Dinosaur Parade from “Dinotopia: Land Apart
from Time.” Image courtesy of the artist.
science fiction people aren’t too far removed
from that kind of thinking.
After the maquette is cured, I paint it in acrylic
and often glue feathers or other textures onto
it. For a mosasaur leaping into the air, for examRR: I’m stunned by the detail and care you put into
ple, I glued some strips of flexible packing foam
your maquettes. How would you explain to someone
to simulate water foam. I photograph the mawho knew noting about your work why you create
quette in outdoor light using a single lens reflex
them?
camera on a tripod. This process allows me to
experiment with a variety of lighting ideas and
JG: Inventing shapes and forms without using a choose between front-lighting or back-lighting.
maquette is not too hard, but where a maquette
really makes a contribution is in allowing me to RR: I’m a great fan of fantasy illustrators, including
try out different lighting ideas. Good lighting
Wayne Douglas Barlowe, who can depict alternative
is the key to believability. It’s rare for someworlds in great detail. Can you tell me the challenges
one imagining poses to think of foreshortened
involved in this task, and how it differs from paintforms, strange overlaps, and unexpected cast
ing, say, a still life?
shadows.
JG: Wayne Barlowe is a big inspiration, as well
RR: How do you make your maquettes? What are
as his parents, who did illustrations for the
the materials? How long does the process take?
Golden Guides of natural history. Any kind
of imaginative realism: paleoart, concept art,
JG: For dinosaurs and other prehistoric fauna, I wildlife art, or historical painting is totally difmake a small maquette, using Sculpey, an oven- ferent from a still life because you start with a
hardening clay. I shape it over an aluminum wire hazy mental image and you have to provide the
armature, matching to a scale pencil drawing.
convincing details in stages.
20
SciArt in America June 2015