a new art question

[Bob Tess <bobtess@dinoart.com>]

In an effort to try to form a basis for a proposed artist's guild of  
sorts, I have been trying to lay some groundwork.

I define a paleontological life restoration artist ( paleoartist,  
thanks to Mark Hallett I believe) as a person who produces life  
restorations or scientific drawings from the fossil evidence.
They can be professional or amateur but if amateurs have an  
opportunity to "turn pro" there will have to be guidelines and  
pricing ethics we must set up.

Some artists complain that the place where they live makes it  
difficult.  They do not have access to fossils and must use books as  
reference.
That's where things get dicey ( ala the Greg Paul thread) so I say this.
Museums and paleontologists are usually ok with providing photographs  
of both mounts and individual fossils and answering questions so long  
as you respect their schedule. There are also reference photographs  
on the web these days.
If that seems too inconvenient you must travel.
If I desire to be a gaucho, I can't expect to pursue that dream in  
Center City Philadelphia.

I would like to hear comments on my definition before I go further.
Bob and I have produced many life restorations, some the first of new  
species, and have never used a Greg Paul skeletal reconstruction.
The same is true of other artists, so I do not think the definition  
of paleoartist is too narrow.

Tess