Painting Fossil Trackways?

[-Andy-]

Hi all, sorry if this topic has already been made, but I couldn't find any threads teaching how to properly paint out fossil trackways.

Basically I have a piece of Green River matrix with some bird tracks on it. As the depressions are very faint, i intend to darken the tracks the same way people often do for Grallator trackways.

Any recommendation on the paint or material or method used?

Thanks.

[Xiphactinus]

Personally, I wouldn't do it. I'm not a fan of painting fossils.....

[RichW9090]

I agree. When you do that, you've forced your interpretation of the tracks onto the fossil, so that a viewer can no longer decide for them self.

Some fossils are simply not display material.

Rich

[Jersey]

I agree with Xiphactinus and I wouldn't paint/darken the tracks on the specimen itself. Instead I would take a photo(s) of the specimen. I realize the tracks probably won't show up on the photo but I would then paint the tracks carefully on the photo so people will know where the tracks occur on the actual specimen and where to look for them. (Also - if the tracks on the specimen itself are in danger of rubbing away from handling, I would also protect the specimen by placing it somewhere it would not be directly handled such as in a Riker Mount. In a Riker Mount it could still be examined closely without danger of damage.)

[prem]

Use of good lighting is probably a better way to go in making a fossil trackway evident. On my Alabama material, the tracks are very faint when illuminated from above, but when nicely side lit, you can see them clearly. I plan on devoting a shelf of my fossil china cabinet to my fossil tracks and putting in some light fixtures that will throw a nice, strong side-light on my specimens.

---Prem

[-Andy-]

I understand where you guys are coming from.

I will be using this matrix in a classroom where it is necessary for the trackway to be very obvious to the eyes of children, especially when they are handling it.

Thus, I would need to paint/highlight at least a few tracks on the matrix as an example.

[Jersey]

I understand where you guys are coming from.

I will be using this matrix in a classroom where it is necessary for the trackway to be very obvious to the eyes of children, especially when they are handling it.

Thus, I would need to paint/highlight at least a few tracks on the matrix as an example.

How about carefully making darker paper cutouts the size and shape of the footprints and attaching them with some removable putty (or some other removable material) so that the "footprints" can be seen while at the same time not ruining (in my opinion) a nice specimen.

[Fossildude19]

Jersey has a good idea.

Or, you could also just use chalk to outline the footprints - it is easily removed, and does no harm to the fossil.

Whatever you do, make sure it is reversible.

Regards,

[DLB]

If u still really won't to paint them u should use water paint and dilute it with more water and darken until it is to you're likeing. Paint repeat until u like the darkness,

[Xiphactinus]

You could consider making a plaster cast of your fossil and then painting that. It will be better for kids to handle anyway.

[obsessed1]

If you placed it into a riker type mount, you could then use a a type of pencil/marker on the glass to circle the tracks? I believe they call them "grease" pencils. This way the suudents will know where to look without altering the fossil. It will also show them how easy it is to overlook something truely special with close examination.

Edited January 30, 2014 by obsessed1

[fossilcrazy]

I have purchased Cambrian Climactichnites traces with some kind of pale colorant for highlighting. I wish it wasn't colored. Having no idea what was used, I'm hesitant to try removal.

I'll weigh in as opposed to coloring trace fossils. It is hard to unring that bell and collectors are not appreciative of the accenting efforts.

[Taogan]

Colouring a trace fossil could harm it. I wouldn't do it, I'd make a cast and paint the cast. better still, I'd make a latex mould for the kids to make their own copies so they get a souvenir of the class.

[jpc]

It might be even more exciting to the kids to be able to shine a light on it. Go from straight above where they can's see it and bring the light slowly down and watch the track 'come alive'.

Avoid painting.