How do you paint a realistic picture of an animal that has been extinct for millions of years?
This workshop gives you front row seats at the creation of two paintings for Scientific American, including one for the cover of the magazine. Illustrator James Gurney fully documents the steps he follows in reconstructing two recently discovered relatives of Tyrannosaurus rex.
Working closely with the scientist who discovered the fossils, Gurney shows all the development stages, including thumbnail sketches, color comps, use of photos and maquettes, plein-air studies, and the final painting. The artist's voiceover explains both pragmatic methods and background thinking with a special emphasis on techniques for suggesting feather and foliage textures, and how to paint a believable reconstruction of a scene that can't be photographed.
Gurney shows how he sets up his palette, what materials he uses for texturing the illustration board, and the range of brushes he uses at each stage. The production is packed with useful information that will interest not only dinosaur artist, but anyone who paints landscapes or creatures of any kind. The coverage is comprehensive, and the edit is fast-paced enough to be worth watching again and again.
PRAISE FOR "TYRANNOSAURS" "It's a humbling experience to watch any true Master perform. In James Gurney's case, he is so beguiling and unpretentious that it is nothing short of magic. One moment, a blank page, the next--presto! A living, breathing, feathered Tyrannosaur!” —Iain McCaig (concept artist for Guardians of the Galaxy and Harry Potter)
“Who needs a time machine to see life in the Mesozoic? Just let Jim paint it for you. Here is how True Magic is done. Now it is your turn to learn to make magic.” —Michael K. Brett-Surman, PhD., co-editor of The Complete Dinosaur
”I have just watched the full version of Jim's video and having produced over 100 of our "Painting & Travel with Roger & Sarah Bansemer" television shows for PBS, I can say without hesitation that Jim has masterfully created a masterful video. It not only is very interestingly filmed and edited flawlessly to keep the attention of the viewer but the content flows from one step to the next showing and describing the process of creating the finished artwork. A real behind the scenes look.” —Roger Bansemer, Painting and Travel with Roger & Sarah Bansemer
“Wow. I just bought and watched the entire 40 minute video and I have to tell you that it the best-made, most interesting art video I have ever seen. By far. Your informational details, the editing, the narration, the flow... it's all truly for serious artists and illustrators. Truly an excellent work!” —David R. Darrow
TYRANNOSAUR. 40 minutes run time, downloadable 1080p HD mp4 file.
