We don’t know what dinosaurs looked like before their extinction-we only have their skeletons. This work helps us visualize paleontology research and theory.  

I compared the Succumimus bones to real life animals that are distantly related or may have had similar lifestyles. I referenced animals such as crocodiles because of their similar anatomy, or bears for their arm-based ambush attacks on fish. Using my knowledge of human and animal anatomy, I imagined what muscles and bones could’ve been over these skeletons. 

Starting with gesture sketches, I experimented and found the most interesting poses. Then from those sketches, I chose three poses and made more detailed compositions. Here I had to think about how its anatomy would allow it to move, considering weight, size, and behavior, all while referring to similar living animals.  

With those comps, I imagined how light would fall on the form of the animals: considering light direction, the texture of its scales, and how cast shadows may fall from its body. Then, I experimented with color. I based each color pattern on real animals. I considered its lifestyle, its environment, whether it’d be flashy, or try to camouflage. 

Ultimately, I chose a green palette based off of its swampy hunting grounds