Some dino sketches (Updated: Old rivals)

[arioch]

Reconstruction of Utahraptor based on S. Hartman skeletal drawing.



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I modified a little bit the hands in the original drawing since its almost positive the wrists couldn´t fold like that.

[Blade-of-the-Moon]

Wow..I like the red coloration a lot ! ;D

[Himmapaan]

I like the 'double fan' of the tail!

I think the hands on the skeletal are about right though? That seems to be the furthest they could go back on dromaeosaurs.

[arioch]

Thanks guys! Maybe I don´t recall correctly that diagram about theropod hands that Horridus ( I think) posted and I forgot to save it, but it seems to me like an extreme angle so I decided to play safe... :S



This is what I´m currently working on:


-Tyrannosaurus rex ( another skeletal reconstruction)

-Allosaurus

-The Pentaceratops and Daspleto naughty scene.

-3 Variraptor feeding on a Rhabdodon carcass (update of a very sketchy, undetailed drawing)

-Microraptor correct gliding stance (sort of educative sketch)

-Spinosaurus eating a young Rugops (with an alternative, yet apparently plausible look on the Spino)

The Variraptors and T. rex one are the most developed pieces so far, so probably tomorow I will show more feathered stuff. ;D

[Horridus]

I think the hands on Hartman's skeletal do represent the maximum that they could fold back. Obviously birds (and some nonavian dinosaurs) are able to fold them back further against the forearm.

Love the art by the way!

[Blade-of-the-Moon]

I read " Allosaurus " on that list.. ;D

[arioch]

Aug 11, 2011 19:02:55 GMT Blade-of-the-Moon said:

I read " Allosaurus " on that list.. ;D

Is the same sketch you already seen, just adding details, textures and maybe colour....

Another reconstruction based on S. Hartman skeletals: Velociraptor mongoliensis.

[Blade-of-the-Moon]

That just goes to show how cool a black and white pattern can be if you actually try.. love it ! ;D

[arioch]

Thanks! I was thinking of using less "dull" colours for this new version, but like with the Utahraptor I finally decided to be faithful to the old ones, just with a bit more elaborate scheme. Next one will probably be an Archaeopteryx, and then Tyrannosaurus, which will change more with regard to the previous versions...oh, and the allo is very advanced too. ;D

[Blade-of-the-Moon]

Can't wait to see it ! ;D

[Horridus]

That Velociraptor's bloody marvellous. As a big magpie fan I really appreciate it...

[crazycrowman]

Gorgeous!

[arioch]

Thanks! Well I never thought of magpies for the colours, but it really looks like one...lol. Anyway, I´m doing another version more "classic", with shorter plumage around the neck, sort of heron like and an alternative scheme (but still black and white primarily).


And here´s my last drawing, a reconstruction of Stan (based on another Hartmann skeleton).




It has the partial proto feathers covering common in coleurosaurs and Tyrannosaurs, though quite reduced. Some loosed skin prints under Tarbosaurs jaw suggests that it could have had a big wattle or dewlap, so its fair to assume its cousin (or the whole family for that regard) shared this feature.

Following another recent studies, I probably should have buried the thigh muscles under the skin, and that muscle line in the base of the tail most likely shouldn´t exist. Oh, nevermind. Maybe in the next version

[Blade-of-the-Moon]

I kinda like dewlaps on big theropods..but mainly because they look cool.. ;D

[Horridus]

That's very cool. You do a good job of adding protofeathers to tyrannosaurs (there still aren't many such illustrations out there).

I don't think you should worry about making Stan a little gracile (for a T. rex).

[arioch]

What do you mean...? (sorry, just wake up from a nap. Stupid summer schedule) . And yes, we need more fuzzy Tyrannosaurs! I´m considering doing the same with Sue using a different feather arrangement, more scattered along the back..

Aug 17, 2011 17:44:13 GMT Blade-of-the-Moon said:

I kinda like dewlaps on big theropods..but mainly because they look cool.. ;D

I think its quite likely that most medium sized or big theropods had such a dewlap, which would help them to swallow big chunks of meat. As a matter of fact, I also think that most hervibores in that size range would have them too since their chewing methods seems to be rather defficient at their best. It would be helpful specially in the case of Sauropods.

[crazycrowman]

Aug 17, 2011 18:41:06 GMT arioch said:

I think its quite likely that most medium sized or big theropods had such a dewlap, which would help them to swallow big chunks of meat. As a matter of fact, I also think that most hervibores in that size range would have them too since their chewing methods seems to be rather defficient at their best. It would be helpful specially in the case of Sauropods.

Dewlaps in modern animals have nothing to do with swallowing. They are all about display (or in some cases fat storage) Modern crocodilians & varanids hwark down enormous chunks of meat/whole animals/even hooves and antlers and do not have dewlaps, but do have large voluminous "stretchy" throats like below -


While the Green Iguana (males in particular) has a huge dewlap that is completely independent of the animals esophagus, that does not help it swallow anything, also below -


The only thing that comes close to what you are suggesting in a modern animal that has a saggy throat area that is used for both feeding and display would be a Pelican.

[arioch]

But crocs and varanids have this loose skin under the jaws... . Sorry, I dont know the technical name. Thats what I meant .






More like this than the flat wattle of the iguana , which would be useless to store anything.

I believe big theropods would had throats like this and sometimes with aditional flashy colours or spikes, since display is also important.

[crazycrowman]

^ They very well could have, but at least in the reconstruction of Stan image, it looks like the animals throat is independent of its dewlap, and the dewlap is more like one you would see on an iguana rather then then a varnid (or crocodilain, or birds) gular pouch.

2 images to try to show what I am talking about -

Continuous pouch that extends over whole area of the animals neck, with folds due to it not being extended. (like the pelican)


Dewlap of Iguana, (not to be confused with his jowls) that is sort of independent of the rest of the animals throat/neck.

[Blade-of-the-Moon]

Aug 17, 2011 19:02:44 GMT crazycrowman said:

Aug 17, 2011 18:41:06 GMT arioch said:

The only thing that comes close to what you are suggesting in a modern animal that has a saggy throat area that is used for both feeding and display would be a Pelican.

lol I wonder just how safe that other dino feels right now ? ;D

I do love pelicans a lot..they remind me a lot of pterosaurs ..wonder if anyone has a reconstruction of a Pteranodon with such a large throat pouch ? :?