Friday, October 9, 2009

Reconstruction Tips


ART Evolved is proud to launch a new series of articles aimed at helping you restore prehistoric creatures and times more accurately, entitled Reconstruction Tips.

There are a lot of challenges and barriers that can intimidate a palaeo-artist before they even start on a piece. What did particular animals look like? What is our current understanding about it, and how could this be reflect in art? What behaviours would be believable and which wouldn't? What was the palaeo-environment? How do I take all this and put it together in a piece?

Figuring this all out can be half the battle in creating great piece, and can make the difference between this and a mediocre one.

Expect many entries from our various members, but a series that is definitely coming your way starting next week will be...

A multi parter I'm calling "Flukes go on Whales, NOT in your Art!", which chronicles my real life efforts to restore a prehistoric whale for palaeontologist Dr. Ewan Fordyce.

This series will cover topics of interest especially to those wishing to work for or with legitimate scientists, and will show the difference in expectations of hobbyist palaeo-art and legitimate palaeo-art. Let me assure you I have learned a lot from the experience, and I'm will to share these with you as I take you through my many embarrassing mistakes, and my few but uplifting triumphs!

So be sure to watch out for many Restoration Tips here on ART Evolved soon. We hope everyone (including ourselves) will gain something from this series.