Oops, I suppose it’s been some time. I promised you half three of that huge Czech e-book from 1993, and right here it’s. When you want a refresher, and I think about you do, right here’s half one and half two once more. To date, we’ve seen sauropods with trunks, theropods with fish heads, extra sauropods with trunks, makes an attempt at feathering and many temper and ambiance. Additionally sauropods with trunks. Let’s see what different unusual wonders Barbora Kyšková has in retailer for us.
Right here’s a sauropodomorph, with no trunk, Anchisaurus. Anchisaurus has a four-fingered, form of human-looking hand which carries over into this reconstruction, making it a bit awkward, like an inexperienced public speaker who doesn’t know what to do with their arms. You possibly can inform this was illustrated extra rapidly than among the page-filling items, nevertheless it’s nonetheless expressive and properly colored.
Right here’s a splendidly moody portrait of two Parasaurolophus singing collectively. Other than the pretty typical reconstruction, it’s simply so expressive. These two are actually singing their hearts out. Mixed with the gloomy colors and the lifeless timber within the background, one can’t assist however really feel that they sing a lament. Possibly it’s a dirge for the top of the dinosaur age. I really like how muted however elaborate the color palette is.
Crashy bashy pachys. Kyšková in all probability took some inspiration from Caselli right here, although there isn’t one flying into the air this time. I really like the crimson head domes. The spiky backs of their heads are lovingly rendered.
These styracosaurs are in all probability Kyšková’s finest trying dinosaurs, simply good and crisp in that Greg Paul, Wayne Barlowe, Donna Braginetz means. Problematic although the comparability is, they do form of remind me of these old school, outdated photographs of Native People with vibrant, feathered headdress, giving them a noble and dignified look. The add of water splashes provides the piece some motion. And this Styracosaurus is clearly handsome sufficient to get one other look!
This one’s superior! Styracosaurus rears as much as intimidate the tyrannosaur. The markings on the styracosaur’s frill look a bit like eyes, an impressed selection for colouration. Look past the floor motion and there’s rather a lot to select aside right here. In comparison with the simple side-on views above, Kyšková is clearly on much less agency floor with a difficult pose like this. Particularly the ceratopsid’s face seems to be suspect. The physique, ft and pores and skin are very clearly mammalian. And the tyrannosaur is similar generic theropod design she used for each Epanterias and Nanotyrannus. I really like the sky. Psychedelic sundown colors provides a palaeo piece a surreal feeling, as if to emphasise how alien the dinosaur world is.
This one’s hilarious! T. rex bites Triceratops on the bum, grinning evilly because it does. Triceratops seems to be indignantly on the viewer. What hijinks! Kyšková is generally severe however her model lends itself nicely for one thing extra exaggerated like this. This Rexy seems to be like such a fats glutton, it needs to be humorous on goal. The stalking Rex within the background has a giant evil grin, as nicely.
The hadrosaurus look good and lumpy. This occurs to be Shantungosaurus, the largest non-sauropod dinosaur. I’m starting to understand how within the heyday of the Dinosaur Renaissance there have been artists like Kyšková who had been rejecting the slick sleekness of Greg Paul. This dinosaur has bumps and wrinkles and a pot stomach. A Donnasaur this isn’t, nevertheless it’s nonetheless updated with the science. Kyšková is not any Burian, however she retains a few of his gritty, earthy spirit alive in a time of dinosaur glamour.
As a goodbye to this e-book, let’s finish with the hadrosaurs underneath the Northern lights. That’s stunning.
And that’s Záhada Dinosaurů, The Thriller of the Dinosaurs! A e-book I can’t really learn all the time takes me again to my childhood, trying on the footage and imagining the tales that go along with them. The trunked sauropods and particularly the truth that there’s a whole chapter devoted to the Dinosauroid tells me that this Jaroslav Mareš will need to have been fairly an attention-grabbing character (he handed away in 2021). However even when I can’t learn it (and I nonetheless don’t assume any translations into another language can be found), the splendidly expressive, moody, and typically appropriately eccentric, illustrations of Barbora Kyšková are one thing we will all take pleasure in. Though the e-book isn’t well-known exterior of Czechia, it’s nonetheless fondly remembered in its house contry, and it’s simple to see why. Right here’s hoping we discover extra obscure gems from Europe! Do příště!
