During a mission to protect a convoy traveling through the Rainy Basin, Will Denison and his skybax Cirrus discover ancient ruins.
The ruins contain evidence of the ancient civilization of Poseidos and the weird deities they seemed to worship.Sunday, July 3, 2022
Saturday, July 2, 2022
How I Label My Sketchbooks
I have a bunch of sketchbooks types and sizes, but these are the 5 x 8 inch watercolor books.
I write the title of the sketchbook and the date range on the spine of the book and I number them to keep them in order.


I also paint a fancy title on the front cover of the book using sign-painter enamel. The title is whatever phrase you find on the first page of the book.
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This photo appears in the next issue (#146 Aug/Sept) of International Artist Magazine. The article is called "The Artist as Archivist," and it includes top tips on taking care of your original artwork for future generations, conserving it, organizing it, and connecting each painting with key information to help future family members, customers, or curators understand what you've created.
Friday, July 1, 2022
The Stamp Art Was Almost Lost in the Mail
Funny story about these stamps: the original art was almost LOST IN THE MAIL.
To kick off the assignment I did my research in Australia, but I painted it in oil back at my studio in New York. After months of work it was time to send in the original art to Australia to be scanned and placed in their archive. I asked Australia Post how they wanted me to send the painting to them.
Should I use Fedex, DHL, UPS, or (ahem) the U.S. Postal Service / Australia Post?
They thought about it, and decided to have me send it by the national postal service. It might be bad publicity if they used a private carrier.
Besides, what could go wrong?
I shot the art first with my digital camera and then wrapped it carefully and brought it to my local post office. They sent it with all the tracking numbers and insurance.
For all we knew it sailed along well for a few days, but then got stuck somewhere. Tracking went dark after it left the USA. Deadlines were looming.
They sent a postal inspector to investigate. He asked officials in the postal network but they had no answers. Was it damaged? Stolen? Forgotten in a warehouse? No one knew.
We had to assume it was lost in the mail. The presses were waiting. I sent my digital files, but they were inadequate for the high resolution printing standards they required.
Finally the inspector discovered the art was stuck in customs, which Australia Post didn't control. They cut through the red tape, recovered the painting, and averted the disaster.
Thursday, June 30, 2022
Checking Messages
Henry William Banks Davis, R.A. (1833-1914), A Spring Morning, oil, 30 x 60 inches
Is that shepherd checking his phone?
Wednesday, June 29, 2022
The Day the Desert Lab Caught Fire
Something must have blown up in his desert lab out on Route 23. The fire burned for days with strange colors. Sketch for a sci-fi paperback cover, oil.
Tuesday, June 28, 2022
Monday, June 27, 2022
Baby Sketch and 35 Years Later
Here's a video of him now. He's an Irish accordion player as well as a coder. He helped do the computer work for a new digital exhibition that will launch on June 29 called "From the Bridge: A View of Irish Traditional Music in New York."
ITMA is committed to preserving, digitizing, and presenting valuable recordings of Irish music.
Sunday, June 26, 2022
Skimmers in Poseidos
Skimmers are floating vehicles based on the design of trilobites and other Cambrian and Permian arthropods.

I originally produced this small painting as a concept for a virtual-reality ride simulator. Note the riders seen through the windscreen of the main vehicle.

I included the artwork in the book First Flight, which is set in Poseidos, the high tech capital of ancient Dinotopia. In this spun-off sub-universe, people and dinosaurs challenge a dystopian society of drones, surveillance, and AI-powered robots, all of which have become increasingly relevant in the 23 years since the book came out.
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(Link for signed copies)

I originally produced this small painting as a concept for a virtual-reality ride simulator. Note the riders seen through the windscreen of the main vehicle.

I included the artwork in the book First Flight, which is set in Poseidos, the high tech capital of ancient Dinotopia. In this spun-off sub-universe, people and dinosaurs challenge a dystopian society of drones, surveillance, and AI-powered robots, all of which have become increasingly relevant in the 23 years since the book came out.
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(Link for signed copies)
Labels:
Dinotopia
Saturday, June 25, 2022
Dinotopia and Smithsonian
Dinotopia and Smithonian have a long history together. Here's some trivia:
• A paleontologist from the National Museum of Natural History, Dr. Michael Brett-Surman, was an early scientific consultant on the project. He and other Smithsonian colleagues dressed up in Dinotopian costumes and came on stage to answer questions after a lecture I gave in Washington. They knew the answer to every question the kids had.

• In September 1995, Dinotopia was featured on the cover of the Smithsonian magazine, together with a behind-the-scenes article. (There are signed copies in my online store.)

• In 2002, the National Museum of Natural History hosted an exhibition of original art from the books.

• A paleontologist from the National Museum of Natural History, Dr. Michael Brett-Surman, was an early scientific consultant on the project. He and other Smithsonian colleagues dressed up in Dinotopian costumes and came on stage to answer questions after a lecture I gave in Washington. They knew the answer to every question the kids had.

• In September 1995, Dinotopia was featured on the cover of the Smithsonian magazine, together with a behind-the-scenes article. (There are signed copies in my online store.)
• In 2002, the National Museum of Natural History hosted an exhibition of original art from the books.
• The exhibition also included Arthur Denison's original journal of the lost world, complete with chain, lock, and writing in the footprint alphabet, stamped into what appeared to be its saurian leather cover.
Friday, June 24, 2022
How They Made Prehistoric Planet
This behind-the-scenes mini documentary (link to YouTube) shows how they made the nature documentary called Prehistoric Planet, which recreates the structure and movement of dinosaurs in strikingly believable ways.
To match the photo-real look of a David Attenborough narrated nature documentary, they consulted with scientists, extrapolated from modern birds and other animals, and used the latest digital tools.
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