All I Want For Christmas Is A Life-size Sarcosuchus... This post is in relation to this.

Well, I guess you're wondering, what do I expect out of a dinosaur model kit? Well, for your assistance, especially since there's still quite a bit of time till Christmas and my birthday (BIG HINT), here's a few websites for your browsing interest...

Taburin's Dinosaur Sculptures
You think sculpting your very own dinosaur model kit is easy? Well, this person makes dinosaur skeletons out of wood. No, not those cheapskate kinds where the skeleton is simply made up of a few flat pieces of wood that you slot together, this guy carves the entire skeleton out of wood and then joins the various pieces together. You get this:


Suchomimus tenerensis skeleton - with each bone handcrafted out of wood. 

You want to know the amount of time, effort and attention to detail all that involves? Well, just visit this page where he shows you how he makes his dinosaur skeletons from scratch. It's all in Japanese, but I believe the pictures tell you the whole story.

And you know what's the scary part? He's doing all this not to make a living, but as a hobby.

You think that's hardcore enough? This other Japanese guy makes his dinosaur skeletons from... golf balls!

Dinosaurs Made From Golf Balls

Somehow, he manages to use whatever's inside a golf ball as a material to shape and sculpt into a miniature skeleton! And he is so passionate about this, that he has created miniature sculptures of 8 of the most complete Tyrannosaurus rex specimens known to man!


You mean someone made this out of the stuff found inside golf balls?! 

But personally, I'm not that interested in skeletal kits. Instead, I am more fascinated with fleshed-out reproductions and reconstructions of dinosaurs and other prehistoric animals, because this is where you can let your imagination run wild, and let your creature take on whatever colouration you give it. And if the sculptor is good, and your skills at modelling competent enough, if you take a closer look you might just swear that the dinosaur blinked at you, or that you could almost hear it breathing...

Anyway, if you are interested in seeing what my expectations of a perfect dinosaur model kit are, you had better check out the following websites. WARNING: Prices are extremely prohibitive, so you'd better be filthy rich before buying any one of these babies for me (Although David Krentz's entire Antediluvia Collection would be really wonderful as a Christmas present ).

Link and Pin Hobbies
One of the best places to look for model kits and fossil replicas of dinosaurs and other prehistoric life, especially for those that are no longer in production.

CM Studio
One of the most prolific modelers and sculptors I have seen so far, although he doesn't seem to be producing any new work lately. I want all 3 life-size sculptures of Gorgosaurus libratus (labelled here as Albertosaurus), Daspletosaurus torosus and Tyrannosaurus rex, then I can have a gallery of Late Cretaceous North American tyrannosaurids in my house! Just kidding.

David Krentz Presentz
This guy is one of those Gods of paleosculpture. I want his Antediluvia Collection! Either that, or his 1/20 scale Gorgosaurus libratus.

Watson Sculptures & Models
Apart from making some really excellent scale models, Doug Watson has also been commissioned to provide life-size reconstructions of various species. His life-size sculpture of a pair of soaring Pteranodon longiceps is not to be missed! There's also a smaller 1/12 scale version for those who do not have as much space as the Canadian Museum of Nature for giant pterosaurs to stretch their wings.

Staab Studios
Gary Staab is the person who did the life-size sculpture of the long-extinct SuperCroc aka Sarcosuchus imperator for National Geographic. Oh my God THAT is a fucking big crocodilian...


Sarcosuchus imperator - A giant relative of today's crocodilians, which roamed the rivers of northern Africa some 110 million years ago during the Early Cretaceous period. Growing up to an estimated length of 12 metres, this was a beast capable of taking down most of the dinosaurs that shared its world. Luckily for these puny humans, this is only a life-size reconstruction. 


Steve Irwin, let's see you wrestle THIS croc! 

Planet Earth Sculpture
Keith Strasser is a name familiar to many dinosaur model kit aficionados, and his attention to detail and his skill in creating lifelike models and reconstructions is almost unparalleled. My personal favourites are his 1/18 scale Spinosaurus aegyptiacus, Allosaurus fragilis and Tyrannosaurus rex and life-size Dimetrodon grandis (Although technically this last one isn't a dinosaur but a pelycosaurian synapsid, a creature closely tied to the beginnings of mammals).

Michael Trcic Studio
Another of those gods of paleosculpture, he always brings out the energy and power of the animals he reconstructs. I especially like his 1/8 scale Daspletosaurus torosus and Styracosaurus albertensis bust, his 1/8 scale piece depicting a trio of Dromaeosaurus albertensis attacking a Lambeosaurus lambei, and 1/35 scale Tyrannosaurus rex and Triceratops horridus .

Menagerie Productions
Dinosaur model kits are only one of the many things Tony McVey has produced (he was Sculptor for Star Wars: Episode I: The Phantom Menace and for Star Wars: Return of the Jedi. He was also Concept Sculptor for Star Wars: Episode II: Attack of the Clones.), but the quality of his dinosaur figure kits are of a quality matched by few. These include his 1/18 Gorgosaurus libratus (once again mistakenly called Albertosaurus here; it's a long story I'll tell another time), as well as the 1/30 "Running" Tyrannosaurus rex, and Triceratops horridus. And I especially want this:





The oxidised finish on this 1/40 scale pewter Tyrannosaurus rex skull keychain will soften with use as the high points become polished over time. At 1.5 inches long and weighing 2 ounces, this carefully sculpted mini skull makes for an unusual and eye-catching item. Price is US$5.75 each, domestic UPS Ground shipping included. Chain included, as pictured.

To all my friends, who might be busy scratching their heads over what to give me for Christmas or for my birthday later this year, BIG HINT.
  ¶ 9:57 PM