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avatar_fabricious

Fabricious's Life Size Sculpture

Started by fabricious, September 16, 2014, 07:21:58 PM

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DinoLord

Look forward to seeing what types of feathers you can get in.

An observation/concern though: Do you have any plan to make it so that the feathers have some degree of uniformity when sculpted on? whenever I see feathered dinosaur sculptures the feathers always look too 'messy' and unkempt (either in uniformity of feathers use or their overall aesthetic impression), reaching an unnatural-looking state that no real feathered animal would probably allow their integument to get to.


fabricious

Definitely not, I intend to get a rather smooth surface on the plumage as seen in pheasants/peacocks or, since the feathers won't be of those animals, the 'rough' look a chicken has while still having a defined form. I am a bit of a perfectionist myself when it comes to things like that, so I probably wouldn't be able to look at it without asking myself what I was thinking over and over again. ;)

tyrantqueen

QuoteAlso: apparently the chicken feathers will be white and sandy yellow, which might suit a desert predator. If I manage to get a hold of a few darker/brown and black feathers as well, this might make for an interesting pattern.
Sorta like this?


fabricious

If I can manage to give it a look like that (without the plushy throat), then yes! :) Thanks for the image, TQ!

Balaur


tyrantqueen


Blade-of-the-Moon

#26
Quote from: fabricious on September 17, 2014, 10:04:04 AM
I will take Hartman's skeletal reconstruction as my main reference anyway, so I might just do that as well. :)

Also, here are the eyes I bought today at the taxidermist's supply store:




The ladies were a bit... strange and half the store was not lighted (and I had to go into the basement to see the eyes, haha), but I am quite satisfied with their look. They are made of glass and do seem very hawk-like in my opinion.

lol I always get a neat reaction.." you need eyes for a dinosaur? I thought they were extinct? "  ;D 

I've used lion and tiger eyes in my raptors..that hint of green on those..not sure what eyes they would be for normally?

Another note, using real feathers, be sure they are cleaned very well.

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fabricious

I think they are big cat eyes as well, I didn't ask since I was occupied with admiring the beautiful eyes they had there. :D

Gorgonzola

Quote from: Blade-of-the-Moon on September 17, 2014, 06:39:12 PM

Another note, using real feathers, be sure they are cleaned very well.

Holy cow, yeah, I didn't even think of that as an issue.

Fabricious, I was thinking about this some more today - it might benefit you to research how taxidermists create models of birds, since that's relevant to your needs for this project.  It might actually help inform your sculpting decisions and methods for attaching the feathers as well.  It crossed my mind when I saw that this year is the 100th year anniversary of the Passenger Pigeon going extinct.
IG: @asidesart
Portfolio: asidesart.com
Patreon (Mostly non-dinosaur stuff and illustration): patreon.com/asidesart

fabricious

Ah I only just read that! Yes, I will make sure that the feathers are VERY clean, especially since I'll have to store them for a while before I can use them. I already looked up some techniques for that.

Researching taxidermist's ways of using feathers is a brilliant idea, thanks Gorgonzola! I'll definitely dig into that.

fabricious

Hm, I am beginning to run into the first problems in my head, regarding the body and placing the feathers. The initial plan would've been to cover the body and any part that might be hidden under feathers in paper maché, a thick layer, even, to make it strong. Any thoughts on that?
Also, I am not sure what kind of glue to use for THAT many feathers. Super glue would be very, VERY expensive, as would be epoxy glue and others. I was thinking of using a heat glue gun for it, has anyone tried using that for feathers yet? Is it a good idea, would the glue last for a long time? Obviously the sculpture wouldn't be touched a lot, but there might be the issue of transportation, if I manage to find a buyer.

Thanks in advance, I am kind of running in circles in my head.

fabricious

Another idea might be tacky glue, since I do have some professional stuff here from my bookbinding hobby. Seeing it as the sculpture will not be standing in the rain (I hope?), this might be the way to do it.

Blade-of-the-Moon

A friend of mine might be able to help you if you can get ahold of her.  Give you some tips and such.


fabricious

Oh? I'd be up for all the help I can get to make this a proper sculpture! :)

fabricious

Whoever said raptor's have a mean looking face clearly never looked one in the eye... very derpy expression, in my opinion. :P


Blade-of-the-Moon

Helps when you get the teeth and skin around the eyes in there... lol

Here's a pic of our Velociraptor " Vicious" :



fabricious

Alright, this one really lives up to its name! Good one! :D

Paleogene Pals

I like that 'scary cute' thing Vicious has going on. Reminds me of the old Prehistoric Scenes. Of course, I still would not be that close to Vicious.

Blade-of-the-Moon

Quote from: Paleogene Pals on September 18, 2014, 04:28:47 AM
I like that 'scary cute' thing Vicious has going on. Reminds me of the old Prehistoric Scenes. Of course, I still would not be that close to Vicious.

No one wants to be...lol  people are scared of him before he moves..  ;D

Yutyrannus

How's this project going? I haven't seen any updates in a while so I was wondering are you still even making this?

"The world's still the same. There's just less in it."

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