The Tale of Clever Girl’s arrival to the Park was covered in post May 22, 2020 “Clever Girl”. Brison & Xavier arrived in August 2018. Like most (if not All) of my Prehistoric Pals they Hatched in Mexico. I’m fortunate to have a couple of pictures of Brison & Xavier with a Big Friend before they left their Nest in Mexico. Then when they first arrived at Somis Koi in green and brass primary colors again with their Big Friend. I adopted them on the spot with the larger of the two unpainted T-Rexes you know as Maximilian or “Max” by his close friends.
Unfortunately, those brilliant colors didn’t hold up outdoors even after Somis Koi added a lacquer coating for extra protection. Therefore, I needed to first strip the old paint and start from scratch. My first two attempts with environmentally friendly paint removers were a waste of time. I prefer an environmentally friendly product, but it must work! Jasco came to the rescue. The paint started to loosen almost immediately. And as promised cleaned up quickly with a little Mineral Spirits on a cloth rag. Now Brison & Xavier look as fresh as when they hatched in Mexico.
Please make sure you Read All the Cautions and Instructions before using this type of Product. Wear Protective Clothing, Glasses, Gloves etc.… In addition, pay particular attention to the proper disposal of empty containers and clean-up materials. The paints I use hold up well and when they need a refresh or change a light sanding has all that’s been needed in my experiences. Two of the Triceratops were painted in 2016 and will receive a refresh with some color changes as well this year.
Before going further, I needed to make sure all residue from these products were removed from Brison & Xavier. I gave them both a bubble bath. Did You know Raptors Really like Bubble Baths? After they were completely dry, the Clever Girl joined them for the rest of the process.
Step 1: Wire Brush. I used different size Brushes, Blue Nitrile Gloves, Leather Gloves and Mask. Dusting Brush & Blower are a great help to clean-up your Dinosaur and the area before the Acid Wash.
Step 2: Acid Wash set over night. Supplies: Acid Wash, Brushes & Protective Gloves. Hat & Eye Wear not shown.
Step 3: Rinse & let dry completely. I use a bucket of water, a brush and a towel for the final wipe down. It saves water! The plants get what’s let over.
Step 4: Rust Reformer starting with your Dinosaur on its side helps You reach the underneath and inside the legs. I spray all reachable areas while on its side to save time when you return upright to complete. The different angle helps with providing a better and additional coating, as well. You may like the flat black finish and wish to clear coat after this step. This can be a very scary look! Clear Coat is available in matte, stain and gloss finishes.
Stay Tuned for Primer and Color Splashes on these Raptors!
We had a couple Visitors at the Park this Week! Manuel & his son Sebastian had a “social distance” Tour. Sebastian demonstrated his knowledge of Dinosaurs. Both Dad & Son learned about Augustynolophus – Angie at the Park – California’s Official State Dinosaur! They posed with their favorite a T-Rex named David. I know we have been doing without haircuts these days, but David may take more off the top than Manuel has in mind! Be Careful Out There.
Check Out these options for eLearning & eTravel:
The Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County www.nhm.org under Research & Collections / Digitized Collections will allow you to browse their Collections. Check out the latest Activities on their site!
The American Natural History Museum www.amnh.org You will find eLearning for Families, Students & Educators. Explore the Museum Virtually. Check Out SciCafe: Video Talks and Meet the Icons: Stories behind the Exhibits! Of Course, I’m checking out Tyrannosaurus Rex. There are Video Series covering Behind the Scenes at the Museum with Space & Dinosaur Explainers.
Chicago’s Field Museum www.fieldmuseum.org You can talk to “Maximo the Titanosaur” online, Yes Really! Visit Sue the largest T-Rex discovered! Check Out “Brain Scoop” with host Emily Graslie and the Learning Resources – many are also in Spanish.
Consider Memberships with these Museum. In addition to Supporting Their Valuable Work there are Benefits to You.
www.Readingtokids.org has a number of eBooks and YouTube videos with Authors Reading their Books. Craft ideas are demonstrated online as well!
www.scholastic.com is another free resource during School Closures. Learning Journeys provided for Grades PreK – 9th.
Make use of all the Resources for eLearning, eBooks, even online Music & Movies at Your Library!
The Great Courses www.thegreatcourses.com has many DVD and Downloadable Courses for “How to Draw”, “Everyday Urban Sketching”, “Sketching People, Places and Landscapes” that can help you as they have me with drawing and using watercolors. Just remember practice, practice & practice to reach your goal. Check Out Your Library to see if they have these courses available for You online.
Viking.tv www.viking.tv has some Wonderful Art, Music & History Lessons plus eTraveling. The Great Courses can also let you open a travel portal from your living room to faraway places! I especially enjoyed “The Great Tours: Greece and Turkey, from Athens to Istanbul. Not only do You receive a Great History Lesson, You learn about what to bring and Off the Trail Spots Your Tour Guide might not show You!
My First Book “Is a Metal Dinosaur the Right Pet for You?” is Available as an eBook on Kindle through Amazon.com!
Included are two photos of Prehistoric Pals converted to black & white line drawings for You to express Your Color Imagination! Search online for print options on Your device. Print Screen, Cropping & Printing are available on many smart phones. Your smart phone may even allow You to email Your Print Screen to Yourself allowing even more options before printing. Kindle has an app for smart phones!
I would love to see Your Color Visions for Dominic & Raphael! Use crayons, pencils, pens, or watercolors! Attach feathers, glitter whatever brings them to life for You. Send a picture of Your Colorized Imaginations to: paul@paulsprehistoricpark.com It could be in a future post!
I will keep You posted with information on my Next eBook “The Shy Triceratops”. I hope to have Paperback versions available later this year.
Stay Safe & Well.
“Encouraging the Appreciation of Art and Education through the Inspiration of Dinosaurs”
Paul & Prehistoric Pals
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