BotM Build-A-Raptor Inspiration Thread

[ZoPteryx]

This is a thread to share ideas for color schemes and patterns that can be used on the upcoming Beasts of the Mesozoic Build-A-Raptor sets!

Feel free to share and discuss pictures of extant animals or palaeo-art that you plan to paint on your raptors or you think may be of interest to others. 

...

For me, I looked to a lot of extant birds for inspiration.  After much research, I came up with the following color schemes that worked well with each other:

#1: Male Reeve's Pheasant based

One of my favorite birds, I thought its color scheme would work well on a raptor body shape.  It was a bit of a challenge though finding other birds with color schemes that could blend easily into the complex pattern of the pheasant.

#2: Female Blue-billed Curassow based

As soon as I came across this bird, I knew I wanted a Saurornitholestes in its color scheme to compliment the Fan's Choice Roadrunner version I had already ordered.  I decided to go a little exotic on the Atrociraptor head since it has its own unique lower jaw.

#3: Black-billed Magpie based

Another color scheme I knew I had to do was that of a magpie.  Finding compatible patterns for the other parts was tough, the magpie's greenish upper-wing feathers didn't go well with much.  The yellow lower leg and foot will be switched with the next kit so that this one gets the feathered version and #4 gets the scaled version.

#4: Mixed

This one is more of a mixed bag, the idea being I have the option to make an all black raptor if a borrow a few pieces from the above kits.  The Atrociraptor head and jaw will more likely go with kit #3.  Some of these patterns will definitely be modified a bit so they blend better.

So those are my plans, what are yours?  I'm debating getting two more kits, so I'm curious to see your suggestions! 

Btw, if anyone wants me to whip up one of these charts for their ideas, I'd be happy to do so. 

[Ezikot]

I'm one of the worst painter in the word, so i'll never buy something like this build-a-raptor set, but...
if i had to, i'd look to extant birds for inspiration as you did (and i like all your 4 color schemes), but i'd change the colors and, especially, little things (i.e. some lines and/or dots here and there) in the patterns. Otherwise, any time i would look at the figure, it would remind me the "source".

Or i'd try something always (often?) neglected by toy companies. It could be an animal affected by albinism or melanism.
 

[Derek.McManus]

I thought that the build a raptor sets came pre painted or am I mistaken?

[Halichoeres]

I thought that the build a raptor sets came pre painted or am I mistaken?

The standard figures are pre-painted, but the build-a-raptor sets are explicitly aimed at people who want to customize them, so are sold unpainted.

[CityRaptor]

So in theory one would be able to create a Hybrid Raptor. Or to quote a currently suspended member:

With Balaur feet, dromaeosaurus bite, microraptor wings, and a terrible poison, the Deinoraptor Dromaeonychus

Now the question is what to do with the spare parts.

[Derek.McManus]

I thought that the build a raptor sets came pre painted or am I mistaken?

The standard figures are pre-painted, but the build-a-raptor sets are explicitly aimed at people who want to customize them, so are sold unpainted.

Oh fascinating I must go back and take a closer look, though I understand the postage costs to the United Kingdom would be quite high. I used to paint wargames figures so there may be some interesting possibilities there!

[ZoPteryx]

if i had to, i'd look to extant birds for inspiration as you did (and i like all your 4 color schemes), but i'd change the colors and, especially, little things (i.e. some lines and/or dots here and there) in the patterns. Otherwise, any time i would look at the figure, it would remind me the "source".

Or i'd try something always (often?) neglected by toy companies. It could be an animal affected by albinism or melanism.

Thanks Ezikot!  Yes, the color schemes above are just rough guides, they'll be modified accordingly to better fit the raptor designs. 

Ooh, now there's a great idea!  Melanism might be a bit hard differentiate from regular all-blackness, but albinism or leucism would be cool.  I'll definitely keep that in mind.


So I've decided to double down and get four additional build-a-raptor sets!  The first one is going to be a bit non-standard and be based on Lesson's Motmot, a charming bird I greatly enjoyed seeing in Costa Rica last summer.  This figure will be in honor of that trip.

I know green is a bit strange for a deinonychosaur, but it could have happened, especially if some species incorporated small amounts of fruit into their diet.

So does anyone have any ideas for color references for the remaining interchangeable parts for this figure?  Green Peafowl maybe?

[CityRaptor]

That's a pretty nice color combination on that Dinosaur.

[ZoPteryx]

Alright, so I've decided on two of the base pattern for the remaining three figures.

Spotted Harrier

Gray with an orange belly is a common color scheme among birds, especially raptors.  I noticed neither color was well represented in my plans so far, so this bird will fill the void.

Laughing Kookaburra

If I'm honoring my trip to Costa Rica, I should also honor a trip I took decades ago to The Land Down Under.  The subtle hues and spunky attitude of the kookaburra not only seem to fit the raptor persona well, but also make it relatively easily to find compatible patterns for the other parts.

Alright, that's three down.  What should I do for #8?  Albinism?  Leucism?  Something bright yellow and black?  Should I try to mod it into an Austroraptor?  Something totally different?  I'm open to suggestions! 

[ImADinosaurRARR]

There's the Fire-fronted Serin, though it has the same feel as your second B-A-R set. There's the Philippine Eagle, Harpy Eagle. The Pine Grosbeak is a very good boy.



A male Melanistic Common Pheasant is nice.



The European Roller is beautifully blue.



However, I must recommend the Common Kingfisher. Why my babe wasn't used for the main line I have no idea.



I hope these help

[ZoPteryx]

Ooh, very nice!  I'm liking that serin and kingfisher especially! 

[Papi-Anon]

I ordered a pair of Atrociraptors and Balaurs that I ordered during the Kickstarter pledging phase. I plan to alter one of each to have the coloration of of the opposite sex of the extant birds they're based on. Atroci male will just need some red dabs by the eyes, but the Balaur female will need to be repainted almost all over.

[The Atroxious]

For me, the whole idea behind getting the Build-A-Raptor sets is that I really don't want my figures to look like extant birds, so I'm avoiding using reference photos for this reason. That said, due to the close relationship between fowl and non-avian dinosaurs, I'm mostly going to try to stick to patterns and colors that are common among those birds. Think lots of greys, browns, and blacks, with some iridescent blues and greens, and an abundance of scalloped patterns on the feathers. I'll probably use oranges and reds on a couple of the figures as well because these colors are known to have occured on non-avian dinosaurs, plus I think they'd go well with the other colors and patterns for some variety. I'm specifically avoiding a lot of bright colors over large areas of the body since this is usually a disadvantage to most ground-dwelling theropods.

[ZoPteryx]

I ordered a pair of Atrociraptors and Balaurs that I ordered during the Kickstarter pledging phase. I plan to alter one of each to have the coloration of of the opposite sex of the extant birds they're based on. Atroci male will just need some red dabs by the eyes, but the Balaur female will need to be repainted almost all over.

That's a neat idea!  That female Balaur is going to look especially good. 

For me, the whole idea behind getting the Build-A-Raptor sets is that I really don't want my figures to look like extant birds, so I'm avoiding using reference photos for this reason. That said, due to the close relationship between fowl and non-avian dinosaurs, I'm mostly going to try to stick to patterns and colors that are common among those birds. Think lots of greys, browns, and blacks, with some iridescent blues and greens, and an abundance of scalloped patterns on the feathers. I'll probably use oranges and reds on a couple of the figures as well because these colors are known to have occured on non-avian dinosaurs, plus I think they'd go well with the other colors and patterns for some variety. I'm specifically avoiding a lot of bright colors over large areas of the body since this is usually a disadvantage to most ground-dwelling theropods.

Glad to see I'm not the only one who bought some Build-A-Raptor sets!    My original plan was to do original color schemes too, but I thought they'd seem out of place among the standard issue raptors, which are all based on extant birds.  Can't wait to see what you come up with!  Out of curiosity, are you going for camouflage based on a particular habitat/lifestyle?

I'm almost tempted to leave one of the Velociraptor models blank and then paint it after I see what the BotM Protoceratops is going to look like.  Like everyone else, I've got to recreate the "fighting dinosaurs"! 

[Papi-Anon]

On another site someone suggested getting the two versions of Dromeosaurus for sexual dimorphism. If I had the money to spare I'd do that too.

[ZoPteryx]

Decided to make some mock-ups of what I hope the finished products will look like and to get a better feel of how each pattern would work on the raptor body shape.

Motmot Raptor


Pheasant Raptor


Harrier Raptor


Magpie Raptor


Currassow Raptor


Kookaburra Raptor


More to come! 

[Melanite]

This thread might be a little old, but it's exactly what I'm looking for! My birthday is coming up next month, so I'm thinking of treating myself to one of these lovely sets. I've worked out some potential color schemes, likely for a Velociraptor, on a really nice little coloring page, which can be found at this website:

http://www.supercoloring.com/coloring-pages/raptor-dinosaur

I started with a few ideas based on modern bird species:

African Pygmy Falcon (female)


Crested Caracara


Northern Harrier (female)


I know there are a lot of mixed feelings about using a full copy of the plumage of a modern bird, so I also thought it'd be fun to make an original design. I tried to take a lot of inspiration from patterns found on ground-dwelling birds.


I've had a lot of fun working on these pictures, and I'm really excited to be sharing them in this thread with you guys. I'm interested in any feedback that you might have, particularly about my last picture. Thanks so much!

[Halichoeres]

I like the last one best. Do I detect some ingredients from a tragopan?

[Melanite]

I like the last one best. Do I detect some ingredients from a tragopan?

Thanks! I wasn't familiar with what a tragopan was until you mentioned them, but they look lovely! I mostly looked at pictures of quail, grouse, guineafowl, and pheasants in general to get an idea of the range of potential patterns displayed.

[Michchaljeckson]

Yes, very nice! You have made a great sheet of extant animals and the color schemes that you have used is also best. Most of the people also share this types of color images on greeting or invitation cards.