Safari Ltd.: New for 2018

[Doug Watson]

I hope we can get a new Apatosaurus made by the same sculptor, ......................... and maybe 10 years down the road, A larger Shunosaurus

So you don't like mine anymore, and I did them because you asked for them.....

[Takama]

I hope we can get a new Apatosaurus made by the same sculptor, ......................... and maybe 10 years down the road, A larger Shunosaurus

So you don't like mine anymore, and I did them because you asked for them.....

Im sorry if i came off as offensive   I should have been more careful with my words

I still like your models, including the Apatosaurus and Shunosaurus. It just that those came before what i learn was a "Reboot" of the line in 2017. I Still own them. and i now consider all models from 2007 thorgh 2016 Second Genration so to speak.         And models from 2017 onwards to be third genration.

I will admit.   I did not buy a single Safari Dinosaur from 2017 because i was disapointed in the increase in size. but i leanred that the line has technecally been rebooted in my eyes, so i just want to see the staples (such as the Apatosaurus) be remade in a larger scale, no matter if its made by you, or whoever the new sculptor is(i take back waht i said).


Does this any of this make sense Doug?

[Loon]

Avalanche Brands has the new Mastodon up on Amazon with Prime free two day shipping
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B075WZFWVY/ref=ya_st_dp_summary?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[Shonisaurus]

Doug your figures are large, medium or small are just as beautiful and well made, in fact have always been awarded every year your figures as the best of each year by the prestigious magazine Prehistoric Times. 

It is as if an outstanding cook rewarded him every year with the five Michelin stars, for something it will be that your figures always win by their beauty and by their superexcelentes paleoartísticas recreations. 

The apatosaurus and shunosaurus are beautiful figures and with great pleasure that adorn the preferred part of my shelves. I also liked Iguanodon very much (difficult to overcome by any company) and I am dazzled with the mammoth Americanum or Mastodon and the daeodon that I bought, respectively, from an eBay company from the United States whose credibility is proven and a daeodon I bought from the endearing Dean Walker (dejankins store) that for me are the best on the market in terms of prehistoric mammals. 

[Sim]

I can't help myself, but I cannot warm up with those feathered dinosaur figures, they look more like chimera to me, than real animals. Not because I deny the presence of such on dinosaurs, how could I? But while I find the paintings of Witton and others quite convincing, the toy figure rendition doesn't do same for me....

...and I think that's mainly, because feathers on real birds are just not a crisply visible and distinguihed from the surrounding feathers as are the sculpted feathers. Hands down, they are finely sculpted and detailed, but overly so I think, because in the real animal they would form a smooth and mostly indstinguishly surface, where single feathers can only be made out by a very close look, specific but rare coloration/patterns or only in certain areas as the wing tips. Sculpted feathers (not only in dinosaur figures, but also recent bird figures) are often just too think and deeply grooved which makes them look more like scales than real feathers.

Just my two cents.... as of yet I only added the Safari Feathered Tyrant, Papo Velociraptor and the occasional Archeaopteryx ... oh well and the Microraptor, where the sculpting is well done but the uniform black also adds a lot to a realistic look.

I think it depends on the kind of bird.  There are some birds where the feathers can look noticeably separate and not very smooth, such as in ostriches and rheas.

I am not so sure... I think the "problem" could sometimes just be "less is more". For example those contour feathers on the back of the Anzu wouldn't look like scales but more like feather covering, if they wouldn't all be sculpted seperately, but more smoohted out with just some flat grooves as Schleich did in their great fowl figures or other bird figures (as flamingo or puffin for example).

I do personally feel though a lot of times there seems to be a desire to put too much detail into prehistoric animal figures.  This applies to both paint and the sculpture itself.  I'm going to give two examples that are for Safari figures, although there are other examples too.  The two examples are for Safari figures as this is a Safari thread (and also out of the companies currently producing new figures, I'm more interested in figures from Safari than the other companies, excluding BotM).

1. I find the scales on a number of Wild Safari figures look too deeply sculpted in/too emphasised.  The size of the scales often looks fine to me, even impressively well-researched, they just tend too look unconvincingly prominent.

2. The second example is the lines of colour that are being put around the teeth/mouth.  I first remember it from the Carnegie Giganotosaurus, and I didn't like it on that figure, although it wasn't a problem for me as it wasn't being done on a lot of the figures in the line from what I remember.  In just the last two years of the Wild Safari line though, it's been done on the 2016 Masiakasaurus and Carcharodontosaurus, and the 2017 Tyrannosaurus, Velociraptor, Tylosaurus and Giganotosaurus.  This way of giving more detail to the mouth/teeth doesn't look quite right to me somehow, I imagine this is more of a personal preference thing though.  It really bothers me on the Velociraptor though unfortunately.

Having said the above, I still think Wild Safari prehistoric figures tend to be very good.  The Masiakasaurus was one of the figures I voted for in the Top ten 2016 figures poll.  Often though I do feel I would like to see more of a "less is more" approach to detail on prehistoric animal figures from Safari and other companies.

[Doug Watson]

I hope we can get a new Apatosaurus made by the same sculptor, ......................... and maybe 10 years down the road, A larger Shunosaurus

So you don't like mine anymore, and I did them because you asked for them.....

Im sorry if i came off as offensive   I should have been more careful with my words

I still like your models, including the Apatosaurus and Shunosaurus. It just that those came before what i learn was a "Reboot" of the line in 2017. I Still own them. and i now consider all models from 2007 thorgh 2016 Second Genration so to speak.         And models from 2017 onwards to be third genration.

I will admit.   I did not buy a single Safari Dinosaur from 2017 because i was disapointed in the increase in size. but i leanred that the line has technecally been rebooted in my eyes, so i just want to see the staples (such as the Apatosaurus) be remade in a larger scale, no matter if its made by you, or whoever the new sculptor is(i take back waht i said).


Does this any of this make sense Doug?

I was just yanking your chain.....a little bit.

[Takama]

I hope we can get a new Apatosaurus made by the same sculptor, ......................... and maybe 10 years down the road, A larger Shunosaurus

So you don't like mine anymore, and I did them because you asked for them.....

Im sorry if i came off as offensive   I should have been more careful with my words

I still like your models, including the Apatosaurus and Shunosaurus. It just that those came before what i learn was a "Reboot" of the line in 2017. I Still own them. and i now consider all models from 2007 thorgh 2016 Second Genration so to speak.         And models from 2017 onwards to be third genration.

I will admit.   I did not buy a single Safari Dinosaur from 2017 because i was disapointed in the increase in size. but i leanred that the line has technecally been rebooted in my eyes, so i just want to see the staples (such as the Apatosaurus) be remade in a larger scale, no matter if its made by you, or whoever the new sculptor is(i take back waht i said).


Does this any of this make sense Doug?

I was just yanking your chain.....a little bit.

My Aspergers Syndrome Strikes again

[Faelrin]

I have to wonder if there are any theropods for this year, and if there are, what the theropods for this year will be, and how they will be scaled at. Same goes for the mystery ceratopsian. I wonder how that one will look alongside the ones from the years past.

The Feathered T. rex dwarfs everything in my collection (even the Apatosaurus to a degree), while the Deinocheirus from the same year on the other hand is on the smaller scale and fits in with the smaller sized ones like the Igaunodon and Yutyrannus. At the same time I have the Dracorex on display with them, and that would be much smaller in life when compared with them. Ditto for when I get the Feathered Velociraptor eventually.

I guess scale probably isn't too important, and as long as the figures look good (together), then I guess it all works out. Like the Inostrancevia and Scutosaurus for example, and maybe the Coelophysis and the Postosuchus, as well the current Acrocanthosaurus and Sauropelta. Of course I do understand scale can be important in some cases, like maybe when displaying contemporaries (T. rex and Triceratops), or similarly related animals together (theropods, ceratopsians, sauropods, etc).

[Takama]

I have to wonder if there are any theropods for this year, and if there are, what the theropods for this year will be, and how they will be scaled at. Same goes for the mystery ceratopsian. I wonder how that one will look alongside the ones from the years past.

The Feathered T. rex dwarfs everything in my collection (even the Apatosaurus to a degree), while the Deinocheirus from the same year on the other hand is on the smaller scale and fits in with the smaller sized ones like the Igaunodon and Yutyrannus. At the same time I have the Dracorex on display with them, and that would be much smaller in life when compared with them. Ditto for when I get the Feathered Velociraptor eventually.

I guess scale probably isn't too important, and as long as the figures look good (together), then I guess it all works out. Like the Inostrancevia and Scutosaurus for example, and maybe the Coelophysis and the Postosuchus, as well the current Acrocanthosaurus and Sauropelta. Of course I do understand scale can be important in some cases, like maybe when displaying contemporaries (T. rex and Triceratops), or similarly related animals together (theropods, ceratopsians, sauropods, etc).

Anzu was a theropod. Are you wanting the Big/Toothy Variety? or just wonder if there are anymore?

[Faelrin]

Good point about Anzu. I tend to forget those ovaraptorids are theropods, but yes I meant the (bigger) toothier carnivorous variety of theropod.

[Vidusaurus]

I think Safari got Amarga's head shape more or less correct. Keep in mind, the head is not shrink-wrapped (it's just the highlights)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amargasaurus#/media/File:Amargasaurus_skull.png

The head shape was never something that got brought up as an issue if I remember correctly, it was more the paint highlights on the skull making it look shrinkwrapped and the fact that the teeth aren't covered by lips.

[dinoMD]

My figures came in this past Thursday (previously got the mastodon and daeodon from Dean).  The Amargasaurus is a beauty, and truly massive (as noted, it's comparable to the original Carnegie Apatosaurus, albeit not as heavy).  As has already been pointed out recently, the head is not shrink-wrapped - rather, the appearance is exaggerated by the paint scheme/lighting effects in the stock photos.  It also follows the latest line of thinking wherein the spikes were not linked together by a
sail-like membrane.  Hopefully, Safari will continue this trend of big sauropod figures (I love last year's diplodocus, but it could've been a little bigger). 

The Anzu is a nice figure - however, it would have been nice if the sculpting details were more pronounced (in contrast to Doug's Velociraptor from last year's line).  Still very happy I got it.

[tanystropheus]

I hope we can get a new Apatosaurus made by the same sculptor, ......................... and maybe 10 years down the road, A larger Shunosaurus

So you don't like mine anymore, and I did them because you asked for them.....

Im sorry if i came off as offensive   I should have been more careful with my words

I still like your models, including the Apatosaurus and Shunosaurus. It just that those came before what i learn was a "Reboot" of the line in 2017. I Still own them. and i now consider all models from 2007 thorgh 2016 Second Genration so to speak.         And models from 2017 onwards to be third genration.

I will admit.   I did not buy a single Safari Dinosaur from 2017 because i was disapointed in the increase in size. but i leanred that the line has technecally been rebooted in my eyes, so i just want to see the staples (such as the Apatosaurus) be remade in a larger scale, no matter if its made by you, or whoever the new sculptor is(i take back waht i said).


Does this any of this make sense Doug?

I was just yanking your chain.....a little bit.

It would be really cool to have a Brontosaurus...not that I'm trying to influence the direction of things or anything to that effect...

[Neosodon]

I hope we can get a new Apatosaurus made by the same sculptor, ......................... and maybe 10 years down the road, A larger Shunosaurus

So you don't like mine anymore, and I did them because you asked for them.....

To be honest the Apatosaurus isn't that great mainly because the neck and it's a bit retro. But the shunosaurus is awesome. Ok its a bit small but Shunosaurus was one of the smallest sauropods so I think the size is fine. In my opinion the Shunosaurus is the best saurapod in the whole safari range. Even better than the 2017 Diplodacus and way better than the new Amargosaurus. Everything about it is perfect. Perfect proportions, perfect pose, perfect color and detail. The figure overall looks very pleasant and hits the small sauropod vibe spot on.

Not sure if you can answer this Doug, but did you make the other unrevealed sauropod?

[tanystropheus]

Regarding the Shunosaurus,

I just realized it has a spiked tail (like the Spinophorosaurus). I wish it (the tail club) was a bit more striking as it is a unique feature for a sauropod. The grin gives off a carnivorous vibe...I don't know if that was intentional, though. The colors are a tad bit odd -- I think they work better on the Deinocheirus. On the plus size, at least it wasn't lime green! Nevertheless, it is an interesting model, and I will probably pick it up at some point.

[Doug Watson]

I hope we can get a new Apatosaurus made by the same sculptor, ......................... and maybe 10 years down the road, A larger Shunosaurus

So you don't like mine anymore, and I did them because you asked for them.....

To be honest the Apatosaurus isn't that great mainly because the neck and it's a bit retro. But the shunosaurus is awesome. Ok its a bit small but Shunosaurus was one of the smallest sauropods so I think the size is fine. In my opinion the Shunosaurus is the best saurapod in the whole safari range. Even better than the 2017 Diplodacus and way better than the new Amargosaurus. Everything about it is perfect. Perfect proportions, perfect pose, perfect color and detail. The figure overall looks very pleasant and hits the small sauropod vibe spot on.

Not sure if you can answer this Doug, but did you make the other unrevealed sauropod?

Well if I did whatever it is then it probably wouldn't be great because of its neck and it would be a bit retro.

[Doug Watson]

You know what would really make me happy?

A rerelease of the 2017 T. rex mounted on a sturdy base. I've been experiencing a great deal of frustration lately with getting mine to remain standing up.

Hey suspsy
Has your T rex had problems standing since you got it? Of my samples that I received all three of the ones I unbagged stand. One is perfect and two lean a little forward but still stand. Just for everyones reference the optimum angle for the T rex to stand if you are doing the heat and cool repair on the feet is the lowest part of the chin should be 8.5 cm off the ground with the feet and toes resting flat, tip of tail 3.55 cm off the ground.

[Jose S.M.]

In what sense is the Apatosaurus retro? The neck has the wider proportions that are known and the pose is what was accepted at least at the time, I don't know if still is though. I haven't seen it in person but I think it has the correct number of claws and the shape of the feet. But I don't see how is retro, it's not the tail dragging slow creature of the older movies and art.

[Doug Watson]

In what sense is the Apatosaurus retro? The neck has the wider proportions that are known and the pose is what was accepted at least at the time, I don't know if still is though. I haven't seen it in person but I think it has the correct number of claws and the shape of the feet. But I don't see how is retro, it's not the tail dragging slow creature of the older movies and art.

He could mean the nostrils. I was aware of the study that places the nostrils towards the end of the skull but in the case of Apatosaurus I didn't agree with it. I didn't see any evidence of nasal channels on the skull. I can see it on Brachiosaurus and other sauropods but I still don't see it on Apatosaurus.

[sauroid]

did Doug Watson sculpt the 2010 WS Brachiosaurus?