The best figure of every species, according to Halichoeres

[Halichoeres]

Late Cretaceous theropods of Gondwanan fragments:



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CollectA Australovenator. This is my only CollectA figure that won't stand up. Other than that, it's not terrible, but I'm stoked about the upcoming Australian Age of Dinosaurs version. This one is in about 1:35 scale.


CollectA Rugops. 1:40 scale. The hands look like maybe the sculptor mistook metacarpals for phalanges in a skeletal image, because it has too many fingers.


Carnegie Deltadromeus. Very well done, especially for its time. The orientation of the forelimbs might be different if it were produced today.

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Case in point. I hear others have had problems with their Carnegie Giganotosaurus standing, but mine has so far been very well-behaved. I really like this one.


CollectA Majungasaurus (Majungatholus), also at about 1:40 scale. Meh.

[Halichoeres]

Late Cretaceous tyrannosaurids:




Carnegie Albertosaurus. Has held up well, I say.

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CollectA Tarbosaurus. One reason I have so many lackluster CollectA models is that when I first started collecting I bought somebody's entire collection. I kept the ones from species for which I had no other representative. But I'd love to replace this with the Favorite model. This one is about 1:60 scale.


CollectA Daspletosaurus. I appreciate the adventurous pose, but the Union Jack face paint and the goofy smile don't do this guy any favors. About 1:40 scale.


CollectA Alioramus, about 1:30-1:35 scale. Maybe let's just move on.


CollectA Bistahieversor. This is more like it. I would like it to be bigger (I generally want large animals to be in 1:40), but I think it's really nice. But maybe next to its CollectA brethren this one just seems like the tallest man in Lilliput. About 1:50 scale.

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Papo Tyrannosaurus. Maybe not realistic, but undeniably lifelike. About 1:35.

[SBell]

Today, some non-dinosaurian archosaurs of the Late Cretaceous:


Favorite Pteranodon. I wish all flying pterosaurs came with little stands like this. I'm considering drilling holes in all the other ones I own and making custom stands.

You don't necessarily have to drill holes--for my 3D printed fish models, I made modelling-wax saddles for them when I based them (most--I did drill a couple before deciding I didn't want to make holes... )

e.g.:

And there is a plastic pterosaur precedent:


And I quite enjoy the age & taxonomic collection series--I've considered something similar, but it would take sooooo long at this point. I'm still reorganizing my office displays again already!

[Halichoeres]

Today, some non-dinosaurian archosaurs of the Late Cretaceous:

Favorite Pteranodon. I wish all flying pterosaurs came with little stands like this. I'm considering drilling holes in all the other ones I own and making custom stands.

You don't necessarily have to drill holes--for my 3D printed fish models, I made modelling-wax saddles for them when I based them (most--I did drill a couple before deciding I didn't want to make holes... )

e.g.:

And there is a plastic pterosaur precedent:


And I quite enjoy the age & taxonomic collection series--I've considered something similar, but it would take sooooo long at this point. I'm still reorganizing my office displays again already!

That's a good tip; I might try that rather than taking a drill to them. Glad you're enjoying the process! I can only manage it because my collection is about three months old and for most species I have only one figure. It seems like you have most of the quality animal toys ever made.

[Halichoeres]

Maniraptorans of the Late Cretaceous:




CollectA Nothronychus. I like this one, despite its slightly undead aspect. About 1:40-1:45.


Battat Nanshiungosaurus (so should be 1:40 actually about 1:30). I like this one too, naked or not. One of my few featherless maniraptorans.


CollectA Therizinosaurus. I am tempted to get the Deluxe, but this one is a pretty decent rendering! A bit small, though, at about 1:50-1:55.


CollectA Gigantoraptor. Eagerly awaiting the Battat Terra version. This one is in about 1:60. 


Kaiyodo Struthiomimus. I need more ornithomimids in my life. This one is maybe just a shade conservative on the feathers (although it's easy to forget it's close to 15 years old). About 1:35-1:40.

[amargasaurus cazaui]

I may be the only one but since fish are not my cup of tea I had never bothered to sort through your thread...wow gorgeous collection. A name change might prompt more views....just my thoughts. Gorgeous collection though and great pictures....

[Halichoeres]

I may be the only one but since fish are not my cup of tea I had never bothered to sort through your thread...wow gorgeous collection. A name change might prompt more views....just my thoughts. Gorgeous collection though and great pictures....

Hadn't thought of that, but you may be right! This is not, after all, the fish toy forum. I'm enjoying the process of making this thread because it makes me attend to details in the models that I might not notice while they're just sitting on the shelf. I was an art major once upon a time, and now a biologist, so this is very satisfying for both those aspects of my personality.

It also really makes me want to take up sculpting again, to make all those animals that I doubt major manufacturers will ever get around to.

[stargatedalek]

Fish Toy Forum, if only

[SBell]

I may be the only one but since fish are not my cup of tea I had never bothered to sort through your thread...wow gorgeous collection. A name change might prompt more views....just my thoughts. Gorgeous collection though and great pictures....

Hadn't thought of that, but you may be right! This is not, after all, the fish toy forum. I'm enjoying the process of making this thread because it makes me attend to details in the models that I might not notice while they're just sitting on the shelf. I was an art major once upon a time, and now a biologist, so this is very satisfying for both those aspects of my personality.

It also really makes me want to take up sculpting again, to make all those animals that I doubt major manufacturers will ever get around to.

Do you at least make it to the Animal Toy Forum? I need to round out the (pre-tetrapod) fish people. There's soooo much invertebrate stuff

Honestly, that's where 80% of my focus is these days anyway.

[Halichoeres]

I may be the only one but since fish are not my cup of tea I had never bothered to sort through your thread...wow gorgeous collection. A name change might prompt more views....just my thoughts. Gorgeous collection though and great pictures....

Hadn't thought of that, but you may be right! This is not, after all, the fish toy forum. I'm enjoying the process of making this thread because it makes me attend to details in the models that I might not notice while they're just sitting on the shelf. I was an art major once upon a time, and now a biologist, so this is very satisfying for both those aspects of my personality.

It also really makes me want to take up sculpting again, to make all those animals that I doubt major manufacturers will ever get around to.

Do you at least make it to the Animal Toy Forum? I need to round out the (pre-tetrapod) fish people. There's soooo much invertebrate stuff

Honestly, that's where 80% of my focus is these days anyway.

80% of your focus is on invertebrates, or on extant animals in general?

I signed up at the Animal Toy Forum, but I don't really collect anything Cenozoic (I don't even have any mammoths). I have only a handful of modern fish that I picked up more or less incidentally, although I did recently order the Colorata Dead Clade Walking fishes set.

[Halichoeres]

Sauropods of the Late Cretaceous:


Two northerners, two southerners.

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Carnegie Saltasaurus. 1:35 scale. I'm surprised there aren't more models of this species, but I guess with this one around, who needs 'em?


CollectA Ampelosaurus. The morning light really brings out the nicely sculpted armor. About 1:60.


CollectA Argentinosaurus. Astonishingly, at 1:80 scale, which means it's roughly to scale with, for example, the Kaiyodo Tarbosaurus and Triceratops. So someone please make a version twice this size.


CollectA Alamosaurus. About 1:55-1:60 scale, so works with the Ampelosaurus. I think all three of these CollectA models are perfectly serviceable apart from not displaying well with their contemporaries.

[Halichoeres]

Some Late Cretaceous animals at a larger scale (mostly around 1:10):




WWD Hesperonychus by Vivid. Unlike the Troodon from the same line, you barely notice that the wings are load-bearing. Nice little dromaeosaur at about 1:12.


Safari Champsosaurus (croc toob). Might be the only choristodere out there (although if I'm wrong, I would love to be corrected on that one!). Luckily it's pretty well done. About 1:15.


Carnegie Velociraptor. Quite a fitting swan song. 1:10


Jurassic Hunters Thescelosaurus. One of their least worst, and the only Thescelosaurus around. 1:15 according to its belly.


Safari Oviraptor (Dino Discoveries). It's a really beautiful sculpt with a highly visually interesting paint scheme, but don't turn it around, because it has a tragic opossum tail (skinny, naked, and flexible). About 1:8.

[SBell]

I may be the only one but since fish are not my cup of tea I had never bothered to sort through your thread...wow gorgeous collection. A name change might prompt more views....just my thoughts. Gorgeous collection though and great pictures....

Hadn't thought of that, but you may be right! This is not, after all, the fish toy forum. I'm enjoying the process of making this thread because it makes me attend to details in the models that I might not notice while they're just sitting on the shelf. I was an art major once upon a time, and now a biologist, so this is very satisfying for both those aspects of my personality.

It also really makes me want to take up sculpting again, to make all those animals that I doubt major manufacturers will ever get around to.

Do you at least make it to the Animal Toy Forum? I need to round out the (pre-tetrapod) fish people. There's soooo much invertebrate stuff

Honestly, that's where 80% of my focus is these days anyway.

80% of your focus is on invertebrates, or on extant animals in general?

I signed up at the Animal Toy Forum, but I don't really collect anything Cenozoic (I don't even have any mammoths). I have only a handful of modern fish that I picked up more or less incidentally, although I did recently order the Colorata Dead Clade Walking fishes set.

It's extant animals of all kinds--but there is a lot of invert stuff, and we need more fish (traditional meaning) input! Says me.

As for the Colorata set--which of the 3 versions do you have?

Safari Champsosaurus (croc toob). Might be the only choristodere out there (although if I'm wrong, I would love to be corrected on that one!). Luckily it's pretty well done. About 1:15.

You're welcome! When the set was being developed, I made sure to throw that one in--I know it's not even close to a 'crocodile' but it's a good convergence lesson (I tried to suggest that a gar would be appropriate too, but no luck). I was especially motivated because the museum I was managing was putting in a Palaeocene display featuring, among other things, a full size Champsosaurus. So I wanted one made! It almost got left off, as they decided to include Metriorhynchus--until I pointed out that Metrio was already in the Marine Reptiles toob. So Champsosaurus went back in!

And there is one other choristodere--on Shapeways there is a set of 5 in various poses in a couple of sizes (1/40 or 1/20); I forgot to order either one on my last order, and just haven't gotten around to it again.

[Halichoeres]

As for the Colorata set--which of the 3 versions do you have?

This one! These were in the mail yesterday.

I actually didn't know there were multiple versions. As I said, I don't generally collect extant stuff, but I can rationalize these because 1) they're gorgeous, and 2) 4 of the 7 genera (Acipenser, Atractosteus, Neoceratodus, Scleropages) have had Cretaceous fossils referred to them. I only paid $40 for the set, but would have gladly paid more.

You're welcome! When the set was being developed, I made sure to throw that one in--I know it's not even close to a 'crocodile' but it's a good convergence lesson (I tried to suggest that a gar would be appropriate too, but no luck). I was especially motivated because the museum I was managing was putting in a Palaeocene display featuring, among other things, a full size Champsosaurus. So I wanted one made! It almost got left off, as they decided to include Metriorhynchus--until I pointed out that Metrio was already in the Marine Reptiles toob. So Champsosaurus went back in!

And there is one other choristodere--on Shapeways there is a set of 5 in various poses in a couple of sizes (1/40 or 1/20); I forgot to order either one on my last order, and just haven't gotten around to it again.

Ha ha, thanks! I'm glad I have both this and the Metriorhynchus (are the rumors true that it's Suchodus?). And you mean these? (http://www.shapeways.com/product/MDUYQ6FUM/champsosaurus-pack-1-40). They are tempting. I haven't gotten into Shapeways stuff, partly because it's been so long since I painted. Could be a rabbit hole I'd never climb out of.

[SBell]

I think themain reason for assuming that is is Suchodus is that it looks just like a reconstruction of Suchodus:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suchodus
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/95/Metriorhynchus_dubr1DB.jpg/220px-Metriorhynchus_dubr1DB.jpg

And the Colorata set is the third, most recent version. The first version did not have Polypterus or Atractosteus, but instead had a Mekong Giant Catfish (a cool fish, but a little beyond the 'fossil' moniker). And the Scleropages is a greenish colour.

The second set is the same 7 fish as the current one, but the Scleropages is a red version. There was also a lot of improvement on the colouring in most of the models between versions 1 and 2.

[Halichoeres]

That drawing really is the spitting image of the toob figure (or the other way 'round maybe).

Mekong giant catfish would be pretty great, but I'm much happier to have a bichir and alligator gar.

[SBell]

That drawing really is the spitting image of the toob figure (or the other way 'round maybe).

Mekong giant catfish would be pretty great, but I'm much happier to have a bichir and alligator gar.

I've actually pestered Colorata directly to add a paddlefish (either species), but their current trend seems to be reissuing existing sets, or even thinning them out. At least this one is still around. And it means that I have 4 Chinese sturgeon*, 4 Neoceratodus*, 3 Pirarucu, 3 Scleropages of different colours, 2 Polypterus, 2 Atractosteus and 1 Pangasianodon. Just counting Colorata, of course--I have several other versions of some of these.

*I bought those two as individuals in auctions when the set first came out. So I have extra extras!

[Halichoeres]

That drawing really is the spitting image of the toob figure (or the other way 'round maybe).

Mekong giant catfish would be pretty great, but I'm much happier to have a bichir and alligator gar.

I've actually pestered Colorata directly to add a paddlefish (either species), but their current trend seems to be reissuing existing sets, or even thinning them out. At least this one is still around. And it means that I have 4 Chinese sturgeon*, 4 Neoceratodus*, 3 Pirarucu, 3 Scleropages of different colours, 2 Polypterus, 2 Atractosteus and 1 Pangasianodon. Just counting Colorata, of course--I have several other versions of some of these.

*I bought those two as individuals in auctions when the set first came out. So I have extra extras!

Not sure if I'd rather have a paddlefish or a bowfin...I mean, both, OBVIOUSLY, but if I had to choose.

[joossa]

I'm not into fish, but these look gorgeous.

[SBell]

That drawing really is the spitting image of the toob figure (or the other way 'round maybe).

Mekong giant catfish would be pretty great, but I'm much happier to have a bichir and alligator gar.

I've actually pestered Colorata directly to add a paddlefish (either species), but their current trend seems to be reissuing existing sets, or even thinning them out. At least this one is still around. And it means that I have 4 Chinese sturgeon*, 4 Neoceratodus*, 3 Pirarucu, 3 Scleropages of different colours, 2 Polypterus, 2 Atractosteus and 1 Pangasianodon. Just counting Colorata, of course--I have several other versions of some of these.

*I bought those two as individuals in auctions when the set first came out. So I have extra extras!

Not sure if I'd rather have a paddlefish or a bowfin...I mean, both, OBVIOUSLY, but if I had to choose.

I was operating using the 'endangered' part of the set's name, so Paddlefish fall into that far more than bowfin (despite the efforts of Outdoor Life magazine and poor fishery management). But both would be better.