Blade-of-the-Moon's Art

[Joel]

Those are looking sweet! I've used chicken wire to create structures (such as monitor lizard housing) before, so I know your pain, but it's worth it!

[Blade-of-the-Moon]

Those are looking sweet! I've used chicken wire to create structures (such as monitor lizard housing) before, so I know your pain, but it's worth it!

Thanks ! 

Oh yeah ? Used to have some varanids myself.

[Darko2300]

Blade,

That skull is looking really, really good. I think you're getting the form nailed down incredibly well - and I can't believe how quickly you're able to do it! I love this. Styracosaurus always was my favorite ceratopsian - tied and perhaps slightly overshadowed by Monoclonius (Centrosaurus, who?) It'd be kind of fun to see some infants with it...or perhaps another young, feisty sparring partner? 

[Blade-of-the-Moon]

Blade,

That skull is looking really, really good. I think you're getting the form nailed down incredibly well - and I can't believe how quickly you're able to do it! I love this. Styracosaurus always was my favorite ceratopsian - tied and perhaps slightly overshadowed by Monoclonius (Centrosaurus, who?) It'd be kind of fun to see some infants with it...or perhaps another young, feisty sparring partner? 

I'm a bit impressed with how it's going myself so far..I did notice  I may have put the cheek horns a little too far back... :/    I also figured out that this is as far as I can go indoors with the head..it's just too darn big. If I add the horns in here it won't go through the front door. heh 

Styracosaurus stuck with me as much as Triceratops did...I do have a particular fondness for Monoclonius though. I watched the Dinosaur special with Christopher Reeve a lot..the stop motion bit by Phil Tippet in his Prehistoric Beast segments really did it for me.

I have considered adding a juvenile animal to it..I think I'm right saying at around 11+ feet this would be a sub adult. A whole other animal would be cool as well to have em' fighting. I'll have to make sure  I document all measurements correctly..after doing it once it's just a matter repeating yourself...which can also be difficult...lol

Question. The skeletal I'm using by Scott Hartman has the nose horn pointing forward. Is that confirmed or just theory ?  I really prefer it growing up and curving back a bit like in most restorations.

[Blade-of-the-Moon]

Yeah ! Finished the chicken wire on the Styrac and started skinning it..at this rate the body will be done before the head..lol

Though that's partly my fault for worrying and procrastinating over the head so much.

[DinoFan45]

They look great, can't wait to see more of that Styracosaurus. One of my favorite ceratopsians.

[Blade-of-the-Moon]

They look great, can't wait to see more of that Styracosaurus. One of my favorite ceratopsians.

I'll post some more tomorrow, there is a lot of foam work on that head..just so darn BIG. I am starting to coat the lower jaw a  bit..it needs to be covered so much before  I attach it.

This black material seems to be working well for the body..I'm going to try using it for the body and brown for the head. If you guys have some thoughts on the nose horn position or color ideas feel free to post em' !

[Blade-of-the-Moon]

Two new Styrac progress pics :




When I get this guy far enough along I'll start framing up the Kentrosaurus.

[Blade-of-the-Moon]

Did a test fit of the head today :





Looks pretty good  I think.  I actually got a lot more of the body coated today, the body itself should be coated completely in a few days I think.  Then I have to do detail work..add the small ridge along the spine, things like that. I'm goign to start coating the head tonight I hope.

[Darko2300]

Ooooh. It's looking good. 

I haven't read much on the nose horn position - some of it might depend on which specimens the artist chooses to look at - I know some animals in the Centrosaurine family have horns that point slightly forward. Ultimately, I'd go with personal artistic liscense in this case - the horn curving slightly back does look better. And anyways that's the version we grew up with, right? 

Mmmm. Phil Tippett stop-motion Monoclonius... (I think my love for it started with the Dino-riders toy, which I got long before I was able to see the Reeves Doc. later in the 80's.)

[Blade-of-the-Moon]

Ooooh. It's looking good. 

I haven't read much on the nose horn position - some of it might depend on which specimens the artist chooses to look at - I know some animals in the Centrosaurine family have horns that point slightly forward. Ultimately, I'd go with personal artistic liscense in this case - the horn curving slightly back does look better. And anyways that's the version we grew up with, right? 

Mmmm. Phil Tippett stop-motion Monoclonius... (I think my love for it started with the Dino-riders toy, which I got long before I was able to see the Reeves Doc. later in the 80's.)

Yeah I guess I'll go with it pointing back..Krentz and others I'm using for references seem to think so as well.

You might be right on that..I had the dino-riders figure as well ( still do ) so it may have come first. 

My first Styracosaurus was probably around then as well..or it was that cheap Imperial version :

I recall seeing a really nice model of one in an older issue of Nat Geo from behind though..I think that was in 1989 some article about extinction.

[ZoPteryx]

That looks awsome!  Are you going to give it quills?

[Blade-of-the-Moon]

That looks awsome!  Are you going to give it quills?

I'm not 100% sure on that yet.  I know Psittacosaurus had them apparently..but is there proof of any other larger and later ceratopsians having them ?  Based on other's work I go by, it seems both David Krentz and Shane Foulkes have decided against them.  If I go without large quills I will probably add small spikes instead though. 

I almost have the whole body coated..weather holding I will have it done tomorrow..then I'll start detailing. I'm working on the head indoors as much as possible right now...it's going a bit slower but will get done.

I'm starting to think of putting the Kentro on hold to do a juvenile tyrannosaur..maybe based on JANE...what do you guys think ? Not sure it will be full sized yet..I need more reference images. It looks like she would be 21' or so long and 7'+ at the hip.   I need a fly over shot so I can see how wide the body is.

Measured the Brachio today, she is right around 23' long.

[ZoPteryx]

That looks awsome!  Are you going to give it quills?

I'm not 100% sure on that yet.  I know Psittacosaurus had them apparently..but is there proof of any other larger and later ceratopsians having them ?  Based on other's work I go by, it seems both David Krentz and Shane Foulkes have decided against them.  If I go without large quills I will probably add small spikes instead though. 

There's that alleged undescribed T-tops that supposedly preserved quills, but seeing as there only function would be for display, and Styracosaurus already had horns, spikes, and a frill for display, I'd suspect they'd be quite short.

I'm starting to think of putting the Kentro on hold to do a juvenile tyrannosaur..maybe based on JANE...what do you guys think ? Not sure it will be full sized yet..I need more reference images. It looks like she would be 21' or so long and 7'+ at the hip.   I need a fly over shot so I can see how wide the body is.

A lifesize model of Jane would be super cool!  I tried to find some images for you, no overhead shots but I found this one that shows its girth.

and these:

[Blade-of-the-Moon]

That looks awsome!  Are you going to give it quills?

I'm not 100% sure on that yet.  I know Psittacosaurus had them apparently..but is there proof of any other larger and later ceratopsians having them ?  Based on other's work I go by, it seems both David Krentz and Shane Foulkes have decided against them.  If I go without large quills I will probably add small spikes instead though. 

There's that alleged undescribed T-tops that supposedly preserved quills, but seeing as there only function would be for display, and Styracosaurus already had horns, spikes, and a frill for display, I'd suspect they'd be quite short.

I'm starting to think of putting the Kentro on hold to do a juvenile tyrannosaur..maybe based on JANE...what do you guys think ? Not sure it will be full sized yet..I need more reference images. It looks like she would be 21' or so long and 7'+ at the hip.   I need a fly over shot so I can see how wide the body is.

A lifesize model of Jane would be super cool!  I tried to find some images for you, no overhead shots but I found this one that shows its girth.

and these:

I've seen some pics of the skin from that find..all it showed was small spikes on the animal's hide. I've read they were only on the skin as well..in Psittacosaurus they were found to be connected to the bones themselves.  So maybe no quills..just some small spines or tiny spikes.

I found this great side view of Jane : http://www.cmnh.org/site/Img/AtTheMuseum/Jane/JaneSkeletal.pdf

So is Jane really a juvenile Tyrannosaur or just a Nanotyannus ?  I recall that topic being really confusing before.

Maybe  I should look for skeletals of that new Tarbosaur juvenile instead ? They seem certain that those are juvenile Tarbosaurs / tyrannosaurs.

I'm also getting curious about Raptorex..but it's quite a bit smaller :

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Raptorex_SIZE_01.jpg

[Blade-of-the-Moon]

Added the base, almost done coating, just need to finish the legs tomorrow.

Any more input on the juvenile Rex ?

[Weaver]

Ooo! So the black is working then! I'm loving the shape of the body so far. I cannot wait to see the head on this.

[Blade-of-the-Moon]

Ooo! So the black is working then! I'm loving the shape of the body so far. I cannot wait to see the head on this.

Yeah the black is thinner but it is working...also a little harder to work with.

Here's the head progress so far :




Started laying out the horn pattern and still coating as well.

[Thagirion]

Looks so neat. I'm looking forward to seeing it once it's done.

[Blade-of-the-Moon]

Looks so neat. I'm looking forward to seeing it once it's done.

Same here bud, that's a big part of what keeps me going at it..