Conchoraptor gracilis - "Nemegt Sunrise"

#10oclockart PM edition - It's FINALLY finished! Sorta.

Nemegt Sunrise © 2012 Raven Amos

This is the "finished" version of Conchoraptor that is going in the upcoming Archosaurs and Automata art show. Eventually I will return to this and add in the missing elements to the painting to bring it back in line with the "Dino Zodiac" project.

The crab in its claws is purely speculative, given there is no fossil evidence of hermit crabs found in the Nemegt Formation. The shell that it inhabits, a species of Viviparus, is known from the neighboring Dohoin Usu fossil beds to the north, which are of a similar age to the Nemegt formation (Late Cretaceous).

Special thanks to Jamie Headden for the pointers on oviraptor anatomy, and to Scott Elyard for helping to keep me sane.

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References:

Ping, Chi; Granger, Walter. (1930). "Two new Cretaceous fresh-water gastropods from Mongolia". American Museum Novitates; No. 437.

Nemegt Sunrise

P.M. entry for #10oclockart - sunrise over the Nemegt River Delta of Cretaceous Mongolia.

Flora from the Maastrichtian era Nemegt Formation is spotty at best, but existing fossil evidence shows that there was some form of forest cover in the form of Pseudolarix conifers, with some hypothetical Baikalophyllum cycads and reedy plants thrown in the mix (known from similar localities in China and Russia).

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References:

Pott, C., McLoughlin, S., Lindström, A., Wu Shunqing, & Friis, E.M., 2012. "Baikalophyllum lobatum and Rehezamites anisolobus: two seed plants with “cycadophyte” foliage from the Early Cretaceous of eastern Asia." International Journal of Plant Sciences 173, 192–208.

Gradzinski, Ryszard. 1969. "SEDIMENTATION OF DINOSAUR-BEARING UPPER CRETACEOUS DEPOSITS OF THE NEMEGT BASIN, GOBI DESERT." Palaeontologia Polonica, No. 21, 148-223.

Okada, H. Cretaceous Environments of Asia (Developments in Palaeontology and Stratigraphy). Mateer, N.J. Elsevier Science, April 2000.

Archosaurs and Automata Update

Progress report on the #ArchosaursandAutomata art show.

Conchoraptor progress...

The Indiegogo campaign for the upcoming "Archosaurs and Automata"art show is over, and while we only made 60% of our goal, Scott and I are still looking forward to putting up one awesome art show this January!

After talking with Jaime Headden of "The Bite Stuff" blog and showing him my progress so far on the Conchoraptor, I received some very helpful advice and pointers on the anatomy of this very strange theropod. I've also begun work on the poor, helpless creature in her claws - a hypothetical freshwater hermit crab that has taken up residence in the shell of an ammonite (like this guy).

Dino Zodiac and Other Project Updates

#10oclockart PM edition - Conchoraptor progress.

Getting back to the Dino Zodiac project, as well as getting started on some exciting upcoming stuff, including a First Friday art show for the month of January at Modern Dwellers Chocolate Lounge in Anchorage, AK with myself and Scott Elyard. More on that soon.

In the meantime, I have changed out some designs and added some new items at my CafePress store (for real this time!), including a queen-size Troodon in the Rushes duvet cover.

Why I Love Digital Paint

#10oclockart early PM entry - This is why I love doing artwork in the digital age.

Before...

The face of this Conchoraptor looks more like a parrot than an oviraptorid - something I didn't pick up on until I started working in the wrinkles and folds in the skin. Back in my pen and ink days, this would have resulted in much wailing and cursing as I accidentally erased bits I didn't mean to, or the bits I wanted to erase wouldn't completely disappear after several attempts, or I tear the page because I erased one too many times in the same spot.

...and after!

Now, thanks to the power of digital paint (and the internet, which pointed me to delicious oviraptor skeletal reference by Jamie A. Headden), there will be no more hair-pulling or wailing while walking widdershins around my apartment. I just selected the offending "jawline", wrinkles and all, and moved it up for a more proper oviraptor profile. This is still amazing to me.

Dinosaur Zodiac - Cancer

#10oclockart entry - Conchoraptor with a crab. 

Taking a little break from Geminiraptor and getting a jump on Cancer. I'm thinking "budgie-come-seabird" in purples, yellowish-greens, and blues on this one.