Safari Ltd - new for 2014

[tanystropheus]

I spoke with Loren Coleman about the Crypto Toob, and this was how he classified each piece, if anyone is interested:

Bigfoot (cryptid)
Yeti (cryptid)
Loch Ness Monster (cryptid)
Fur-Bearing Trout (fake)
Jackalope (fake)
Giant Squid (classic species of cryptozoology discovery)
and Coelacanth (classic species of cryptozoology discovery)

Where is the dropbear? 

These are some lovely toobs, overall (especially, the deep sea creatures toob)

[tyrantqueen]

Thanks you.  Quite embarrassing that the Monolophosaurus is so superior to the TRex both in pose and detail - AND - its a much smaller model, too.  As I said elsewhere - Carnegie should hire the Wild Safari sculptor.

Another note on the TRex - looks like the legs (once again) become anemic when you get to the ankles/feet.  Which, of course, were quite robust in life.  Maybe its the angle....

Then again, its probably just .... Forrest Rodgers....

First off, her name is Forest Rogers, not "Forrest Rodgers"

In the words of Solid Snake (David Hayter):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HZgFgL6LT8o

Also, how is the Mono in a better pose? It's pratically the same posture- mouth open, roaring into the distance.

Basically, if you don't like the Carnegie line, don't buy it, and stick to the WS one. Carnegie has been using the same sculptor for years, I doubt they're going to change anytime soon (and I'm grateful for that fact).

The Giant Squid is supposed to be the Kakkan

Don't know what a "Kakken" is. I personally think it's supposed to be a Kraken.

[Gwangi]

TQ, he was just expressing his opinion about the piece just as you've done many times before about the lines you like and dislike. I see no reason to take it personally...unless you are in fact Forest Rogers. 

[Ikessauro]

Thanks you.  Quite embarrassing that the Monolophosaurus is so superior to the TRex both in pose and detail - AND - its a much smaller model, too.  As I said elsewhere - Carnegie should hire the Wild Safari sculptor.

Another note on the TRex - looks like the legs (once again) become anemic when you get to the ankles/feet.  Which, of course, were quite robust in life.  Maybe its the angle....

Then again, its probably just .... Forrest Rodgers....

Also, how is the Mono in a better pose? It's pratically the same posture- mouth open, roaring into the distance.

Basically, if you don't like the Carnegie line, don't buy it, and stick to the WS one. Carnegie has been using the same sculptor for years, I doubt they're going to change anytime soon (and I'm grateful for that fact).

I guess that Simon was talking about the tail positioning there, not really focusing on the head and body, which is as you said, basically equal in both models. I agree with Simon, Mono looks better than the T.rex, at least from those pictures. T.rex is such an iconic dinosaur that has been done thousands of times by several companies, so we expect that a well known museum line have an obligation to get it right. It's not like it's an obscure dinosaur. If the tripod instance were used to avoid big feet it's understandable, but then the feet on the T.rex seem too small. Couldn't they make those feet bulkier as they should and try to avoid the tripod pose? I myself think that Carnegie should always keep the same sculptor, as long as possible, it brings a unique style to the collection, being sculpted by a single artist. But they've got to get the model right, what good is a dinosaur model with perfect anatomy posed in impossible or unnatural ways? The Tyrannosaurus rex is a must in any collection and by now should be also the best sculpted and most accurate among the models, since we have so much information on them. There was a time when I got excited with Carnegie's new releases, but I don't anymore. They are putting out 1 figure a year and usually not a really good one. The Brachio was cool, but recently they are not as good as they should or could be.

[DinoToyForum]

[I've renamed this thread  and updated the images on the first post - Admin]

[Concavenator]

WHAT?ONLY ONE CARNEGIE FOR NEXT YEAR?!?!?!     
That's very disappointing 
Carnegie got lazy again.They now know what to do for 2015.A Velociraptor(?) and I don't think they'll release another figure for 2015.

[Simon]

First off, her name is Forest Rogers, not "Forrest Rodgers"

Frankly, the late DeForest Kelly could probably have sculpted a better theropod than Forest Rodgers.   
 

[Balaur]

Just because there are no photos doesn't mean its delayed. We don't even have confirmtion do we?

[postsaurischian]

Discussing about eggs that haven't been laid yet doesn't make much sense to me .

  ....... and Forest Rogers is WITHOUT ANY DOUBT a gifted and great sculptor! I thought this was obvious. Models like the Carnegie Tylosaurus or the Miragaia (to name only two) are epic. The sculptor of Wild Safari's Monolophosaurus doesn't even have the talent of Forest's left digitus minimus !
If the T. rex will turn out to be a bad figure, I'm sure it wouldn't be her mistake. Take a look at her homepage, see the originals, give them to Kaiyodo and you would have the greatest Dinosaur figures imaginable .

[tyrantqueen]

TQ, he was just expressing his opinion about the piece just as you've done many times before about the lines you like and dislike. I see no reason to take it personally...unless you are in fact Forest Rogers. 

Okay, you have a point. I'm sorry. I'm too opinionated for my own good sometimes, I know. I apologise if I offended anyone.

I guess that Simon was talking about the tail positioning there, not really focusing on the head and body, which is as you said, basically equal in both models. I agree with Simon, Mono looks better than the T.rex, at least from those pictures. T.rex is such an iconic dinosaur that has been done thousands of times by several companies, so we expect that a well known museum line have an obligation to get it right. It's not like it's an obscure dinosaur. If the tripod instance were used to avoid big feet it's understandable, but then the feet on the T.rex seem too small. Couldn't they make those feet bulkier as they should and try to avoid the tripod pose? I myself think that Carnegie should always keep the same sculptor, as long as possible, it brings a unique style to the collection, being sculpted by a single artist. But they've got to get the model right, what good is a dinosaur model with perfect anatomy posed in impossible or unnatural ways? The Tyrannosaurus rex is a must in any collection and by now should be also the best sculpted and most accurate among the models, since we have so much information on them. There was a time when I got excited with Carnegie's new releases, but I don't anymore. They are putting out 1 figure a year and usually not a really good one. The Brachio was cool, but recently they are not as good as they should or could be.

I don't think it is Forest Rogers fault that Carnegie chose unimaginative species. It's not her fault any more than Doug Watson's fault for sculpting those oversized feet for the Safari theropods. They just do what they're told.

Personally, I don't even think a T.rex was needed. I liked the Anniversary one just fine. There are plenty of Tyrannosaurus from other lines that are decent, such as Favorite's.

Frankly, the late DeForest Kelly could probably have sculpted a better theropod than Forest Rodgers

I could be predictable and make a "I'm a doctor, not a..." joke here, but I won't

[amargasaurus cazaui]

Not sure bashing an artist that likely is not even present to defend themself, is the best way to critique a model. Just seems a harsh way to offer an opinion. Best way to critique any figure or model is vote with your wallet.The forum also gives one the ability to write entire appraisals of the various models. Without having the dinosaur in hand, and based on a few pre production pictures it just seems both hasty and rather judgemental to say such rude things about someone. Just my two cents...

[Simon]

I think some of you are missing the point here - Carnegie's problem is not that its species are "unimaginative", nor that Ms. Rodgers is a "bad sculptor".  And pointing out faults with humor is not "rude" either.

However, what Ms. Rodgers IS, is a bad sculptor of THEROPOD dinosaurs.  I am not talking about her other critters (aka Brachiosaurus, Mosasaurus, etc).

Just three examples will suffice:

Giganotosaurus - horrendous - the head is OK, the body is that of a light raptor.

Cryolophosaurus - tripod pose, legs once again too thin;

TRex - masterful head and body - awful tripod pose and once again too thin ankles and feet. 

I don't know about you, but spindly legs combined with a tripod pose offend me more than extra large feet and (correct) horizontal pose.

I agree that WS are more geared to the toy market - which makes it even more of a tragedy that Carnegie Theropods can't be made to stand on their own, or to have some scaly skin.....

.... Ms. Rodgers is the sculptor, and she certainly must have quite a bit of leeway in the way that her theropods are rendered pose and anatomy-wise ... and if she is being told to sculpt them in those particular ways, then the individual(s) who are giving those instructions should be replaced by someone like Anthony Beeson, who is committed to "getting it right", instead of just turning a profit by manufacturing unimaginative "widgets" ....

[CityRaptor]

Carnegie and Wild Safari are different approaches at a problem not present in the old tail draggers: Stability!
The customers are obviously not happy about Theropods with standing issues, just because it can't be replicated perfectly.
According to Wild Safari sculptor Doug Watson, Safari does not want to add bases to make things more affordable.  Therefore the WS Theropods get bigger feet, while the generally more scientific Carnegie Collection does use a Tripod Stance, which results in a lot roaring Theropods.

[Hermes888]

Personally, I prefer the tripod stance over clown-sized feet. I have a few figures that were intended to be balanced on two legs, but they mostly fall over and I have to support them with other figures.

[amargasaurus cazaui]

I still differ in the necessity to mock anyone for their efforts particularly when they are not present to defend themselves. I made note of the use of the name alteration to Forrest....an obvious intent to suggest Forrest Gump and mock the artist. That is not humor nor is it particularly .............respectful. Sorry, I disagree.
  My own feeling is I prefer the tripod stance over the big clownly feet or dinosaurs that fall over constantly and suffer from paint chips and damage. While not a perfect soloution it is for me the best answer.

[tyrantqueen]

Interesting. In regards to clown feet vs tripod, I would always choose the latter. This sounds a bit odd, but dinosaurs with enlarged feet always look chibified (super deformed) to me, even though I know it's not the sculptor's intent.

I suppose it's a problem that will never go away, and will always be evident in bipedal models to a certain extent

Another reason why I like tripod is that, if (in the event that you were completely unhappy with it) you could make your own base, you can remount the model into a fully bipedal stance. Whereas, with big feet, you'd have to chop the feet off completely and resculpt them yourself. I think the first option is easier.

Regarding the skinny legs thing: aren't the legs of birds quite thin?

Here's an extant dinosaur:




It's mostly just tendons, skin and bone. Perhaps Forest Rogers is basing her theropods on living birds.

Anyway, at the end of the day, it's just opinions. No-one is right or wrong.

[Splonkadumpocus]

Wait, I just remembered... Wild Safari has been retiring their prehistoric mammal line due to some agreement where they're not allowed to make prehistoric mammals.

So with the Ascent of Man series, does that mean the agreement's over?

[Hermes888]

My own feeling is I prefer the tripod stance over the big clownly feet or dinosaurs that fall over constantly and suffer from paint chips and damage. While not a perfect soloution it is for me the best answer.

My Papo Allosaurus and Spinosaurus can't stand up without leaning on other figures, and it makes organizing them a bit of a pain. I've honestly never had a problem with the tripod pose, and I don't understand why it's such a make-or-break issue.

[Takama]

My own feeling is I prefer the tripod stance over the big clownly feet or dinosaurs that fall over constantly and suffer from paint chips and damage. While not a perfect soloution it is for me the best answer.

My Papo Allosaurus and Spinosaurus can't stand up without leaning on other figures, and it makes organizing them a bit of a pain. I've honestly never had a problem with the tripod pose, and I don't understand why it's such a make-or-break issue.

I think It comes down to the fact that it reverts the sculpt to the days when dinosaurs were portrayed as tail draggers.

[Seijun]

Carnegies tripods really dont look like traditional tail-draggers to me though. The invicta trex is a good example of a tail dragger.