Blade-of-the-Moon's Art

[Doug Watson]

Shoot me his contact info via PM or email and he'll see what he wants at least for the fish. I read they had fins made of plexiglass , taxidermy eyes and were the teeth individually cast? I've no idea myself how difficult it would be, I have friends that cast in latex and they've told me they couldn't do fiberglass from those moulds..just a different way it's done. FRP is the abbreviation for?

I'll send you an e-mail with his info. The fins were cast in polyester same as the rest of the fish. I'll post a close up of it here, the eyes are taxidermy fish eyes the pupils are not round, can't remember how he did the teeth I think they were added one at a time, but they were cast as well. The mould isn't latex it is urethane but you can also cast fibreglass from latex tell your friends to use PVA as a mould release PVA stand for Polyvinyl Alcohol. The moulds for those life size mammoths we did were latex and the casts were fibreglass. FRP stands for fibreglass reinforced plastic.

[Blade-of-the-Moon]

Shoot me his contact info via PM or email and he'll see what he wants at least for the fish. I read they had fins made of plexiglass , taxidermy eyes and were the teeth individually cast? I've no idea myself how difficult it would be, I have friends that cast in latex and they've told me they couldn't do fiberglass from those moulds..just a different way it's done. FRP is the abbreviation for?

I'll send you an e-mail with his info. The fins were cast in polyester same as the rest of the fish. I'll post a close up of it here, the eyes are taxidermy fish eyes the pupils are not round, can't remember how he did the teeth I think they were added one at a time, but they were cast as well. The mould isn't latex it is urethane but you can also cast fibreglass from latex tell your friends to use PVA as a mould release PVA stand for Polyvinyl Alcohol. The moulds for those life size mammoths we did were latex and the casts were fibreglass. FRP stands for fibreglass reinforced plastic.

Thanks bud.

What I meant was the mould was for latex casting, they make pieces like Halloween masks. The way the moulds are built they can pour in the latex slosh it around and pull out a piece..but in the case of fiberglass their moulds aren't made two piece so using it you would have to break the mould to get it out I think is what they meant when last I broached the subject.

Thanks for the definitions too...just unfamiliar with terminology.

[Jetoar]

Your plesiosaurs are awesome  .

[Doug Watson]

Thanks bud.
What I meant was the mould was for latex casting, they make pieces like Halloween masks. The way the moulds are built they can pour in the latex slosh it around and pull out a piece..but in the case of fiberglass their moulds aren't made two piece so using it you would have to break the mould to get it out I think is what they meant when last I broached the subject.
Thanks for the definitions too...just unfamiliar with terminology.

My bad, that would be slush casting and those moulds would be plaster to draw the moisture out of the latex I imagine. You can cast fibreglass in plaster moulds but they have to be piece moulds or open face moulds they are correct those moulds would not work.

[Blade-of-the-Moon]

Your plesiosaurs are awesome  .

Thank you!

Thanks bud.
What I meant was the mould was for latex casting, they make pieces like Halloween masks. The way the moulds are built they can pour in the latex slosh it around and pull out a piece..but in the case of fiberglass their moulds aren't made two piece so using it you would have to break the mould to get it out I think is what they meant when last I broached the subject.
Thanks for the definitions too...just unfamiliar with terminology.

My bad, that would be slush casting and those moulds would be plaster to draw the moisture out of the latex I imagine. You can cast fibreglass in plaster moulds but they have to be piece moulds or open face moulds they are correct those moulds would not work.

Ah see, I told you I had no idea about casting..lol

[Meso-Cenozoic]

I'm a little behind on here. That Plesiosaurus is gorgeous! OMG, you've outdone yourself!

Maybe Adam's museum could come up with the funds for the commission that would cover Doug's pterosaur? Hehe!

[Blade-of-the-Moon]

I'm a little behind on here. That Plesiosaurus is gorgeous! OMG, you've outdone yourself!

Maybe Adam's museum could come up with the funds for the commission that would cover Doug's pterosaur? Hehe!

Thank you! It was my hands true but it's a team effort when people that can hep guide them.

Ah if only life worked out that way..lol I wouldn't dream of charging near so much as what it would, unfortunately, cost us to get one 24' Pteranodon off the ground..pardon the pun.   

[Meso-Cenozoic]

Haha! Yeah, I know. Well I man can dream aloud sometimes.

[Blade-of-the-Moon]

Haha! Yeah, I know. Well I man can dream aloud sometimes.

Oh for sure..doing so has got me this far..though I can almost hear the groan of those around me when I say " next dino", "expansion", or "new exhibit"..lol

[Blade-of-the-Moon]

Therizinosaurus -carved foam

[DinoLord]

Nice, how are you going to feather this one?

[Takama]

Around the very first time he mentioned about making a Thrizinosaurus, he said it would not be feathered.   But that was years ago.   You still sticking to that Plan Blade?

[Blade-of-the-Moon]

It's something I'm thinking of. Ideally I would go the CollectA route and use epoxy, but given the size we would need around 1,000.00 worth 4lb=50.00 to coat an animal of the size I'm looking at.  The past feathers I've done and left outdoors seem to have one flaw I've noticed. If the vinyl is heated and shrank the paint doesn't adhere to it nearly as well.  The Struthiomimus we have I will be needing to repaint again this year. I painted for the 2nd time last year and then had to touch it up through out summer due to bird droppings.  So vinyl feathers are good for indoor/covered areas like where the Velociraptors are. But not outdoors .  So  I can leave it featherless..we have no direct evidence as of yet for these bigger animals to have them. I can add a few, arms for display, back of the head, tail tip, those will be easier to touch up..or  I can try painting feathers on with a stencil design..the body would still be smooth however. Thoughts?

[Newt]

I think painted-on feathers would be, if anything, more realistic than individually applied ones. If you look at  most big birds, you really don't see individual feathers except the big wing and tail feathers, and maybe some small feathers around the face and legs. Their bodies are basically smooth. I know it's fashionable to make feathered dinosaurs shaggy like cassowaries, but I don't think there's much evidence to suggest they looked like that instead of like a more typical bird.

Have you considered making feathers from flashing or thin sheet metal instead of vinyl? You would have more control over the shape and wouldn't have to worry about shrinking or paint adhesion.

And I'll join the chorus - that plesiosaur is beautiful! The apatosaurs too. You're an inspiration. You've made me want to make some big critters - not as big as some of yours, but dog- to man-sized at least. When the weather is a bit nicer I'm going to break out the polystyrene and hot wire.

[reinier zwanink]

Just a idea but cant you make 2 or 3 stamps of a feather?
When i wanted to replicate zimmerit i made stamps for it and it worked great
Even when overlapping

[Blade-of-the-Moon]

I think painted-on feathers would be, if anything, more realistic than individually applied ones. If you look at  most big birds, you really don't see individual feathers except the big wing and tail feathers, and maybe some small feathers around the face and legs. Their bodies are basically smooth. I know it's fashionable to make feathered dinosaurs shaggy like cassowaries, but I don't think there's much evidence to suggest they looked like that instead of like a more typical bird.

Have you considered making feathers from flashing or thin sheet metal instead of vinyl? You would have more control over the shape and wouldn't have to worry about shrinking or paint adhesion.

And I'll join the chorus - that plesiosaur is beautiful! The apatosaurs too. You're an inspiration. You've made me want to make some big critters - not as big as some of yours, but dog- to man-sized at least. When the weather is a bit nicer I'm going to break out the polystyrene and hot wire.

You've seen the Struthio we did haven't you? That's what our individual feathers look like. But it's also what I can't do anymore for outdoor pieces.


I haven't really done any that used a hair-like shaggy look. Not sure how I could achieve that come to think of it.

Flashing or sheet metal..I've never done it before. I'm not sure either would attach to the vinyl material we use for skin?

Painted on I also haven't done, but with a stencil and time it could be done...if I could spend a bit more I could do it with outdoor paint and a brush.  Most birds do look smoother when viewed normally  unless they are all ruffled up.

Thank you! I'm so happy to have inspired you. When an artist's work inspires others it's really fulfilling it's purpose.  I use a three goal system with any of my endeavors , the Park here is Educate, Entertain, and Inspire. So thank you again! 

A word of caution , I started with smaller pieces myself..now look what I've gotten myself into...

Just a idea but cant you make 2 or 3 stamps of a feather?
When i wanted to replicate zimmerit i made stamps for it and it worked great
Even when overlapping

I could, but what material can I use them on? The vinyl won't hold the shapes, it just pulls tight. Epoxy we have the cost issue. :/  I don't mean to shoot down ideas you understand, I do appreciate the thoughts!

[reinier zwanink]

I understand blade
Thats always the problem
And you cant use cheap stuff for that will crumble outside

[Blade-of-the-Moon]

I understand blade
Thats always the problem
And you cant use cheap stuff for that will crumble outside

Exactly. A stamp would work great if I could coat it with epoxy. I could actually buy a rubber roller and carve a design in it I think. I've been tempted to for scales as well..but just nothing to use it on.

[Blade-of-the-Moon]

16' Pachycephalosaurus part of our 2016 expansion project at Backyard Terrors Dinosaur Park.

[triceratops83]

What size are you going for with the pachy, 4.5 metres?