How I Paint Extinct Animals

by James Gurney

Did you see the awesome paintings by artist James Gurney in this month's Ranger Rick story, “Secrets in the Bones?”

Bet you wondered how he knew what those extinct animals looked like. After all, they haven't been around for gazillions of years. And a pile of fossil bones isn't necessarily enough to give the whole picture. Below, Jim explains what he did to be as accurate as possible.

Step 1: Sketches
I began by drawing some small sketches from my imagination - based on observing and sketching modern, living animals.

Step 2: Research and Side-View Drawings
I studied photos and descriptions of the fossils. I talked to paleontologists, scientists who study extinct life. With their help, I made side-view drawings of each of the animals.

Step 3: Clay Models
I sculpted small clay models from the drawings. I used clay that hardens in the oven, and then I painted the models to make them look more realistic.

Step 4: Setting Scenes and Taking Photos
I arranged the models in tiny dioramas so that the scenes seemed as real as possible. For example, I placed the Titanoboa scene in a take-out food container filled with muddy water. The photograph that I took gave me helpful information about the light and shadow, which would be hard to figure out from pure imagination.

Step 5: Paintings
I made oil paintings from the photos. I tried to use my paints to capture the texture of each animal: from scaly snakeskin to woolly mammoth hide.

Find Out More:

On Jim's blog: www.gurneyjourney.blogspot.com/2009/09/titanoboa-part-1.html
In Jim's new book, called Imaginative Realism. It's about how to paint realistic pictures of imaginary subjects. Look for it at a bookstore or library near you, or visit his Web site, www.dinotopia.com, where you can get a signed copy.