Weavers' Unravellings

[Weaver]

My name is Weaver (or Liz) and this intro-post will have no art or anything on it. What I want to have here is a list of what I'm working on, plans and musings.

Working on:
-SCHOOL ART'
-working on dip-pen fun-times
-SCHOOL ART
-inserting dinosaurs and other citters into SCHOOL ART
-SCHOOL ART

Plans:
-To cast the Hyracotherium.
-Start a Basilosaurus sculpt.
-Illustrations with vaguely fantastical dinos and non-dinos for my headworld.
-Redoing my Hyracotherium sculpt.

[Weaver]

From my Tumblr-account these are mostly not-dinos but I decided to try and see how scales, scutes and feathers looked in ink. It's hard to do. There's a Psittacosaurus-ish was an attempt at scales (trying sortof swirliness) that looks alright from a distance but... meh. Then there's my Stygimoloch (fanciest dinos ever!) and I like it a lot. And feel free to shoot me down for that silly Velociraptor. I just, well, since Himmapaan did those lovely leaping-flapping-flying Velociraptors I drew a little inspiration from their expressions.

Done on cold-pressed watercolor paper (only because I love to add ink-washes) with my dip-pens.

[Tylosaurus]

Nice work you got there Weaver I'd be interested to see your Basilosaurus come to life

[Weaver]

@Tylosaurus: Heehee, it'll be a neat thing all long and powerful. Early off-shoot branches of ceteceans should definitely be modeled.

Speaking of Basilosaurus, I don't think anyone saw the finished pic of my spyhopping pair of Basilosaurs.


You can also comment on it here: http://fav.me/d4bxiiw

By far my favorite and complicated thing ever. How does one paint water and waves? I still like it but looking back on it I realize something: The gums are far too shallow and the teeth are too exposed. Ah well. I'll rework it again someday. :/

[DinoToyForum]

Wonderful composition on the Basilosaurus. Are parts of it done digitally? The style is reminiscent of some of the classic pieces from the early 1900s, but with a modern twist. Charles Knight and Dzenek Burian would be proud! 

[Tylosaurus]

Sweeeeeeeeeet That one is awesome mate!!! A masterpiece as every drawing is here
Many thanks for sharing mate!

It really looks good, but I don't think they would stick their entire heads out of the water to snap some air right?
I even wonder if they could take on the Chacharadon Megladons heh, they may have been close rivals, if living in the same era

[Himmapaan]

I like your ink drawings especially!

And feel free to shoot me down for that silly Velociraptor. I just, well, since Himmapaan did those lovely leaping-flapping-flying Velociraptors I drew a little inspiration from their expressions.

Aw, thank you; I'm glad they inspired you.  And anyone who's going to shoot you down will have to answer to me first. 

[Weaver]

Haha! Thanks Dr. Admin! Aaaah, Burin and Knight. I will admit that I have seen far-far too many of the plates and prints of their work. I can't help it, it's so delightfully old-fashioned and the odd greeny-blues and yellows are so... just pretty.  All digital but I'm still learning. I used Painter 11 and my 'oil pastel' tools for it. I'm not great for traditional paintings (I can't leave things done) this day in age. XD

[Weaver]

Sweeeeeeeeeet That one is awesome mate!!! A masterpiece as every drawing is here
Many thanks for sharing mate!
It really looks good, but I don't think they would stick their entire heads out of the water to snap some air right?
I even wonder if they could take on the Chacharadon Megladons heh, they may have been close rivals, if living in the same era

Maybe not to snap the air (totally going to float at the surface to take in fresh air through nostrils) but I wanted a chance to draw that mouth open.  XD Well, I have the feeling that like any modern whale (even if they are that off-shoot that never truly succeeded) I would expect them to spy-hop being a whale that lived in the pelagic through maybe the mesopelagic zones. Even though they were not a 'social' creature (no room for a melon and the brain was small) I like to think that they could do it to observe prey or spot another Basilosaurus.

I wonder too. The only thing that get's me is those front limbs. I mean they're at most only good for steering so it was that monster tail doing all the work. I'd think a Megalodon, being bigger but more agile/able to build up speed, could have picked a fight with one and win. Alas, they lived in different time periods so it can never be.

@Himmapaan: AAAAH. Hello there and I just... aaah. I see Velociraptors (any dromeasaur actually) and I cannot stop picturing them leaping about flapping their feathers. <3 I should practice with ink some more then. Ink is my favorite traditional medium and I love using it on watercolor paper. Ruins my pens quickly if I forget to care for them but it's so neat. I have a bottle of acrylic sepia ink I would love to try so maybe I'll work on something silly this week.

[stoneage]

Sweeeeeeeeeet That one is awesome mate!!! A masterpiece as every drawing is here
Many thanks for sharing mate!

It really looks good, but I don't think they would stick their entire heads out of the water to snap some air right?
I even wonder if they could take on the Chacharadon Megladons heh, they may have been close rivals, if living in the same era

Basilosaurus and Megalodon lived at different times.  Basilosaurus lived during the Eocene and Megalodon didn't appear until the Late Oligocene.  So they could have only met in fiction.

[Weaver]

Some of you may remember my little idea of making a 1:14 (or was it 1:16) model of a Hyracotherium lepornium/sort of Mesohippus.

See this? Ugh. It's ugly. And terrible.


Ugly!Sculpt evolved into.... Okay!Sculpt!


The concept:

So my thoughts as of now, the body is okay. Round and neat (still rough) and the legs, neck and eyes need work. I'll add a tail but I was kinda thinking of fudging a few things, since realism is so hard, and turning it into more of a Hyracodon/Early Unicorn. I'd like to cast it someday for myself and as a way to bring in a little extra money. It would be more for doll-collectors (already some folks have expressed interest) as a kit. I'd include a groove in the crest of the neck for fur-manes. Currently it is free standing with the head and neck curving to the left. I'd like to keep it free-standing.

It's probably too silly but I like it.

[Weaver]

So, that little box in our post-profiles got me thinking and well, I want to try something. I'd like to somehow represent my dino-nerdism a bit more... not 'cool' or 'ironic' but 'Weaver-style'. I have a greenish jacket/blazer with a mandarin-collar and on the back I'd like to show off my favorite of all dinos, Stygimoloch. Either a full color thing with a Kudu-esque Stygi with roses (kinda look more like magnolias but OH WELL) or a black skeletal with the flowers on the bottom. I'd letter at my shoulders, 'Stygimoloch spinifer'.

Here are the two versions.

#1:

#2:

It's not set in stone but I like it. I'd either paint it on by hand or do a transfer and paint over it just to make it a bit more... sharp.

[Blade-of-the-Moon]

My preference is for the fleshed out version.

[Weaver]

@Blade: I'm kinda leaning that way too but now that I think of it, I have a better idea even.

So, I think this is a good compromise that I like. Green is the color of my jacket (maybe a little more greyed out that I show here) so... flesh and skin as a golden outline instead with the bones inside. Weekend project is a go... maybe? XD

[Weaver]

Alright, here you go DTF and paleo-art/illustrations-land.... somewhat proper dinosaur art for a change.

Leptoceratops gracilis

I've always thought that the primitive and smaller Ceratopsian (or is it Neoceratopsian?) dinosaurs were like bulldogs (or any small tough dog) in temperment. Gotta be tough to protect your eggs and yourself from becoming a snack for a carnivore. Based off of a skeletal by Jaime A. Headden, various reconstructions, and the Wild Safari Ltd replica-model of the same name. Back feet... eh. Tail could be shorter but I still like it.

Stygimoloch spinifer

I really like S. spinifer a lot. A lot. I remember some National Geographic issue all about unusual/obscure dinos. Stygimoloch was in there and I sort of fell into paleo-love with this punk-rock dino. Especially proud of that back foot lifted as he/she runs. I realize now that dino-feet are evil and that it is scary when I try to draw them. On anything. XD

I hope you like these as they were originally posted on my Tumblr and guys, best digital tool is the pencil in Easy-PaintTool SAI.

[Himmapaan]

These are really lovely, Liz! I love the Leptoceratops' head.

[Arioch]

NIce work! I have to agree with your theory regarding small ceratopsians. Those were 6 feet bulldogs with nasty parrot beaks...cute as they could be, I wouldn´t really try to cuddle one...

[Gryphoceratops]

Very nice!  Should the stygimoloch neck be shorter though?  It should also probably be thicker. 

[Weaver]

Oh my gosh, you guys... these were fun to do and I can't wait to try more. I'm so glad that you like my silly idea Arioch. ^^; Bad-tempered dinosaurs, yay! Definitely not a cuddly dino. XD

Ack, you're most likely right Gryphoceratops. I think I got a little carried away with it. XD Oh well, next one will be shorter in the neck and thickerish. Thank you for the input Gryphoceratops!

[Weaver]

Balaur bondoc


Somehow, I forgot about Balaur. Boring pose but I like moving poses. And those toes and feet got a little lost in the picture. Ah well. Feathered raptors... and this is my first time with one. I have to admit that I have a silly thought about feathers. Most folks put on a fan of feathers or a row of feathers on the tails. I kinda like that but at the same time I wanted to do something different. This is where the soft, downy plumes come in. Just before the small fan of stiff feathers on the end are these long plumes. Kinda like a roosters' hackle-feathers this would identify a male for breeding in conjunction with ,or in place of, flushing on the face.

The skeletal used was the one presented here and various reconstructions by Emily Willoughby (2010) and Andrey Atuchin  for inspiration.

Again, reposted from my Tumblr. I hope you all enjoy my little 'Stocky Dragon'.