Blade-of-the-Moon's Art

[stargatedalek]

Both of those are looking great! Congrats both of you

I'm also free to do some art for you if you'd like? Pro bono of course.

[Arul]

Impressive nothosaurus...love the paint job

[Jetoar]

Really cool  .

[Blade-of-the-Moon]

Thanks guys! 

Star, I might just take you up on that! Let me see what I need still.

[Blade-of-the-Moon]

Video of our Mosasaur movement test : http://youtu.be/y9_l38tg6gM

[Patrx]

Very cool! It's a quicker, snappier movement than I'd anticipated. Suitably enough, sort of snake-like.

[Blade-of-the-Moon]

Very cool! It's a quicker, snappier movement than I'd anticipated. Suitably enough, sort of snake-like.

That's due to the larger motor higher torque wiper motor we're using now, more reliable and heavier duty than the "animated deer" motors.  We can also add a switch that speeds it up or slows it down. This about half speed.  Pretty cool though each set runs just over a 100.00 .  Theoretically with the funds to do it with we could build a full body dinosaur with an animated tail, arms and neck for around 400.00 ( just for the motors).

[Meso-Cenozoic]

That Nothosaurus is simply awesome! I think it very well may be one of if not the best figure you've made yet. I really like the paint colors and patterns too.

Old Mosa looks like he's moving pretty good. Looking for his first meal already! Hehe!

[triceratops83]

That's some nice, fluid motion. Is the "skin" around the neck going to need replacement after a while?

[Blade-of-the-Moon]

That Nothosaurus is simply awesome! I think it very well may be one of if not the best figure you've made yet. I really like the paint colors and patterns too.

Old Mosa looks like he's moving pretty good. Looking for his first meal already! Hehe!

lol thanks! I really do like Nothosaurus..ever since I read the story about it in the Rourke book in the 80's/90's.  I ever pretended to be one on beach trips..ever see a 9 year old walk on all fours into the waves? It was rough! lol

His meal arrives this Friday..or should I say his potential meal..if he can catch it!

That's some nice, fluid motion. Is the "skin" around the neck going to need replacement after a while?

These motors are the backbone of many a haunt prop we've done, they really do wonders if you work at it a bit. 

The skin shouldn't need replacing but we'll see. Nothing was attached to the frame in this video we just had the skin material draped over the framework as I was starting to work on it while the other guys were fixing the motor.  I've almost got it ready to paint..just need to get down to the shop and get going..hopefuly the rain will hold off.

[Patrx]

Very cool! It's a quicker, snappier movement than I'd anticipated. Suitably enough, sort of snake-like.

That's due to the larger motor higher torque wiper motor we're using now, more reliable and heavier duty than the "animated deer" motors.  We can also add a switch that speeds it up or slows it down. This about half speed.  Pretty cool though each set runs just over a 100.00 .  Theoretically with the funds to do it with we could build a full body dinosaur with an animated tail, arms and neck for around 400.00 ( just for the motors).

That would be awesome! Have you looked into a small motor for jaw movement?

When I was little, my grandmother took me to see a traveling dinosaur exhibit that was showing at the museum in her hometown. They had a big, animatronic Tyrannosaurus with a sort of podium that allowed guests to operate the motors and sounds. It made a huge impression on me, and always kind of stuck in my memory as one of the coolest things I'd ever seen. Have you considered something like that? From the sound of things, it would seem fairly plausible. Maybe a Stegosaurus with a control to swing the tail and one to make it raise its head and bellow?

[Blade-of-the-Moon]

Very cool! It's a quicker, snappier movement than I'd anticipated. Suitably enough, sort of snake-like.

That's due to the larger motor higher torque wiper motor we're using now, more reliable and heavier duty than the "animated deer" motors.  We can also add a switch that speeds it up or slows it down. This about half speed.  Pretty cool though each set runs just over a 100.00 .  Theoretically with the funds to do it with we could build a full body dinosaur with an animated tail, arms and neck for around 400.00 ( just for the motors).

That would be awesome! Have you looked into a small motor for jaw movement?

When I was little, my grandmother took me to see a traveling dinosaur exhibit that was showing at the museum in her hometown. They had a big, animatronic Tyrannosaurus with a sort of podium that allowed guests to operate the motors and sounds. It made a huge impression on me, and always kind of stuck in my memory as one of the coolest things I'd ever seen. Have you considered something like that? From the sound of things, it would seem fairly plausible. Maybe a Stegosaurus with a control to swing the tail and one to make it raise its head and bellow?

A motor for jaw movement could be done with these motors as well. The conflict in my head is how to do it and make it look real still. The connective jaw tissue is often removed for animatronic dinosaurs, Dinamation , Billings, most of them just eliminate it. Maybe it could be done like a Papo figure but that would take some fine precision.

Awesome! I'd bet it was a Dinamation piece. They had a Dimetrodon and T-Rex that you could control. I think they were also available as cutaway models. It's amazing how little is actually in them. Though these don't run off of electric motors, they utilize compressed air and pistons. Something we haven't yet got into.


When you start adding movements that have to flow in order, ( tail swing left, neck raise, bellow, lower, turn..) then you have to have a computer component that records the movements and plays them back in sync. I can get such a device for around 500.00 . Having it controlled by button pushing is maybe a bit easier, but my knowledge of hooking up eltrical systems is pretty lacking..I'm just the art guy..

[Blade-of-the-Moon]

So..made some coral today.

[triceratops83]

Can you use anything that will eat the foam away to give it that pitted coral look?

[Blade-of-the-Moon]

Can you use anything that will eat the foam away to give it that pitted coral look?

This type of expanding foam is pretty durable. I've never had anything actually dissolve it. If it did there is likely as not to be an air pocket under it.

[triceratops83]

Pity you don't live near a beach, you could grab tons of "fresh" stuff - sea shells, drift wood etc. Beaches around here wash up huge pieces of coral and sponges. Have you sorted out the ammonite and fish situation, yet?

[Blade-of-the-Moon]

Tell me about it. I used to collect tons of stuff on beach trips..if only I had a 20 ton dump truck to drive there I'd have all the stuff I could use..lol

If I add anymore Ammonites it will likely be more Safari pieces as I can get them for 5.00 a piece if I order over a 100.00 .  Fish..I thought about it again last night..not much in the way of affordable options yet. I still have to throw money at electrical and lighting fx. If we had another couple hundred I could do it.

Plesiosaur pic with light testing :

[stargatedalek]

Could the Safari incredible Creatures work? Between the two trigger fish, flying fish, bass, grouper, and myriad of marine arthropods I think there must be some that would make good background placements.

[Blade-of-the-Moon]

Could the Safari incredible Creatures work? Between the two trigger fish, flying fish, bass, grouper, and myriad of marine arthropods I think there must be some that would make good background placements.

I considered the piranha as they look like like a good general fish...and it seems about everything had teeth back then..lol

[Blade-of-the-Moon]

Should the snout horn be larger? As I started adding the foam and details it seems to have decresed a bit in size. I see a lot of restorations making HUGE horns on these guys but it's mostly artistic interpretation..I think?