1/40 Ornithocheirus- Released

[stoneage]

I like the curve of the wings, there not flat like many models. I would like to hear what CCM thinks, as far as this being a realistic pose.

[Blade-of-the-Moon]

I've seen the pose in replicas, art, and museum exhibits if I remember correctly .

[crazycrowman]

Thanks for the vote of confidence stoneage, but I really don't know a whole lot about pterosaur anatomy, I am mostly a bird/lizard/crocodilian guy when it comes to being able to make statements I feel that I can back with any degree of "certainty". Pterosaurs are strange critters, full of surprises.

I would say it looks like its going to be a very nice looking figure, and that based on the relatively little I know about pterosaur anatomy, (Due to generic/general reading, and sources like David Unwins book, and a few others) that the pose looks quite feasible to me, as if it has hooked up with a good thermal and is rising.

I personally like the "neutral" pose, too. Can't wait to see this one complete!!!

[Meso-Cenozoic]

So far, so good! I'm most curious about how much detail you can get on the head. Especially with those teeth!

[dinonikes]

Mar 16, 2009 1:18:34 GMT stoneage said:

I like the curve of the wings, there not flat like many models. I would like to hear what CCM thinks, as far as this being a realistic pose.

I don't see why there would be any question regarding the pose- any flying animal whether a bat , bird or pterosaur would have to flap its wings at some point- pterosaurs although always stated as gliders, couldn't just leap into flight without flapping- wing position and shape control flight as well- even for gliders-

[sbell]

Mar 16, 2009 10:52:43 GMT dinonikes said:

Mar 16, 2009 1:18:34 GMT stoneage said:

I like the curve of the wings, there not flat like many models. I would like to hear what CCM thinks, as far as this being a realistic pose.

I don't see why there would be any question regarding the pose- any flying animal whether a bat , bird or pterosaur would have to flap its wings at some point- pterosaurs although always stated as gliders, couldn't just leap into flight without flapping- wing position and shape control flight as well- even for gliders-

I think it's actually been pretty well-established that not only were pterosaurs active fliers, with wing-flapping and all, but that they were able to launch themselves by an active means as well (as opposed to jumping off a cliff or tree):
www.livescience.com/animals/090107-pterosaur-flight.html

The cool thing is that it also explains why pterosaur size wasn't as limited as bird size.

[richard]

cant wait to see it finished

[dinonikes]

Here it is with the clay roughed in, starting to take shape-

[Blade-of-the-Moon]

Man.... even rough it looks sweet... how do you get the clay so thin for the wings...hope it's difficult and just looks easy since I've tried making them before and failed miserably...lol

I knew I saw a similar pose before :

Cearadactyl... maybe we could one of those at some point as well...I need them for my JP Aviary...

[dinonikes]

I hate to tell you this Blade but it was real easy to smear the clay over the cardboard wings-thats why I like my method- the cardboard is just the type of cardboard that you find from pads of notepaper, once I am done with them I save the cardboard backing- the key is the clay I use- Roma Plastilene- #2 , or #3 - I keep it in a small size platic garbage can- cut a hole in the lid and put a hairdryer through the hole- the hairdryer runs while i am sculpting, keeping the caly nice and soft for me- easy to smear over the cardboard-

[[][][]cordylus[][][]]

Wow! Excellent wings! I love it

[dinonikes]

I am trying to figure out the texture for the wings- I seem to recall reading somewhere that pterosaurs or at least some of them had these not bones but some kind of rods of ligaments maybe running out in a linear fashion through the wings- that there might be a texture from these running out through the wings- the body and head seem to be represented as furry looking or feathery? anyone? Little help? Want to know what would be best way to texture this puppy-

[kikimalou]

the body and head seem to be represented as furry looking or feathery? anyone? Little help? Want to know what would be best way to texture this puppy-

I think it's furry, I never heard about feathers on pterosaurs.

[deanm]

There are no known feathered pterosaurs.

Hairy pterosaurs, yes there are plenty of fossils showing some sort of hairy covering over the body. But note it is not true mammalian hair but something similiar.

[tomhet]

Pterosaur hair is supposedly very thin, so it would not be visible at this scale, would it?

[Blade-of-the-Moon]

Mar 22, 2009 15:42:05 GMT dinonikes said:

I hate to tell you this Blade but it was real easy to smear the clay over the cardboard wings-thats why I like my method- the cardboard is just the type of cardboard that you find from pads of notepaper, once I am done with them I save the cardboard backing- the key is the clay I use- Roma Plastilene- #2 , or #3 - I keep it in a small size platic garbage can- cut a hole in the lid and put a hairdryer through the hole- the hairdryer runs while i am sculpting, keeping the caly nice and soft for me- easy to smear over the cardboard-

I was afraid of that...heh I generally just use some form of sculpey for projects..maybe I need to change..eh ?

Pterosaur wing texture links :

dinobase.gly.bris.ac.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?id=531
www.askabiologist.org.uk/punbb/viewtopic.php?id=1312
www.blackwell-synergy.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/j.1469-185X.1988.tb00633.x
science.nationalgeographic.com/science/prehistoric-world/pterosaurs.html

[kikimalou]

Thank you Blade for the links. I'm absolutely amazed by the knowledge we have about pterosaur wing texture.

[kikimalou]

About the tiny fur, perhaps this picture would help. The texture need to be lighter but it's a good base.

[Meso-Cenozoic]

Yeah, I think the fur or hair would be very subtle. And, I did remember seeing good above, below, and side pics of the Schleich Quatzel, that showed some kind of line textures in the wings. They look like some kind of creases/indents or rods of some kind in the wing's membrane coming out from the hands and arms. Don't know how accurate this guy is. Maybe someone here knows more about Pterosaurs than I. But, here are the pics so you can make your own judgment. Anyway, they might help in making some artistic choices for the body and wings. BTW, I think he looks pretty awesome so far!

[dinonikes]

The term aktinopatagium was introduced at a conference in 1984 by Schaller for the proposed radial arrangement of strengthening fibres within the wing membrane.

I remember seeing these fibers in the wings discussed in Gregory Paul's book on Pterosaurs and I think he showed them creating a radiating texture in the skin of the wings- will have to get to my library to see if I can get that book again- I saw some google images that showed radiating linear lines on the wings as well-