybe modeling two them that interact with each other, either in a mating rut or grooming.  Something like that.

[radman]

I'm still uncertain of the crest size between males and females, if any.  I'd like to hear from any of the experts on the forum.  The only known "female" versions of Parasaurolophus, AFAIK, are the Safari, mb-cg's squatting version, and the Japanese Dinoworld figure.
Regardless, numerous scenarios abound.  Males could band together, if only, to draw predator attention from nesting females in a different location, etc..

[Gorgonzola]

Yeah, I was hesitant about making a "female" crest variety only because whatever info I found about P. cyrtocristatus was fairly inconclusive, and that seems to be the go-to design for a female Parasaurolophus.  I would like to go back in the future and add some juvenile and female varieties, but I think making a female one will take a bit of legwork in the investigative department.

[Gorgonzola]

Last update of the Cryolophosaurus for the month probably.  Hopefully it's developed enough at this point to somewhat accurately judge some of the proportions and stuff, since I'd love to nail it down as much as possible before I get too far into it.  Apologies in advance for any lens skewing that may be distorting some stuff.

[Yutyrannus]

Last update of the Cryolophosaurus for the month probably.  Hopefully it's developed enough at this point to somewhat accurately judge some of the proportions and stuff, since I'd love to nail it down as much as possible before I get too far into it.  Apologies in advance for any lens skewing that may be distorting some stuff.

I can't wait to see this guy finished! He looks awesome!

[Gorgonzola]

Finally got moved into the new house, though I'm still unpacking and settling in.  In anycase, here's an update of the Cryolophosaurus that I worked on in very sparse breaks here and there while I still had my work station hooked up.  I'm at a good point of adding in skin wrinkles/fold, before I go in and detail him out with scales and scutes.

[Blade-of-the-Moon]

Looking good ..quite Dilphosaurus-like.

[tyrantqueen]

Exciting progress so far

[Gorgonzola]

So I had a large order of 1/72 Paras cancelled recently, despite a few of the models having no issues produced before  I just wanted to give everyone an update and let you all know that the issue has been fixed and all the 1/72 Para models have been updated on the store!

The 1/40 Paras were unaffected, so there was no need to update those.

[Gorgonzola]

I decided to take another crack at scales - I know that they'll more than likely disappear during the prints, but I wanted to do them mainly as a means to expand my own skill set.  So, preview of blocking in major scales/scutes!