Monday, May 12, 2014

The Illustrated Triassic Club


Oscar, Darwin, and Wallace

Several readers may recall Marc's having covered Blackgang Chine's The Triassic Club before. After our return this Easter to view the newly installed robosaurs of Restricted Area 5, I decided to finally complete this little project which I had actually begun a year ago, that of accurately illustrating the gentlemanly trio (which, for me, also meant accurate period garments, naturally). This was not only overdue but was especially necessary, since the inclement weather during the latter part of our Isle of Wight visit prevented me from drawing a dinosaur on Shanklin beach as I did last time.




All the drawings are art card size at 2.5 x 3.5 inches (so you're viewing them larger than actual size on screen). The lord and master of the trio, Darwin the Allosaurus was the first to have been drawn and completed last year. Louche, aristocratic and lasciviously suave to reflect his voice and speech. 'Come in. Oh, do come in...'


In completing the others this time round, I found myself unintentionally drawing them in greater detail and spending longer on each. Other than Darwin himself, we're never told which specific dinosaurs his companions are. Oscar the pianist is presumably an ornithomimosaur of some sort. He seems to have effectively become an extant ratite in this drawing, which is especially unavoidable when all one sees is his head and neck. I replaced the beer glass of the original model with a tankard. Whilst I've tried to keep the eyes of the others fairly avian in terms of their visible components, I deliberately drew Oscar's with a distinct iris and sclera to keep the wild-eyed, permanently alarmed expression of the original. It was too comical not to.


 I initially wondered if I could turn Wallace the butler into an Ornitholestes, given that his generic theropod appearance seemed to afford free rein, but I was reminded by Marc of the sickle claws on his feet. A dromaeosaur, then. I think he became my favourite drawing of the three. Though the new(er) audio recording of his voice is that of a squeaky, fretful, hapless underling, Marc informs me that he originally possessed an altogether loftier tone. I tried to reflect that slightly supercilious yet put-upon expression. 'The Master is expecting you. He's always expecting something. And guess who has to get it for him? Me, that's who!'


As a bonus, I thought I may as well share this, too. You are already familiar with our saurian portraits, but here are our avian ones (because I can, and because confusing people seems to be my forté). Marc (the magpie) and I enduring that aforementioned inclement weather on Easter Sunday.




16 comments:

  1. These Drawings are amazing. Makes me want to write a story about these guys. I love Oscar the most. that expression on his face is priceless.

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    1. Thank you, Nathan. Especially to an illustrator, such a comment is much appreciated!

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  2. "He seems to have effectively become an extant ratite in this drawing, which is especially unavoidable when all one sees is his head and neck."

    At 1st glance, I thought that he was an Emu (especially b/c of the head & neck feathers), but then I noticed the beak I thought "Ornithomimid". In any case, your drawings are really good (as usual). Too bad there aren't more members of the Triassic Club for you to draw.

    BTW, this reminds me of the fancy dinos of "Rob the Doodler" ( http://robthedoodler.deviantart.com ). Have you seen them b-4?

    -Hadiaz

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    1. "Too bad there aren't more members of the Triassic Club for you to draw."
      well there was a small dinosaur that stood out side to lead there way to the Club. Maybe Niroot could get creative with him. "The club is this way" I can hear it say

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    2. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2emfvBZ1F-o/T8UteCMCDlI/AAAAAAAAA4w/JsRLh3xlTEA/s1600/SAM_0574.JPG

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    3. Hadiaz: Well spotted. I did indeed use an emu as reference for Oscar. After this, nothing else seemed more absurdly apt. And yes, I do know of Rob the Doodler's work. :)

      Nathan: Now there's an idea...

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  3. Ornitholestes had retractable second toes as well; could've still worked!

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    1. See, I did actually say that, too. On the other hand, I think Wallace's are a little too well-developed. On the other other hand, it's a cartoony robot wearing a bow tie and jacket, so...you know.

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    2. Yes, I was sadly not yet up-to-date with that fact about Ornitholestes at the time.
      And you did mention it, Marc; though it was unfortunately somewhat after the fact, if you recall. :P

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  4. does anyone know the words Darwin Sings? I tried listening to it on Marcs old Triassic club post but I cant hear everything

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    1. I believe Marc knows every word of it. I'll give him a nudge...

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    2. To the tune of the Eton Boating Song:
      "Let's eat together,
      Fat, gristly or lean,
      Here's the salt and pepper,
      Now all we need is the meat!
      And we'll all feed together,
      Now who is it going to be?"

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  5. Darwin is my fave :)

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  6. totally awesome, better than the original.

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    1. Thank you so much. Marc shared this post on the Blackgang Chine Facebook page. They liked Darwin, but I get the feeling they were unsure what to make of his feathered companions. :D

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