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Thylacoleo partial-skull replica


Douglas Ripsom

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Greetings, all:

I'm new here, so I apologize if I did something skewy on my first submission.

Anyway, I'd like to share an image or two of a thylacoleo carnifex skull replica I've been working on (well, OFF and on) for the past two years. It's a partial skull, but I did that to enhance (what I thing) may be the "realism" of the sculpt, since it's not common to find a "perfect" specimen in the field.

Anyway, enjoy!

thylacoleo1.jpg

Thylacoleo2.jpg

thylacoleo3.jpg

Thylacoleo4.jpg

thylacoleo5.jpg

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Oops: I almost forgot to include a photo of the palate.

Again, enjoy, and any creative comments will be appreciated!

thylacoleo6.jpg

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Looks like an attractive model to me. I know very little of the creature it's based on though. What material did you use. In another post you mentioned 3-D printing?

Start the day with a smile and get it over with.

 

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Very nice, and an interesting beast indeed.

I would also like to know what your model is made of.  And  is it a replica of an actual individual fossil ?

Greetings,

j

Try to learn something about everything and everything about something

Thomas Henry Huxley

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I gather the critter you are making is the same as your avatar, correct?

 

 

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Well sculpted. I think a less glossy surface would make it look even better.

 

 

Mark.

 

Fossil hunting is easy -- they don't run away when you shoot at them!

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  • 3 weeks later...

Hi Douglas,

I hope you can help me with my Thylacoleo project, as you seem to have been pondering that magnificient beast for some time.

I am trying to reshape a smilodon skeleton toy to represent the body for a 3d printed Thylacoleo skull.

Do you have any information on the  thorakal region?

I just read that claviculae have been discovered relatively recently. I didn´t  find anythng about the sternum, has one been found? Otherwise, would you think it plausible to model it after a Koalas?

Thanks,

J

Try to learn something about everything and everything about something

Thomas Henry Huxley

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I apologize for the long wait in replying to your comments, so I'll get all caught up now. Thanks for your patience!

 

Pagurus: Thanks! Believe it or not, I actually used PAPER as a base sculpting material. There's a product called CellluClay (tm) which you can find at pretty much any art-store for a reasonable price, which gets you quite a sizable amount of material. It's basically shredded newsprint mixed with dried glue-powder. You add water, and knead the material to the desired consistency, and get to work. When you're done, just set your result aside and after a few days of drying, it gets to the consistency of wood. Afterward, you can saw, dremel, trim, cut, etc. to your heart's content. It's great stuff! I have a 3d printer, but not a scanner yet. As soon as I obtain a scanner I'll try to scan my replica and sell the 3d prints on online.

 

Mahnmut (1): It's actually inspired by the Windstar Cave findings of 2007 (although that cranium was much more intact). I've found several fossil photos to act as references, so my replica is actually based on several different specimens.

 

Caldigger: Yes, indeed. ol' Leo himself is my avatar.

 

Mark Kmiecik: Thanks for the advice.  I'm afraid it was the kind of paint I used which gave it the glossy appearance. I've done some other sculpts and found some acrylic model paints which have a very nice, matte, "dusty" finish to them when dry.

 

Ynot: Thanks! ^_^

 

Mahnmut (2): H'mmm...You need to remember, first, that Leo was about a half to a third the size of a smilodon. Also, Smilodon had a build actually rather similar to the cartoon bulldog in the old Warner Bros. cartoons: Immensely burly in front, and kind of puny in back.  Leo's arms and legs were about the same size, since he was more built for stealth and ambush, rather than running his prey to ground. He'd wait in some bushes or on a low treebranch, and when a victim came by, he'd strike, dig in with those velociraptor thumb-claws of his and then go to work with his teeth.

 

I'd recommend going on Youtube and looking up a video called "Bone Diggers," which chronicles the Windstar Cave discovery (the world's first complete thylacoleo skeleton) in 2007.

In addition, there's a video called "Death of the Megabeasts" which also deals with Leo, as well as some other giant Australian critters. I don't want to name-drop, but some experts have commentaries on Leo, so maybe you could take names and contact them, I have with my own project, and they're actually rather pleased to help.

Good luck!

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10 hours ago, Douglas Ripsom said:

Pagurus: Thanks! Believe it or not, I actually used PAPER as a base sculpting material. There's a product called CellluClay (tm) which you can find at pretty much any art-store for a reasonable price, which gets you quite a sizable amount of material. It's basically shredded newsprint mixed with dried glue-powder. You add water, and knead the material to the desired consistency, and get to work. When you're done, just set your result aside and after a few days of drying, it gets to the consistency of wood. Afterward, you can saw, dremel, trim, cut, etc. to your heart's content. It's great stuff!

+1! I used it when I made these. It’s great stuff.

youre doing great work! Can’t wait to see what’s next!

9AA7A91F-0106-420A-AB33-0BDB8478D9F0.jpeg

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