Zbrush Dinosaurs and 3D Prints

[wings]

The foot bones (metatarsals) seem to be too long and a little slender when view from the front. I can't find to many pictures on this (http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/diapsids/ornithischia/parasaurolophus.gif and http://www.skeletaldrawing.com/psgallery/images/parasaurolophuscomparison.jpg). But when you compare your Parasaurolophus with their relatives like Corythosaurus (http://earthlingnature.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/corythosaurus.jpg and http://archosaurmusings.files.wordpress.com/2012/01/cory0.jpg) and Lambeosaurus (http://www.alumni.ubc.ca/grad_gazette/26-may08/lambeosaurus.gif) your animal appears to have rather long feet. 

[Gorgonzola]

Oof, looks like I've got some adjustments to do!

Is it just the foot that's too long, or did I make the lower leg too short as well?  Here's a low poly version of the model from the side.  I did have to guess a bit on constructing the back legs since there's not really anything in terms of neutral poses for skeletal reconstructions it seems.

Thank you though for your input Wings!  I appreciate the help in fixing any errors I may make.

[Blade-of-the-Moon]

Hah!  I need to start looking around at other people's paleoart so I make sure I don't step on too many toes.  Sure is hard to get some variety at times in these poses though.  I wanted him originally to be chewing on one of his back feet, but as I was posing it didn't seem like it was physically possible...hmm, maybe I should take another whack at it.

I wish I could do a bit more with the tails, but considering how stiff that whole area is except for the end it doesn't seem quite feasible.  Oh well.

I highly doubt Himmapaan is complaining about it..lol Maybe you could create an infant Olorotitan just for him. 

Using other artists work for inspiration I think is flattering not something to be wary of. Especially if they are artists  I admire, and poses, coloration, patterns are all difficult not to get similar anymore anyway with so many people thinking along the same lines. Something similar is bound to turn up even if we aren't aware of it.

Yeah hadrosaur tails just aren't good action areas..if your trying to be accurate. You could maybe add spines or a tyrannosaur bite mark to make it different and draw attention to that area though.

[Himmapaan]

Hah!  I need to start looking around at other people's paleoart so I make sure I don't step on too many toes.  Sure is hard to get some variety at times in these poses though.  I wanted him originally to be chewing on one of his back feet, but as I was posing it didn't seem like it was physically possible...hmm, maybe I should take another whack at it.

I wish I could do a bit more with the tails, but considering how stiff that whole area is except for the end it doesn't seem quite feasible.  Oh well.

I highly doubt Himmapaan is complaining about it..lol Maybe you could create an infant Olorotitan just for him. 

Using other artists work for inspiration I think is flattering not something to be wary of. Especially if they are artists  I admire, and poses, coloration, patterns are all difficult not to get similar anymore anyway with so many people thinking along the same lines. Something similar is bound to turn up even if we aren't aware of it.

Indeed! You aren't stepping on any toes at all, Gorgonzola; certainly not on mine. You needn't change a thing on your grooming Parasaurolophus (other than any accuracy issues you see fit). It was a pleasant surprise to find that we had arrived at a similar thing, which is bound to happen frequently in this field. And in fact, I too originally wanted my Gibran to be scratching a hind foot, but like you, I found the posture awkward. So there you go.  I'm looking forward to this one when it becomes available. 

[Gorgonzola]

Thanks Himmapaan.  It is always funny though when two people come across the same solution, isn't it?

Love your work, btw.  I think the first time I saw it was over at Love in the Time of Chasmosaurs when they showed off your crazy dinosaur death scenarios (I can't remember what were eating away at the girraffatitan's leg, but it was bizarre and hilarious.)

Fixing the back legs now, so obviously I'll need to redo these poses once I do that.  I'll post up more once I do.

[wings]

Is it just the foot that's too long, or did I make the lower leg too short as well?  Here's a low poly version of the model from the side.  I did have to guess a bit on constructing the back legs since there's not really anything in terms of neutral poses for skeletal reconstructions it seems.

Thank you though for your input Wings!  I appreciate the help in fixing any errors I may make.

I've made a diagram to your illustration. It doesn't line up with your animal exactly but I think it is close enough for the discussion.



I've based my diagram on the CNHM P27393 (Parasaurolophus cyrtocristatus) specimen since the P. walkeri specimen lacks lower leg elements. P. cyrtocristatus has some of its "foot" preserved (one phalange, a complete metatarsal IV which is approximately 335 millimeters long and the end of metatarsal III, it's incomplete but judging from its robustness it is longer than metatarsal III). The diagram above would be the minimum length of the foot (not including toes) since the central metatarsal (III) is the longest (it was estimated by ostrom to be about 400mm long). I suppose you can make an estimate on the width of the foot from other lambeosaurines, since I think they aren't too hard to find on the web.

[tyrantqueen]

Hey, I received the 1/40 Carno today, in WSF. I picked WSF because it tends to have a shorter waiting time (in my experience) and I like the material overall. Sorry about my poor photos, WSF is not easy to photograph.







I like it very much, Gorgonzola did a very good job here Gorgy, I await your next 1/40 model, heck, I'd be happy to guinea pig again for you any time

[Gorgonzola]

  Oh wow!  That looks great!  I actually had someone else just get their 1/72 models in the other day and were quite pleased.  I'm relieved all around that the teeth held up, I had to beef them up after my test prints came back.  They came out fine, but were quite fragile. I must have knocked off the tips of all the running pose when I was cleaning it.

I'm making that one available to the public now, and once I get some time that's not involved with these Paras I'll see to getting the standing pose in 1/40 as well.

EDIT: Meant to ask, TyrantQueen, any of the scale detail show up at that scale in that material?

[tyrantqueen]

Oh wow!  That looks great!  I actually had someone else just get their 1/72 models in the other day and were quite pleased.  I'm relieved all around that the teeth held up, I had to beef them up after my test prints came back.  They came out fine, but were quite fragile. I must have knocked off the tips of all the running pose when I was cleaning it.

I'm making that one available to the public now, and once I get some time that's not involved with these Paras I'll see to getting the standing pose in 1/40 as well.

EDIT: Meant to ask, TyrantQueen, any of the scale detail show up at that scale in that material?

That's a hard question to answer, since I don't own the frosted detailed material to compare it to. Looking at the model under a lamp and comparing it to the 3D models that you have produced, I can see that the the little scale textures that appear on the skin, as seen here:



....does not appear on the WSF material, sadly. The bigger "lumps" do, but the overall fine texture does not. But like I said, I don't have frosted, so I'm not 100% sure

[Gorgonzola]

Gotcha. I assumed that would be the case since WSF is a coarser material.  Truth be told though I wasn't sure if it would show up at all on any of the materials, so the Carnotaurus has been a good learning experience for me in terms of what will/won't reproduce in the materials.

Nevertheless, glad you like the 1/40 scale!

[tyrantqueen]

Gotcha. I assumed that would be the case since WSF is a coarser material.  Truth be told though I wasn't sure if it would show up at all on any of the materials, so the Carnotaurus has been a good learning experience for me in terms of what will/won't reproduce in the materials.

Nevertheless, glad you like the 1/40 scale!

I do like WSF though. It's cheap, strong and the detail is decent. I've ordered models in FD and they've been quite brittle and broke easily. And WSF is usually much nicer to paint I guess it's just a matter of preference.

I look forward to your next 1/40 model.

[jtn144]

As far as the brittleness of the FUD material is concerned, if you mean the hollow nature of these and mb-cg's models what I do is fill the interior with plaster. It stiffens them up nicely & gives a good heft to the models. It gets a little messy but any excess easily cleans up.

[tyrantqueen]

How would I get the plaster into the model? By using the little hole that shapeways sometimes makes in the model? Sounds like a good idea, I always thought that FD didn't have a nice solid feel that WSF does

[Gorgonzola]

That's not a bad idea at all.  Dunno how hard it is to do it on the smaller scale models, but on a 1/40 one?  Get a liquidy enough consistency to the plaster and just use a thin spout funnel...

I actually capped off my carnotaurus test prints with green stuff so I didn't have an unsightly hole on the bottom.  I was already using the stuff to fill seams on my Krentz 1/40 T. rex, so I just shrugged my shoulders and said "why not?"

Maybe for some of these test print Paras I'll try plaster filling...should make for some interesting results.

[jtn144]

How would I get the plaster into the model? By using the little hole that shapeways sometimes makes in the model? Sounds like a good idea, I always thought that FD didn't have a nice solid feel that WSF does

That little hole in the bottom, or carefully drilling one. I use either a pipette or Deluxe Materials syringe with interchangeable tips they sell for use with their putties & glues. A lot will spill over the model but like I said it will clean up easily.

[Gorgonzola]

I think it's time for an update   

Here's all the Parasaurolophus poses I have so far with the new adjustments in place (took a lot of doing to fix that lower leg, time will tell when I convert these back to the high poly if it translates well...)  I'm open to hear requests for a pose I hadn't thought of, since after doing eight of them my brain sputtered out and I just started to feel like I was hitting the same notes again.

[jtn144]

I'll definitely be picking up a few of these in 1/40. Great job!

[amargasaurus cazaui]

The models and poses are stunning. As I looked through them the only missing natural pose I could think of for a larger animal was rolling on the ground, back down, feet in the air, to either coat its back with dust, or clean off, etc. Most larger herd animals do this, I believe even elephants roll in the dirt , but a good example would be watching horses or cattle for instance.

[tyrantqueen]

I like the sitting one. It looks very elegant. Maybe try a sleeping pose, or grazing?

I will definitely be picking up the grooming, rearing and sitting ones, if they are available in 1/40.

Also, forgive me for doing this, but I couldn't resist an old meme

[jtn144]

I think you nailed all the poses, maybe one or two feeding, but I don't know. Looking forward to seeing the skin detail. Boy, this is going to be a big f@#!ing diorama!