Pliosaur toy by Tone Hitchcock for the Bristol Museum

[BlueKrono]

Looks like somebody took a bite out of its right hind flipper.

Ah, I didn't notice that. Cool detail!

[Blade-of-the-Moon]

I did some digging in older posts, Tone mentions using a skeletal provided by Dr. Sassoon ?

Probably just the skull - Judy published on this specimen, including a reconstruction of the skull, in 2012. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1475-4983.2012.01151.x/abstract

Trouble is, nobody is sure about the relative proportions of skull size to body size in Pliosaurus - there are no complete skeletons. Which means, there are no reliable full skeletal reconstructions (as far as I'm aware).

He said somewhere in the Paleoartists group on FB that something was 75% complete? Maybe he meant the skull though?

Does it have an articulated jaw?

Not that i've heard it mentioned..the seperate lower jaw was for casting purposes.

Looks like somebody took a bite out of its right hind flipper.

Always a bigger....er..marine....creature. 

[Blade-of-the-Moon]

Tone said this going to be "scanned" instead of molded so a 3D printer version that will then be molded and cast to make a toy..i think is how that will work.

[Flaffy]

But doesn't 3D printing sometimes muddle small details?
Seems unnecessary.

[Blade-of-the-Moon]

But doesn't 3D printing sometimes muddle small details?
Seems unnecessary.

Might be a case of getting what you pay for?  Better materials and tech are probably to be had by place that have made a business from it. If it will be an all ages toy those teeth will be blunted or made softer anyway.  I guess we'll see.

[Patrx]

Usually, if 3D printing is involved with batch production like this, it's one very-high-quality print that's then molded and cast, so there's probably not much reason for concern about print lines or detail loss. That's the process David Krentz's Saurozoic kits were made with, and they turned out amazing. Still, it made sense in that case because the sculpting was done digitally. Scanning a physical maquette does seem like an unneeded step. Maybe it's not durable enough to be molded safely?

[Pachyrhinosaurus]

My first thought is that size could be an issue. Perhaps it'll be scaled down from the original sculpt?

[Patrx]

My first thought is that size could be an issue. Perhaps it'll be scaled down from the original sculpt?

Aha, that would make sense, too! It would be a cool way for a traditional-style sculptor to pack more detail into a smaller piece.

[SBell]

But doesn't 3D printing sometimes muddle small details?
Seems unnecessary.

Might be a case of getting what you pay for?  Better materials and tech are probably to be had by place that have made a business from it. If it will be an all ages toy those teeth will be blunted or made softer anyway.  I guess we'll see.

The level of detail would be affected by the scanning (higher resolution = better digital detail), resolution of the printing (ditto), and the materials used.

Plus, it is possible to go into the digital file and add/edit/enhance details prior to sculpting.

[Flaffy]

Any news?

[Blade-of-the-Moon]

Tone is getting the life size one together now :



He did mention he might offer a higher end collector version of the figure/sculpt as well.

[UK]

Went to the museum today lovely building and enjoyed the various exhibits. Added some photos for you.... Will be going back up there in the summer so will look out for the exhibition and any associated merchandise.

[Roselaar]

Wonderful exhibits! I love the retro dinosaur models, I wouldn't mind seeing those in a museum toy line.

[modelnut]

Here is a shot of Tone's finished pliosaur:


Doris is now on display at the Bristol museum. Makes me want to live in England instead of South Carolina so I could see her in person. 

- Leelan

[BlueKrono]

Common dolphin?

[modelnut]

[Roselaar]

Excellent! Poor creature's got some real damage to its flippers, gives it more character.

[Lanthanotus]

Texture makes it look almost like a plush toy. Does this have an articulated jaw, since the pictures of the model in progress show it open mouthed? Not sure I like the choice of paint scheme for such a big creature, but it's looking interesting anyways. especially with that likelike damage.

[modelnut]

That image was of the maquette that Tone made to the paleontologists' specifications. The paint scheme was also chosen by those same scientists from several different ideas that Tone gave them.

The articulated jaw was done later for the museum to make a collectible toy figure for sale through the museum gift shop. I'm hoping it will be available sooner rather than later. I'm still disappointed that Pegasus never released Shane Foulkes' 24th scale Liopleurodon and Ichthyosaur. 

- Leelan

[Invicta Hunter]

I asked the museum and they said the figure would be up for sale around the end of July and can be bought on the website as well as the gift shop at the museum.