Preparatory sketches - scale

Preparatory sketches - scale

copyright A V S Turner 2016

Anasazisaurus, Bistahieversor & Dinosuchus, with a human figure for scale. This scale reference is the first step in my newest life restoration project, set in mid-cretaceous New Mexico. I love this stage of a painting: really getting my head around the scale, presence and even personality of subjects and cementing an image in my head of how I want them to look. Since this image will include three subjects in close proximity, I am keen to work out now how they all occupy 3D space together.

Since Anasazisaurus is known only from partial skull fragments, I have used it's close relative Kritosaurus as an additional reference.

My next step will be to work out the immediate landscape and environment. Stay tuned for more over the coming weeks!

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Artist's statement:

For a professional in any field, it is important to know not just what you do but why you do it. I have developed my own 'Palaeoart manifesto' over the years; by which to choose my subjects and how best to present them.

RULE 1: Every image serves a purpose. Before beginning a new work, ask yourself "What good will representing this subject do for the wider community?". If your chosen subject is a relatively new discovery, of which few restorations have been made, then the clear benefit is in creating a new piece of reference material for a species of which few images exist. If, however the species has been long known to science, instead ask yourself "How will my representation of this species teach my audience anything new?".

RULE 2: Context is essential. Why spend so much time and effort getting your subject's morphology right if they then end up standing in an environment that is totally inappropriate, even anachronistic? The purpose of palaeoart is to inform and educate as well as to enthral.

RULE 3: If there's no evidence for it, don't draw it! There's no point spending time painting or sculpting a detail for which there is no evidence. Obviously, there are times when this is necessary, but these come often enough for a palaeo-artist to make it worth avoiding having to invent details if you don't have to.

You can view my full artist's statement here.