Safari: New for 2017

[Doug Watson]

Wait Doug, you sculpted 8 prehistoric creatures of 13 confirmed?

Oops, made a mistake I sculpted 7 of the 11 prehistoric creatures that Safari Ltd has confirmed.

[Halichoeres]

Gotta agree that that Velociraptor, though already outdated when it was released, is a technically admirable piece of sculpting. Very well executed. I think Takama just has a single setting for discourse, and it's hyperbole.

[Sim]

Of all the silhouettes shown the one I find most interesting is the Kronosaurus. Really looking forward to this one - the Carnegie version was terrible and the Schliech one is long retired.

I find the Wild Safari Kronosaurus very interesting too.  I've been wanting a good Kronosaurus, but I don't know of any toys of it that are good.  The Schleich Kronosaurus is terrible too.  I've always thought it didn't look right and didn't really look like a pliosaur.  Reading Dr Admin's review of it confirmed what I'd been thinking: http://dinotoyblog.com/2008/07/11/kronosaurus-schleich/

Based on the given measurements, the Kronosaurus actually appears to be slightly longer than the already big Carnegie one (which has a body that's too long), despite the proportions looking a lot more accurate!  That would mean it's enormous!  I would have preferred it if it wasn't so much bigger than other Wild Safari prehistoric animals which in life would have been bigger than Kronosaurus.

Of all the silhouettes shown the one I find most interesting is the Kronosaurus.

But it doesn't have a tail fluke.

I could just be mistaken and seeing things that aren't really there,but in the Kronosaurus's silhouette,the end of the tail seems like it's rounded at the end,similar to the the CGI Rhomaleosaurus in the Youtube 3D video that is linked to in the virtual reality Rhomaleosaurus and Giraffatitan thread.So maybe like that CGI model,the Kronosaurus actually does have a minimal tail fin perhaps?

Well spotted John!  I hope you're right and it does have a tail fin, but honestly I'm not optimistic about this.

[SBell]

It does look really great. Maybe, Doug, you can convince them to do a real Draco for the IC line? It just seems like it would be so perfect!

That is a great idea, for some reason I thought one had been done. I will pass that on. I would love to do one like this but I would be afraid to ask what the painting costs would be.

Well, maybe simplify it a bit 

One other piece of news for everyone--I just heard through my rep that the release dates have been pushed back to mid-November for most products (thanks, Customs clearances).

Meaning, I'm guessing, many of the prehistoric models...because of course.

[Stuckasaurus (Dino Dad Reviews)]

I've been wanting a good Kronosaurus, but I don't know of any toys of it that are good. 

The Carnegie version is a very good model... of the Harvard "Plasterosaurus" mount! 
(Nevermind the eye in the wrong socket...)

[Concavenator]

It does look really great. Maybe, Doug, you can convince them to do a real Draco for the IC line? It just seems like it would be so perfect!

That is a great idea, for some reason I thought one had been done. I will pass that on. I would love to do one like this but I would be afraid to ask what the painting costs would be.

Well, maybe simplify it a bit 

One other piece of news for everyone--I just heard through my rep that the release dates have been pushed back to mid-November for most products (thanks, Customs clearances).

Meaning, I'm guessing, many of the prehistoric models...because of course.

Not really surprised of hearing this,models for 2017 being released in October was more than thrilling.Now that most of the pieces are shown (in silhouette form),why not revealing the figures themselves?I hope it doesn't take too long for they to be announced.

[Flaffy]

For me, if info about a figure is unannounced and teased at for far too long, I kinda start to loose the urge to purchase the models and start to get annoyed.
But for now, I am no where near that stage yet, so onwards with the hype train! 

[Patrx]

I could just be mistaken and seeing things that aren't really there,but in the Kronosaurus's silhouette,the end of the tail seems like it's rounded at the end,similar to the the CGI Rhomaleosaurus in the Youtube 3D video that is linked to in the virtual reality Rhomaleosaurus and Giraffatitan thread.So maybe like that CGI model,the Kronosaurus actually does have a minimal tail fin perhaps?

Maybe you're right! In any case, I'm pretty much sold on nearly all of these so far I'm pretty sure the Diplodocus, Giganotosaurus, and Quetzalcoatlus aren't Doug's, but what's the fourth? The Tylosaurus?

[Sim]

Patrx, you didn't quote the right person there...

Doug said two out of the first three prehistoric figures revealed were done by him, so that means he has to have done at least one out of Quetzalcoatlus and Tylosaurus. Out of the ones with silhouettes on Safari's website, I'm guessing the ones Doug did are Tyrannosaurus, Tylosaurus, Velociraptor, Deinocheirus, Psittacosaurus, Coelophysis and Einiosaurus.

Coelophysis, Deinocheirus and an up-to-date Velociraptor are the three dinosaurs I was most hoping would be made for Wild Safari.  All three happening for 2017 is amazing and I'm very much looking forward to seeing more of them.  I'm very glad none of them have a base!  I really wasn't expecting a Kronosaurus, but that is another species I've been very much wanting a good figure of so I'm looking forward to seeing more of it too.

[Patrx]

Patrx, you didn't quote the right person there...

So I did! Let me fix that. Sorry, guys!

[suspsy]

Even though it is an 'abomination', it is aesthetically pleasing (despite the shrink-wrapping), distinctive and has one of the best dynamic poses ever for a dinosaur toy.

Regarding the bolded part, what would that be, running with both of its wrists broken leading to it dragging a hand across the ground?  If it didn't have pronated hands it wouldn't have just been more accurate, it being in a running pose would also be more believable.  As for it being aesthetically pleasing, that's a matter of opinion.

You know I still like that piece as sculpture and no I didn't do it. As a sculptor I do find it aesthetically pleasing.

If it were 1993, that Velociraptor would be considered a bona fide masterpiece.

I'm seriously considering picking up one from Michael's (and I could get it for 40-50% off) in order to use it and the new feathered version as teaching tools. You know, show the kids the old raptor first and ask them where they've seen it, then show them the new one and explain how we know that it had all those feathers. And that it still would have been a dangerous animal.

[Pachyrhinosaurus]

Doug said two out of the first three prehistoric figures revealed were done by him, so that means he has to have done at least one out of Quetzalcoatlus and Tylosaurus. Out of the ones with silhouettes on Safari's website, I'm guessing the ones Doug did are Tyrannosaurus, Tylosaurus, Velociraptor, Deinocheirus, Psittacosaurus, Coelophysis and Einiosaurus

Judging by the correction earlier on the page and the leaked photo, I think it's safe to say that he did the parasaurolophus as well, leaving the microraptor to have been done by the mystery sculptor.

[SpartanSquat]

Doug said two out of the first three prehistoric figures revealed were done by him, so that means he has to have done at least one out of Quetzalcoatlus and Tylosaurus. Out of the ones with silhouettes on Safari's website, I'm guessing the ones Doug did are Tyrannosaurus, Tylosaurus, Velociraptor, Deinocheirus, Psittacosaurus, Coelophysis and Einiosaurus

Judging by the correction earlier on the page and the leaked photo, I think it's safe to say that he did the parasaurolophus as well, leaving the microraptor to have been done by the mystery sculptor.

The sculpt of Parasaurolophus looks different from Watson style

[tanystropheus]

Is Doug Watson responsible for all those beloved pterosaur models or did someone else sculpt them?

[Gwangi]

Even though it is an 'abomination', it is aesthetically pleasing (despite the shrink-wrapping), distinctive and has one of the best dynamic poses ever for a dinosaur toy.

Regarding the bolded part, what would that be, running with both of its wrists broken leading to it dragging a hand across the ground?  If it didn't have pronated hands it wouldn't have just been more accurate, it being in a running pose would also be more believable.  As for it being aesthetically pleasing, that's a matter of opinion.

You know I still like that piece as sculpture and no I didn't do it. As a sculptor I do find it aesthetically pleasing.

If it were 1993, that Velociraptor would be considered a bona fide masterpiece.

I'm seriously considering picking up one from Michael's (and I could get it for 40-50% off) in order to use it and the new feathered version as teaching tools. You know, show the kids the old raptor first and ask them where they've seen it, then show them the new one and explain how we know that it had all those feathers. And that it still would have been a dangerous animal.

The 1992-3 sculpt by Greg Wenzel for Safari is also really good, without the pronated hands but with the addition of bony bits on the head.

[Stuckasaurus (Dino Dad Reviews)]

I'm seriously considering picking up one from Michael's (and I could get it for 40-50% off) in order to use it and the new feathered version as teaching tools. You know, show the kids the old raptor first and ask them where they've seen it, then show them the new one and explain how we know that it had all those feathers. And that it still would have been a dangerous animal.

I'm going to do that same thing!!! I actually picked up my copy of the featherless version back when I was still in my awesomebro feather denialist stage. I'm pretty sure I remember being satisfied that they didn't "ruin" it with feathers. *facepalm* 

[empire3569]

Well, maybe simplify it a bit 

One other piece of news for everyone--I just heard through my rep that the release dates have been pushed back to mid-November for most products (thanks, Customs clearances).

Meaning, I'm guessing, many of the prehistoric models...because of course.

Is this release date push back for Safari's direct website, or just secondary retailers like yourself?

[tyrantqueen]

Is Doug Watson responsible for all those beloved pterosaur models or did someone else sculpt them?

I'm pretty confident he did not sculpt them, aside from the Todd Marshall inspired "pterosaur" (which I'm not sure about) and that they were sculpted by the same individual who sculpted the velociraptor.

[Bucklander]

When you say Doug, that you made a mistake in saying you sculpted 8 of the 13 confirmed, instead of 7, I can't help wondering...   Did you sculpt 8, but there is still at least one other to reveal (possibly even more, given the other sculptor)? Because I reckon you'd know how many figures you sculpted pretty well. I know, if my suspicions are correct, you can't say anything. Just saying...   Hmmm

[Bucklander]

Sorry, my mistake. Just reread your comment. You clarified it as 7 of 11, not 7 of 13.