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Brachiosaurs at Dusk

Paleoartists like Stevie Moore are not only enabling us to see dinosaurs anatomically correctly; they are also giving us magnificent visions of these animals living within the full beauty of nature.

This article was published in Scientific American’s former blog network and reflects the views of the author, not necessarily those of Scientific American


Paleoartists like muralist-illustrator Stevie Moore are not only enabling us to see dinosaurs anatomically correctly; they are also giving us magnificent visions of these animals living within the full beauty of nature.

I don't know if I will ever tire of seeing dinosaurs and other extinct animals in the full variety of lighting that the sky has to offer. Often, dinosaurs are shown in full sun, perhaps in a sky with heroically white clouds. Here, Moore captures the light of a late evening in the summer. 

For me, the bold orange sky and brilliant water evoke the beginning of campfire conversations, the relief from oppressive daytime heat and the descent of mosquitoes. The brachiosaurs, marching in tandem out of a cool swim or perhaps just getting their feet wet are not only placed in Moore's composition, we can feel them living in it. 

Moore is working on a personal project to bring the Morrison Formation to illustrated life, because of his love for the Rockies, the west and sauropods.


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