CollectA 2015 Spinosaurus' models and WS Sauropelta are Awarded-Best of 2015

[stargatedalek]

I understand I came across rather backhanded, that wasn't my intention however. I had tried to sound subtle but I desperately failed at that, sorry for sounding passive aggressive.

I wasn't upset that he challenged my opinion, rather I found that his statements felt very "blank" and that concavenator didn't really explain his thoughts or opinions and rather just posted them in a list as if they were facts. Concavenator I'm sorry for accusing you in such a manner, if I had a problem with you i should have asked you outright or even via PM this was my bad.

[suspsy]

I doubt that anything short of a Spinosaurus skeleton more than 70% complete will settle the debate---and it would have to include the hips and hind limbs, of course. I've seen some very strong arguments for and against the Sereno/Ibrahim restoration, and I also think Sereno and Ibrahim have conducted themselves extremely well considering some of the nasty things various people have said about their work. It reminds me of what R. Lee Berger has been going through over his Homo naledi discovery.

The paleontological community certainly can be catty.

And yes, the fact that the Sauropelta ranked so high in spite of the fact that it's not a theropod or a ceratopsian attests to its quality.

Stargate, I can't speak for Concavenator, of course, but I definitely appreciate your last post. Cheers.

[John]

Just  my thoughts here, but as popular as Spinosaurus is given the recent reconstruction and even prior the popularity the dinosaur had been given.....I found it rather high praise that Doug's model of the Sauropelta still battled the guy to a share of first place despite being a non theropod, and somewhat...to the average person, unknown species.It speaks well for his work I think and I am proud of that for him , and for having the chance to own the figure itself.  I see that as nothing but postive....
        I did not purchase the spinosaurus figures and so I will not comment regarding the pros and cons , the ins or outs. I steer clear of most theropods, as a personnal choice.
   I did see something on Facebook that made me wonder a bit...someone posted a cartoon of the reconstructed spinosaurus asking why it could not get any love, and a promiment paleo figure, who shall remain nameless, came along and posted......because you are a fraud!...ouch.....it will be interesting to see the coming years how this spinosaurus stands up to scrutiny. I myself am split down the middle, personally

If this prominent paleo figure can't come up with any better way to refute a hypothesis than by simply calling it a "fraud" on Facebook,then it really makes me wonder how much of it is really his disagreement with the findings vs. this just coming from his personal dislike for one or more of the authors of the 2014 Spinosaurus study...
Anyway as to the topic at hand,I just so happened to have both the Sauropelta and the swimming version of the Spinosaurus.Both are fantastic.

[LophoLeeVT]

awwww it was not the raptor from papo still okay,though.

[EarthboundEiniosaurus]

awwww it was not the raptor from papo still okay,though.

That's a 2016 release, this poll was for the best of 2015. I agree with you though, it's a great figure and i'm excited to get my hands on it when it comes out next year

Thanks,

EarthboundEiniosaurus

[Viking Spawn]

awwww it was not the raptor from papo still okay,though.

I'm sure that'll be nominated next year.

In the meantime, congrats to the winner(s) of this year's award! 

[Concavenator]

I understand I came across rather backhanded, that wasn't my intention however. I had tried to sound subtle but I desperately failed at that, sorry for sounding passive aggressive.

I wasn't upset that he challenged my opinion, rather I found that his statements felt very "blank" and that concavenator didn't really explain his thoughts or opinions and rather just posted them in a list as if they were facts. Concavenator I'm sorry for accusing you in such a manner, if I had a problem with you i should have asked you outright or even via PM this was my bad.

I'm sorry,next time I'll elaborate my posts more.Appreciated 

Just  my thoughts here, but as popular as Spinosaurus is given the recent reconstruction and even prior the popularity the dinosaur had been given.....I found it rather high praise that Doug's model of the Sauropelta still battled the guy to a share of first place despite being a non theropod, and somewhat...to the average person, unknown species.It speaks well for his work I think and I am proud of that for him , and for having the chance to own the figure itself.  I see that as nothing but postive....
        I did not purchase the spinosaurus figures and so I will not comment regarding the pros and cons , the ins or outs. I steer clear of most theropods, as a personnal choice.
   I did see something on Facebook that made me wonder a bit...someone posted a cartoon of the reconstructed spinosaurus asking why it could not get any love, and a promiment paleo figure, who shall remain nameless, came along and posted......because you are a fraud!...ouch.....it will be interesting to see the coming years how this spinosaurus stands up to scrutiny. I myself am split down the middle, personally

However,I think you should appreciate that the new reconstruction of Spinosaurus was revealed in August 2014,yet CollectA managed to make 3 models in  a few months and release them this year when your average company takes 2 years ( at least) to tackle a new discovery ( or any dinosaur).Not an offense,but it's funny you said that the Sauropelta won despite it being a non-theropod,but (excluding last year) most of the times the winner is nkt a theropod.
On the other hand,the quality of the WS Sauropelta for being a 10$ figure is astonishing,as its accuracy.

[Shonisaurus]

Honestly I am glad that the prize has been shared with Doug Watson Sauropelta is a promising and highly detailed figure. Although should have also included nasutoceratops of that mark.

As rightly said the friends of the forum in terms of Collecta, there were other figures that were very well done, examples guidraco, tyrannosaurus feathered and even moropus.

The moropus Collecta is a very well made and with colors but too conservative to my taste very realistic figure like the Safari Sauropelta both companies in these two figures have been taken from two animals marginalization underrepresented in the toy market and those who have enough news and paleontological remains.

From my point of view but I am delighted that the prize has been shared between Collecta and Safari, it was within the first mark many worthy candidates apart from the vanguard Spinosaurus as detailed feathered tyrannosaurus rex or exceptional guidraco.

[Kovu]

Congrats to Mr. Watson! I'm glad his Sauropelta won, it's a very deserving figure that perfectly marries artistry and scientific accuracy.

Congrats to CollectA too! Personally, I feel that there were figures more deserving than the Spinosaurus trio, notably the feathered rex and the guidraco. I'll be the first to admit that I'm not particularly fond of CollectA's design aesthetic and the rex is the only CollectA that I'm seriously tempted to get. That being said, they do deserve props for keeping rigorously up to date with the science and putting out more obscure species.

[amargasaurus cazaui]

Just  my thoughts here, but as popular as Spinosaurus is given the recent reconstruction and even prior the popularity the dinosaur had been given.....I found it rather high praise that Doug's model of the Sauropelta still battled the guy to a share of first place despite being a non theropod, and somewhat...to the average person, unknown species.It speaks well for his work I think and I am proud of that for him , and for having the chance to own the figure itself.  I see that as nothing but postive....
        I did not purchase the spinosaurus figures and so I will not comment regarding the pros and cons , the ins or outs. I steer clear of most theropods, as a personnal choice.
   I did see something on Facebook that made me wonder a bit...someone posted a cartoon of the reconstructed spinosaurus asking why it could not get any love, and a promiment paleo figure, who shall remain nameless, came along and posted......because you are a fraud!...ouch.....it will be interesting to see the coming years how this spinosaurus stands up to scrutiny. I myself am split down the middle, personally

However,I think you should appreciate that the new reconstruction of Spinosaurus was revealed in August 2014,yet CollectA managed to make 3 models in  a few months and release them this year when your average company takes 2 years ( at least) to tackle a new discovery ( or any dinosaur).Not an offense,but it's funny you said that the Sauropelta won despite it being a non-theropod,but (excluding last year) most of the times the winner is nkt a theropod.
On the other hand,the quality of the WS Sauropelta for being a 10$ figure is astonishing,as its accuracy.

I cannot state for certain one way or the other but why would you assume that collecta had to wait until the paper was released to produce the set of figures, especially given the short amount of time between the reveal and the release of their own figure?
  As for what I said about the sauropelta, I said I found it quite awesome that it split first place with such a well known and loved species as Spinosaurus, a theropod, when sauropelta is such a lesser known and non-theropod species. I made no inferences or comments regarding previous years and winners at all. I was directly commenting to the tie vote between his piece and a theropod, this year.

[Rain]

The spinos are great figures but I didn't expect them to win, still well deserved though. Congrats to both collectA and Mr Watson! 

[Patrx]

I think the main reason people are impressed with CollectA's Spinos is that the company just went and made them right away. They didn't wait for public opinion about whether the new reconstruction looked "cool" or not. They were bold enough to embrace the new science and take the risk of alienating people who don't feel like keeping up with palaeontology.  If new evidence comes in to change Spinosaurus' looks again, heck, they can just make another one. The same thing happened with their Deinocheirus. Heaven knows we could do with more of that attitude in palaeoart, especially in the area of PVC toys. Go, CollectA!

That said, they do look altogether too exactly croc-like for my tastes, the muscles at the base of the tail are underdeveloped (at list on the swimming one, the only one I have in-hand), and indeed, the fenestrae on the skull are visible. I'm no longer a PT subscriber, but I would have voted for the WS Sauropelta, personally. It's one of those models that looks nice in the promo photos, but is even more impressive in person. Unlike most WS figures, the intricate details are actually enhanced by the factory paintwork, rather than obscured. Also, ankylosaur anatomy can be tricky, but this reconstruction hits the mark.

[amargasaurus cazaui]

In making note of your comments Patrx it might serve to add, that is known and verifiable that when Doug sculpted his piece, he worked in direct consultation with Kenneth Carpenter, the paleo that signed his name to the work that went into Sauropelta. The research was done , thoroughly and the results show no less.
   I am unsure the status of how Collecta does their research and cannot speculate.....however given the timing between the release of the paper and the announcement of their figures it does give cause for wonder.

[Halichoeres]

Congrats to Mr. Watson for his wonderful Sauropelta, a well deserved accolade!

And congrats also to CollectA for, as Patrx alluded to, their trigger-happiness.

[joossa]

The Spinos don't fit my tastes very much. I am very happy to hear about the WS Sauropelta, though. One of the best from WS!

[Shonisaurus]

I love these brown Sauropelta Safari worthy winners with three Spinosaurus Collecta.

The Sauropelta is a highly detailed figure and whose texture (which also I have in mind) is perfect.

Moreover palaeoart match the representations of this figure. As always Doug Watson never disappoints.

Moreover regarding Safari is noteworthy as this year's outstanding figures Carcharodontosaurus and iguanodon, in my humble opinion, and needless to say that the other three figures may be candidates for the best figure in the prestigious journal Prehistoric Times.

[Bokisaurus]

Congratulation to CollectA and Safari, both figures deserved the win!
I love the new spinosaurus figures, it's really nicely done figure. Here they are both, side by side
[]

[Meso-Cenozoic]

Congrats, Doug! A well-deserved recognition! From the moment I first held your Sauropelta in my hand, I was absolutely amazed with the amount of detail you achieved, and most of it being so minute! It is definitely one of my all-time favorites of yours.

And congrats to CollectA! The Spinos wouldn't have been my choice for best figures, but I do own them and I think they're pretty cool looking.

[Pawnosuchus]

I have the Spinosaurus Deluxe figure and the Sauropelta.  No disrespect towards the Spino but the Sauropelta figure is outstanding.  I consider it one of the finest figures of the last few years.

[DC]

2015 is notable for the range of outstanding figures produced by Safari ltd and CollectA and shows the difference in their styles.  The timing of the vote was a factor on winning.  If the vote had been held last fall after most of the new for 2015 announcements were released, I am sure the Wild Safari Yutyrannus would have won.  It photographed spectacularly.  I did not fully appreciate Doug's Sauropelta until I saw it in the "flesh" much later.  A magnificent, understated and detailed piece of artwork.  CollectA actually released 4 new Spinosaurus if you count the Micro figure.  I thought the Swimming version was the most innovative. I am not an advocate for articulation.  The most interesting part of the Collecta Spinosaurs, apart of their ability to bring this new design to market so quickly, is how Anthony agreed to disagree with some of the aspects of the Ibrahim/Serano reconstruction. I attended a lecture by Serano and he saw it as a duck body with a Croc head. The fossil evidence is very new and there is room for a range of interpretation.  There is no consensus. I do like the original take Anthony gave it and I find it consistent with the fossils.  I still like it swimming best.  I feel PT may need to broaden the categories for next years contest so they can acknowledge excellence in all the difference aspects. I felt this years selection was a little of an apples and oranges comparison both being good but for different reasons but still good choices.