Re: Dinosaur artwork

["Jordan Mallon" <j_mallon@hotmail.com>]

> From: Danvarner@aol.com

> By my observation, however, the greatest influence by far (at least >here 
> on the list) is that of Greg Paul. Greg Paul has done numerous >excellent 
> paintings and drawings, but I believe his dominance results >from his 
> spectacular series of skeletal reconstructions.

I think you're right in saying that.  My first influence when it came to 
drawing dinosaurs was the work of Mark "Crash" McCreery, conceptual artist 
of the famed Jurassic Park dinosaurs (when is he writing me back, Todd!?)  
But having broadened my horizons not too long afterwards, I found that Greg 
Paul's work was not only easiest to duplicate because of the fact that much 
of it was done in greyscale and so I could therefore use trusty ol' 
graphite, but I could also refer to his skeletal restorations and get a 
similar "accurate" feel to his.
And on that note, I still find myself guilty of adding Paulian do-dads to my 
work sometimes. :P

> They are mirrored in nearly every young artist's attempts I see. And >this 
> is a good thing in respect to Paul's thoughtful research into >every 
> skeletal element and postural considerations.

A quick thought... One will often hear many of the professional paleolife 
artists out there complain that dinosaur art is riddled with inaccuracies, 
and that future artists should focus more on the fossil facts rather than on 
"what looks good."  If every young dinosaur artist out there did this, in 
refering to an accepted dinosaur "canon" (i.e. Greg Paul's stuff), then 
would not all the art begin to merge in shape, form, and look?  Aside from 
personal style, I would think most of the pieces would look the same.  But 
that's just my twisted thinking.  Might seem rather obvious, actually.

> animal in a real world of perspective, light and landscape. If you can >do 
> it, I would recommend sketching from "life" from mounted skeletons >from as 
> many different angles as possible. Avoid those profiles.

Aye.  I've heard too many times from a number of different artists about how 
they've gotten themselves stuck in a rut in that they cannot peel themselves 
away from drawing dinosaurs in profile view using Paul's skeletal drawings.  
Heck, I even had a hard time myself!
Problem is, rare is the occasion that a skeletal drawing will be done 
featuring multiple angled views.

> Compare Paul's drawing of the giant tyrannosaur chasing a barenaked >lady 
> in PDW with his painting of a pair of Tyrannosaurus cruising >beneath 
> thunderheads in a Hell Creek landscape to see what I mean.

I always thought it was interesting that Paul used the female rather than 
the male form for that one (and others). :)

Jordan Mallon

http://www.geocities.com/paleoportfolio/

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