Schleich Psittacosaurus Gets a Makeover
At Everything Dinosaur, we are always keen to receive pictures from our customers of their model collections. Many of the models and figures are displayed in dioramas and prehistoric scenes and it always amazes us when we see these fantastic creations. We have concluded that there are a lot of very talented people who collect prehistoric animals. Take for example, Elizabeth, an enthusiastic collector who commissioned Martin Garratt of UMF Models to customise her recently purchased Schleich Psittacosaurus figure.
The New for 2018 Schleich Psittacosaurus Dinosaur Model
Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur
Schleich Psittacosaurus
The new for 2018 Schleich Psittacosaurus has a lot going for it. The pose is quite dynamic and, in addition, the model has plenty of carefully crafted skin texture. Schleich deserve considerable credit for creating a figure that reflects the latest scientific thinking when it comes to this early member of the Cerapoda. Martin Garratt was able to repaint this little dinosaur and he has produced a beautiful diorama influenced by the recently published research into Psittacosaurus that indicated that this forest dweller probably had countershading to help to keep it safe.
The Customised Schleich Psittacosaurus Model
Picture credit: Marilyn (UMF Models) by permission of dinosaur model collector Elizabeth
Psittacosaurus and Countershading
Everything Dinosaur team members have been lucky enough to have viewed up close the remarkable fossil specimen that formed the basis of the research into the colouration of Psittacosaurus.
The study was published in 2016 in the academic journal “Current Biology”. The authors of the paper, including researchers from the University of Bristol, concluded that this plant-eating dinosaur was light underneath but darker on its back. This pattern is known as countershading and is a seen in a number of animals today. To help illustrate the team’s conclusions, talented palaeoartist and model maker Bob Nicholls was asked to create a life-sized model of the creature so that the effectiveness of the camouflage could be tested.
Psittacosaurus Demonstrates Countershading
Picture credit: Jakob Vinther
To read our article on the research: Calculating the Colour of Psittacosaurus.
Dioramas and Dinosaur Research Coming Together
It is great to be able to view a customised dinosaur model that has been influenced by actual scientific research. Ironically, thanks to copious fossil specimens from Asia, the Psittacosaurus genus is perhaps, the most studied of all the dinosaur genera. Martin’s composition certainly mirrors the very latest thinking with regards to this two-metre-long dinosaur.
The Psittacosaurus Model with Carefully Selected Foliage to Mimic an Early Cretaceous Forest Environment
Picture credit: Marilyn (UMF Models) by permission of dinosaur model collector Elizabeth
The Skilfully Painted Replica Reflects Scientific Research into Countershading in the Dinosauria
Picture credit: Marilyn (UMF Models) by permission of dinosaur model collector Elizabeth
Thanking an Everything Dinosaur Customer for their Schleich Psittacosaurus Pictures
Our thanks to Elizabeth for giving us permission to post up Martin Garratt’s work and for allowing us to publish Marilyn’s photographs. Elizabeth tells us that she has more pictures of this excellent and beautifully composed diorama and we look forward to being able to put these on-line too in the very near future.
The Countershading Concept Demonstrated in a Dinosaur Diorama
Picture credit: Marilyn (UMF Models) by permission of dinosaur model collector Elizabeth
To view the new for 2018 Schleich models as well as the rest of the Schleich range available from Everything Dinosaur: Schleich Prehistoric Animal Models.
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