Blade-of-the-Moon's Art

[Blade-of-the-Moon]

Spiney head carving

Nice job! Even while just drawing, I can never seem to get spino's head shape right.

Well for this size I cheated  and didn't free hand it as I do most of the others..heh  I printed a picture out at 1:1 and traced it. getting the 3D aspect now is rougher.  good references are hard to find..and it's so..odd where all the contours are.

One thing you'll notice is I'm planning to leave out the hollows in the upper and lower jaws where they dip into the palates. My reasoning is to help prevent rainwater build up , birds building nests in it and wasps   as well.

wow this is insanley cool!!!!!!!

thank you!

[Archinto]

What kind of foam are you using? Is it the stuff in the cans from the hardware store? This is really cool to see how this is done. I've always wanted to see if I could do one, and it doesnt look as impossible as I once thought. What do you skin them with?

[Blade-of-the-Moon]

What kind of foam are you using? Is it the stuff in the cans from the hardware store? This is really cool to see how this is done. I've always wanted to see if I could do one, and it doesnt look as impossible as I once thought. What do you skin them with?

The brand name is Great Stuff by DOW. It's a spray foam you normally use to seal cracks with.  I started off with small ones then progressed up, still learning as I go too. I always thought a full size T-REX was impossible til my friend here talked me into trying one.   The skin's are a type of heavy duty vinyl like pond liner or big rig tarp..we heat with heat guns to sort of shrink wrap the parts.

[Blade-of-the-Moon]

Painted this guy up the last warm day we had\

[Halichoeres]

Looks ready to eat someone's rugrat!

[Blade-of-the-Moon]

Looks ready to eat someone's rugrat!

lol just might!

My plan is to give this guy a snake that it's trying to eat. I know these type teeth are often associated with fishers but I figured any small, slippery prey might give a reason for them. 

[Patrx]

My plan is to give this guy a snake that it's trying to eat. I know these type teeth are often associated with fishers but I figured any small, slippery prey might give a reason for them.

I like that idea! I remember reading somewhere that the teeth might have been adapted specifically for predation of snakes.

[Blade-of-the-Moon]

My plan is to give this guy a snake that it's trying to eat. I know these type teeth are often associated with fishers but I figured any small, slippery prey might give a reason for them.

I like that idea! I remember reading somewhere that the teeth might have been adapted specifically for predation of snakes.

Really? That's awesome! My thinking started at fish, then eels, then sea snakes, finally i figured..why not just snakes of all kinds?   I couldn't come up with anything that specifically ate snakes though..something specialized for it but it's close enough for me.

[Archinto]

Ah man thats way cool. I am familiar with great stuff foam, and pretty ingenious idea for the skin! Looks like you do clay details for the fine stuff. The eyes are really cool on that one you just posted

[Blade-of-the-Moon]

Ah man thats way cool. I am familiar with great stuff foam, and pretty ingenious idea for the skin! Looks like you do clay details for the fine stuff. The eyes are really cool on that one you just posted

Thanks! I can't count how many cans of that Stuff I've used over the years. My first dinosaur, a JP Raptor was entirely covered with it. I think it took around 20+ cans?  The Spino head here about 10 so far?

I use a product called Aves Apoxie Sculpt, a past member here turned me on to it. It's been a great resource.  For larger pieces I use the Apoxie around the the eyes, for teeth, and small details. It is a bit pricey but that's why I usually use it sparingly.  On the Masiakasaurus head head I made a foam board and hot glue skull then just layered over Apoxie with no Great Stuff. It was my first time trying that and it seems to have worked well. Had we the resources I could probably coat over the vinyl with pounds of this material and actually sculpt better detail.

The eyes are handblown taxidermy eyes from Tohickon Glass Eyes , they too are an added cost but really do help bring them to life.  I've had great compliments on them from " wow! it's really makes them look alive!" to " It's eyes are following me, that's really creepy."   lol

[stoneage]

How about having the snake fight with Spinosaurus, like who is going to eat who?

[Blade-of-the-Moon]

How about having the snake fight with Spinosaurus, like who is going to eat who?

Wouldn't be much contest..my snake is only a couple feet long..lol

It's this one :

[triceratops83]

You've been working on both a Spinosaurus and a Masiakasaurus? Something fishy going on here...

[Blade-of-the-Moon]

You've been working on both a Spinosaurus and a Masiakasaurus? Something fishy going on here...

heh heh...good thing I have plenty of bait...

Scroll up for some pics!

[triceratops83]

I particularly like the colours on the Masiakasaurus. Are you gonna put either this or the Spinosaurus near your marine exhibit?

[Blade-of-the-Moon]

I particularly like the colours on the Masiakasaurus. Are you gonna put either this or the Spinosaurus near your marine exhibit?

Sorry I missed your question bud, but no both are going elsewhere, there isn't a lot of space around Terrors of the Deep unfortunately. If ever get to a Kronosaur or a Liopluerodon it will likely only be a head..i'm having similar issues with wanting to add an Elasmosaur.

[Blade-of-the-Moon]

More and more carving!


Almost 6' long


HUGE CLAWS


Big, heavily muscled arms

[Yutyrannus]

It's looking good so far .

[Blade-of-the-Moon]

It's looking good so far .

Thanks, it's getting there. I've been MIA on it for about two weeks thanks to weather, should get more done this weekend as the weather is warming up again.   Gotta be really careful at the back of the skull as the shape means a lot to the final look.

[triceratops83]

That Spinosaurus looks like it's gonna be a beefy bugger. What's that orange carnosaur behind the Spiny's arm?