Blade-of-the-Moon's Art

[alexeratops]

Im loving these new dinos Blade! I can't wait to see em finished, just like always. And sorry I haven't posted in a long time, school really sucks in 6th grade.

[Doug Watson]

Ok guys I need a little help brainstorming here.

I was contacted by the marketing manager of one our local Malls and she is putting together a huge event that will encompass several upcoming months starting with March and ending in July.  The first is a traveling exhibit we've heard of before, T-REX Planet by the makers of Dinosaurs Unearthed, ect.. http://trexplanet.com/events/event-2/

She is also looking to get the movie theaters to show Jurassic Park, The Lost World and JP3 leading up to Jurassic World's release.

There will be a baby t-rex/ WWD similar costume event at the mall as well, the Gray Fossil Site, a local museum is doing a small fossil dig, make your own fossil and a dinosaur cornhole ( southern bean bag toss).  The Mall is doing a Scavenger Hunt with dinosaurs, a Reptile Race, where you follow the footprints between cardboard standups of dinosaurs ( from OrientalTrading.com), they will also have coloring sheets and puzzles.

Here's the deal, she wants us to particpate and get on board as well. I thought, GREAT! it would be wonderful advertising! " but having sat down and thought about it..and read what others are doing..I can't figure what we can do?  All of our 1:1 dinos will be here at the Park they aren't really mobile. We should have our mascot costume by then but what else? I have coloring sheets, but others doing those.  I need something that makes us standout.

I did a scavenger hunt last year where kids can take on the role of a small scavenger dino and try to I.D. what a predator in the Park ate by identifying a foam board cutout of a skull placed nearby. It's a neat concept..but I can't see it being made mobile.  I would like to do something interactive tackling the bird/dino connection but I don't know what.  Any ideas are welcome!

Hey buddy remember that video you had where you were holding one of your feathered Velociraptors and you were animating the head and neck. Could you pull that off? Dress up in your best JP gear hold the raptor and talk and and answer questions about the park. If you could come up with a little squawk box that you could hide inside the raptor or on yourself that played raptor noises when you pushed a button that would be killer. You may half to strap it to you depending on how heavy it is and how long you would have to stand there.

[Blade-of-the-Moon]

Thanks guys!

Doug, that raptor was a half body piece that is now motorized and is coming through the ceiling in our Velociraptor Enclosure...he's the final scene before you exit..tearing out the electrical wiring.. lol



It was a bit weighty. I have been talking about making a light weight , full body, latex puppet with a friend of mine but it's not going to get done soon I fear.

[Doug Watson]

Thanks guys!
Doug, that raptor was a half body piece that is now motorized and is coming through the ceiling in our Velociraptor Enclosure...he's the final scene before you exit..tearing out the electrical wiring.. lol
It was a bit weighty. I have been talking about making a light weight , full body, latex puppet with a friend of mine but it's not going to get done soon I fear.

That's a shame. Since you do your heads separately and they are manageable I would suggest having three or more in different states of finish and explain the process. I used to do art festivals and I would have the lost wax process spread out on a table from original sculpture, rubber mould, wax cast, ceramic shell and bronze and I would give a talk on the process and people were enthralled. I sold more than a few bronzes as a result. They all don't have to be the same dinosaur just any head at different stages of finish. That will mean leaving some unfinished for a while and I would paint one even though I know you wait and paint them on the dinosaur.

[Blade-of-the-Moon]

Thanks guys!
Doug, that raptor was a half body piece that is now motorized and is coming through the ceiling in our Velociraptor Enclosure...he's the final scene before you exit..tearing out the electrical wiring.. lol
It was a bit weighty. I have been talking about making a light weight , full body, latex puppet with a friend of mine but it's not going to get done soon I fear.

That's a shame. Since you do your heads separately and they are manageable I would suggest having three or more in different states of finish and explain the process. I used to do art festivals and I would have the lost wax process spread out on a table from original sculpture, rubber mould, wax cast, ceramic shell and bronze and I would give a talk on the process and people were enthralled. I sold more than a few bronzes as a result. They all don't have to be the same dinosaur just any head at different stages of finish. That will mean leaving some unfinished for a while and I would paint one even though I know you wait and paint them on the dinosaur.

That's an idea.  I considered making say..an arm, with the various steps shown on different parts. To make a "how we do it" exhibit since people love to watch us build them.  Leaving a head unfinished would be so distracting...I'd have to complete it..maybe I'm a bit compulsive.. lol

The reason I usually paint them on the dino is the vinyl won't apply and stick to itself after it's been painted. So everything needs to be assembled before painting.

[Doug Watson]

That's an idea.  I considered making say..an arm, with the various steps shown on different parts. To make a "how we do it" exhibit since people love to watch us build them.  Leaving a head unfinished would be so distracting...I'd have to complete it..maybe I'm a bit compulsive.. lol

The reason I usually paint them on the dino is the vinyl won't apply and stick to itself after it's been painted. So everything needs to be assembled before painting.

If you thought you might have more opportunities to showcase the park like this in the future it would be worthwhile producing a series of samples showing the process so you would have them at hand when the next opporotunity comes up. I think heads would have more impact if you can conquer your OCD  . Instead of doing a complete head you could do 3 half heads on panels that you could either lay out on a table or hang on a wall behind you. Do a small dinosaur or a big one in a smaller scale. Or you could even do three miniature versions of the stages of a full dino using screen instead of hardware cloth, balsa instead of pine etc. That would explain the process then you could have samples of the real world materials you use. It would help if all three stages are the same dino laypeople have a problem visualizing things sometimes. Anyway that's my two cents Canadian, one cent USD, I love coming up with work for other people.

[Blade-of-the-Moon]

ah ha..like I don't have enough work already! lol

It's an idea for sure, something I've considered for an exhibit already. Maybe I'll construct a couple dinos at the same time and do one in stages. That could work..something around 6'.

I'm not sure this will work for this event though as it feels geared for younger kids.  Here's the working press release so far :

Get ready for DINOmite, PALEOrific Fun Fest Kid's Fest
at Kingsport Town Center!

Get ready for DINOmite , PALEOrific, FUN during Fun Fest Kid's Fest at Kingsport Town Center! The prehistoric FUN begins at 11 am – 1 pm on Saturday, July 11th on the lower level of the Mall.
Get Up Close and Personal with a Life-Size Dinosaur!
Behold a living legend—It's Rexie the T-Rex! Be prepared to step back in time when you meet this anatomically perfect, totally realistic puppet standing over 8' tall and 12' long! Everyone loves to make friends and take their "selfie" with Rexie. Kids who bring their families to see the gentle and life-size
juvenile T-Rex will experience a thrilling prehistoric encounter from a world LONG SINCE extinct. Join Rexie the T-Rex, for an unforgettable family experience of legendary proportions! Rexie will have two meet and greet sessions at 11:15 am and 12:15 am in Belk Court.

We have even more prehistoric fun planned for Kids 12 and Under!
·         Grab your binoculars and join the hunt to find 22 dinosaur photos throughout the lower level of the Mall. We'll have a Paleo Scavenger Hunt check-off list and a link on our web site to learn more about the dinosaurs you will find on your list!
·         Then, we'll see how fast you can run at our "Run from the Reptiles" Obstacle Course. Complete the obstacle course, reach the finish line and we have a Dinosaur Egg for you to hatch at home! (while supplies last)
·         Test your artistic skills at our Prehistoric Art Camp with our Prehistoric Coloring Mural. We will also have individual Dinosaur coloring sheets, too!
·         Lights, Camera, Scream! Imagine you were about to be eaten by a gigantic dinosaur! Get your photo taken running from one of the largest reptiles that ever roamed the Earth at our Dynamic Dino Photo Booth!

WOW!  There's even more Prehistoric FUN!
·         Kingsport Town Center is teaming with the ETSU/General Shale Natural History Museum and Fossil Site at Gray, Bays Mountain Park and Planetarium, Backyard Terrors Dinosaur Park and Auntie Anne's Pretzels, D & J Enterprises and H.O.P.E. Tri-Cities. Additional activities include:
·         Fossil picking
·         Dinosaur Corn Hole Game
·         Cast Your Own Fossils
·         Dinosaur Defense
·         Learn how to make Dinosaur Bone Pretzel's at Auntie Anne's
·         Activities with Bays Mountain Park and  Planetarium
·         Fun Activities with Backyard Terrors Dinosaur Park

Ticket information
Tickets for the event are $1 each and can be purchased at the Fun Fest Store and at Kingsport Town Center in the Mall Management Office located on the upper level of the Mall, Monday – Friday, 8 am – 5 pm. You will need your ticket to get into each activity. The back of your ticket will have an area to be stamped at each activity location.

Event Sponsors and Partners
·         Kingsport Town Center
·         ETSU/General Shale Natural History Museum and Fossil Site at Gray
·         Bays Mountain Park and Planetarium
·         Backyard Terrors Dinosaur Park
·         Auntie Anne's Pretzels
·         D & J Enterprises
·         H.O.P.E. Tri-Cities

So.."fun activities" that both teach and promote the park in some way. :?

[Blade-of-the-Moon]

Oh yeah and here's a thanks for helping out :

Placing the Nothosaur in the exhibit area

[triceratops83]

Cool. Is it working out the way you wanted?

[Blade-of-the-Moon]

Cool. Is it working out the way you wanted?

Eh..for the most part. There are always concessions to be made. Reality always takes a key to my Grand Vision mobile. It's still a sweet ride but not exactly perfect or the way I pictured it.

I did get the Notho painted up today..I'll get some pics soon.   

[Tyto_Theropod]

Well done on the work so far. Reading that press release made me want to be an eight-year-old in Tennessee - I would have definitely dragged my parents along to something like that as a kid! There are some cool ideas coming in here. I wish I could think of something myself, but I'm quite busy at the moment and all my idea power is being used on assignments and, in my free time, the story I'm writing (which has nothing to do with dinosaurs, just in case anyone was wondering...). Face painting, toys and edible stuff are always good ideas though

[docronnie]

Very nice nothosaurus! 

[Blade-of-the-Moon]

Well done on the work so far. Reading that press release made me want to be an eight-year-old in Tennessee - I would have definitely dragged my parents along to something like that as a kid! There are some cool ideas coming in here. I wish I could think of something myself, but I'm quite busy at the moment and all my idea power is being used on assignments and, in my free time, the story I'm writing (which has nothing to do with dinosaurs, just in case anyone was wondering...). Face painting, toys and edible stuff are always good ideas though

No problem. I'm still trying to come up with something interesting that is easy, affordable and different enough from what everyone else is doing..it's pretty rough. Maybe not always..think if you made something that a child was allergic to? Food and paint both can do it unfortunately.

The event is only from 11am-1pm so we have two hours that all this will take place in. There will be the public appearances by "Rexie" at 11:15 and 12:15 , those will 20 minute or so shows.  So there really isn't a ton of time I think to do a lot or really even teach much. So I'm thinking of changing tack here..what can we do to make people remember us and the Park..to get them to come out and see us? We should have our mascot, our mini dig site, and maps/coloring sheets. So maybe vouchers for a free dinosaur sticker? 10% off a birthday party at the park?

[Blade-of-the-Moon]

Very nice nothosaurus! 

Thanks bud! I hope to have color pics soon!

Just managed to get our lightning effect done and the plesiosaurs hung today.

[Tyto_Theropod]

So maybe vouchers for a free dinosaur sticker? 10% off a birthday party at the park?

Sounds good. I could maybe help with some of lineart for the colouring sheets, but you've probably got someone on that already... How about something where the kids have to identify dinosaurs? In addition to the colouring, you could also have activity sheets with things like mazes and word searches - many kids love those! You could also have something like pictures and names, and they'd have to match the name to the right dinosaur. Just a few ideas.

[Blade-of-the-Moon]

So maybe vouchers for a free dinosaur sticker? 10% off a birthday party at the park?

Sounds good. I could maybe help with some of lineart for the colouring sheets, but you've probably got someone on that already... How about something where the kids have to identify dinosaurs? In addition to the colouring, you could also have activity sheets with things like mazes and word searches - many kids love those! You could also have something like pictures and names, and they'd have to match the name to the right dinosaur. Just a few ideas.

It's a great idea and normally something I would easily do, it's just printer ink and paper after all, but the Mall people who are doing a slew of events themselves are already doing a scavenger hunt when they have to find and match dinosaurs, and a couple other full color printed games like that  as well..larger budget and all.  I could maybe incorporate a way to get Little Al ( mascot) through the Park in a maze..or to find Big Al. It would be nice to have some black and white , toon-like sketches for that. They could avoid Topper our Triceratops and Stan our T-Rex, escape the Velociraptors, ect...

Here's an update pic to tide you over til I can get the Nothosaurus shots..get it "tide" you over? Hah..yeah..love puns.



In case anyone forgot this is one of our Aquilops member Brandem/Brandon is working on. These guys will be appearing in the Park but you will also be able to order them direct from Brandon as well!

[Blade-of-the-Moon]

Nothosaurus, one of several creatures in our all new exhibit, Terrors of the Deep surfacing this Summer!

[Tyto_Theropod]

Badass Nothosaur! I would not like to meet that on a dark night! 

I'll see if I can fit in some time to draw the odd piece of lineart

[triceratops83]

Awesome! For some reason I imagine it with a leash around its' neck...

[Blade-of-the-Moon]

Thanks guys! The whole scene I'll have to film once we figure out all the lighting and such...there are lightning flashes in the background, wind blowing and eventually, water spraying.

I appreciate it Tyto, I'm liking the idea of doing a black and white maze with some characters from the Park in it.

lol, I think I'd want to walk this guy about as much as a large Komodo Dragon...