Gary & Cindy Drying after rinsing the acid wash.
In 1852 a number of Dinosaur sculptures were commissioned for the Crystal Palace. Benjamin Waterhouse Hawkins created these sculptures under the direction of Sir Richard Owen a 19th Century British Scientist. These were the first life size Dinosaur sculptures in the World. Sir Richard Owen invented the word “Dinosaur” to describe previously unknown extinct reptiles. On New Year’s Eve of 1853, Sir Owen hosted a dinner party inside one of the Iguanodon molds.
The concrete Dinosaurs were unveiled in 1854. A total of 15 extinct animals not all Dinosaurs were placed in a lake setting. Smaller versions were sold for educational purposes with a price of 30 pounds that would be equivalent to 1,830 pounds today. The original sculptures cost 13,729 pounds or 837,469 pounds today. Some of the legs were connected with iron rods and lead, which resulted in breaking off over time. In 2002 they were restored. Although many are incorrect representations based on today’s knowledge they are still an incredible sight.
More information can be found on Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crystal_Palace_Dinosaurs
A video of Dinosaur Court and the Restoration process are in the links below:
The YouTube video is great it contains an interview with Dr. Luis M. Chiappe, Senior Vice President, Research & Collections Director of The Dinosaur Institute at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles. This interview took place while the Dinosaur Hall was undergoing a major renovation that was completed a few years ago.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z7FXf77pqis
http://cpdinosaurs.org/back-to-life-crystal-palace-dinosaurs-original-film/
After the Brontosaurs Gary & Cindy had completely dried it was time to apply a few coats of Rust-oleum’s “Rust Reformer”. This converts any remaining rust to a primer and adds a base coat of protection. Again, I start with the dinosaurs on their sides to provide coverage inside the legs and to reach to underneath areas more thoroughly.
The next day I applied several coats of primer. I usually use the Rusty Brown. I had a can of white which was enough for the smaller one. It provided the opportunity for comparison. The white might be a better choice depending on the colors you plan on using over it.
Pixar’s 2015 “Good Dinosaur” inspired me to use a bright green for Gary & Cindy. I tried a brighter yellow at first for the underside of the Brontosaurus but found Rust-oleum’s lighter “Warm Yellow” looked better with the “Spring Green” to me. I used cardboard to reduce overspray. Later placing them on their sides using an artist brush to apply paint I sprayed into the caps of the cans to blend any remaining overspray. I used towels to avoid scratching the freshly painted sides.
For the Eyes I tried Sand, Light Turquoise but felt the Maui Blue looked the best with the Spring Green.
Next week: Additional color accents will be added before the final clear coating. A famous Metal Brontosaurus used by an Oil Company as their logo will be discussed. Can you guess which Oil Company?
“Encouraging the Appreciation of Art and Education through the Inspiration of Dinosaurs”
Paul & Prehistoric Pals
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