Ictonyx artwork

[Ictonyx]

Stenopterygius

[Halichoeres]

I see you included a keel on the caudal peduncle (it's probably called something else in ichthyosaurs, but that's the name we fish people use). Is there direct evidence for that or did you just include it because it makes biomechanical sense?

[Ictonyx]

No direct evidence, I just like to draw thick, keeled tail stocks on ichthyosaurs and mosasaurs because, as you say, I think it's plausible. A big marine animal using lateral strokes of a large tail fin to swim makes me want to reference large sharks. I always thought the tail stocks of lamnids, whale sharks etc. looked cool so went for something similar with my Stenopterygius, Shonisaurus and Tylosaurus drawings. In large cetaceans, where the flukes are horizontal and the propulsive strokes are vertical, there are 'keels' on the dorsal and ventral sides of the tail stock rather than the lateral sides, which is a neat parallel.

[Ictonyx]

Xiphactinus audax, a 5 metre predatory fish from the Late Cretaceous.

[Shonisaurus]

The effect of xiphactinus with water gives realism to the drawing.

[Brocc21]

There's always a bigger fish...

[Halichoeres]

That's a very difficult angle, but you've done a good job with it!

[Ictonyx]

Thanks, I'm pretty happy with the outcome. I was quite pleased with the water too, I haven't tried to draw something splashing before and I think it worked reasonably well.

[Jose S.M.]

Both the fish and the water effects are great. I really like your work

[Gothmog the Baryonyx]

Ooh, it's a longboi. Very good artwork again, nice to see such lesser known animals depicted too

[Ictonyx]

Thanks everyone for the kind comments.

[Ictonyx]

Mawsonia

[Shonisaurus]

Interesting the fish mawsonia drawing, with your exceptional illustration without knowing anything about the fish in question I thought it belonged to the coelacanth family how much is my amazement that when I look in the internet search engine that majestic fish I see that it belongs to the family of the coelacanths .

Your illustrations are very beautiful, there are many paleoartists that illustrate paleontology books that do not have the mastery that you have and do not take it for a compliment is reality and truth.

[Ictonyx]

Thank you Shonisaurus, you're too kind!

[Halichoeres]

This thread is always a treat, but especially when a non-Latimeria coelacanth turns up!

[Ictonyx]

Thanks Halichoeres. I've always liked Mawsonia - it's probably not a popular aesthetic opinion, but I think it is an exceptionally beautiful animal (at least, if it looked anything like I imagine it).

[Ictonyx]

Pteranodon longiceps

[Jose S.M.]

I like it a lot. I like the pattern on the wing's tip.

[Shonisaurus]

The transparency of the body with respect to the wings of the pteranodon have remained sublime. Magnificent drawing You are a great illustrator. If someone published a book of dinosaurs and other animals of the Mesozoic with your drawings you can be sure that he would buy it. I really like your illustrations.

[Ictonyx]

Thanks for the kind words guys.