Jim, when I see any of your wonderful Dinotopia paintings, I'm instantly transported back to my childhood. I believe "Dinotopia: A Land Apart from Time" was published in 1992, almost 30 years ago. If you began your Dinotopia project today, how would approach/develop it differently? I ask that regarding art technique but also general concept. Thanks!
Jim, It's a fair question, but a hard one to answer, because the first pieces of art grew organically out of what I was doing at the time, the book concept grew naturally out of the art. I didn't cook it all up in advance. I'm different now than I was then, and the world is different. Dinotopia was like a flower that popped up out of the desert because of just the right conditions. The first Dinotopia book and the fourth one are separated by 15 years, and you can probably see some change or evolution in the concept and execution, and such change in an artist's work is inevitable.
Thanks for your response. I see what you mean. I guess I'm also wondering, when you see artwork you produced decades ago, does it generally sit well with you? Or do you get the urge to change things? Of course, after following Gurney Journey for years, I assume you are inclined to let the past be past and prefer to look forward and think about new projects forming on the horizon.
There are things I would have done differently in any painting (such as feathers on the theropods), but I don't have any inclination to go back and change paintings. That just creates an endless loop of second guessing yourself. Painters, composers, and movie directors have tried "fixing" their earlier work, usually with unhappy results.
I gaze at this print daily which never fails to bring me joy. The sauropod's neck and head appear three-dimensional. Coming through the frame toward me, which in turn draws me right into the picture. How do you achieve such an effect? It looks as if I could just step right onto the balcony, walk past your children and get my harp repaired in that shop. Dinotopians love to play musical instruments, and "sing every day."
Jim, when I see any of your wonderful Dinotopia paintings, I'm instantly transported back to my childhood. I believe "Dinotopia: A Land Apart from Time" was published in 1992, almost 30 years ago. If you began your Dinotopia project today, how would approach/develop it differently? I ask that regarding art technique but also general concept. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteJim, It's a fair question, but a hard one to answer, because the first pieces of art grew organically out of what I was doing at the time, the book concept grew naturally out of the art. I didn't cook it all up in advance. I'm different now than I was then, and the world is different. Dinotopia was like a flower that popped up out of the desert because of just the right conditions. The first Dinotopia book and the fourth one are separated by 15 years, and you can probably see some change or evolution in the concept and execution, and such change in an artist's work is inevitable.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your response. I see what you mean. I guess I'm also wondering, when you see artwork you produced decades ago, does it generally sit well with you? Or do you get the urge to change things? Of course, after following Gurney Journey for years, I assume you are inclined to let the past be past and prefer to look forward and think about new projects forming on the horizon.
ReplyDeleteThere are things I would have done differently in any painting (such as feathers on the theropods), but I don't have any inclination to go back and change paintings. That just creates an endless loop of second guessing yourself. Painters, composers, and movie directors have tried "fixing" their earlier work, usually with unhappy results.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree. Onward and upward! Cheers.
ReplyDeleteI gaze at this print daily which never fails to bring me joy. The sauropod's neck and head appear three-dimensional. Coming through the frame toward me, which in turn draws me right into the picture. How do you achieve such an effect? It looks as if I could just step right onto the balcony, walk past your children and get my harp repaired in that shop. Dinotopians love to play musical instruments, and "sing every day."
ReplyDeleteHey James,
ReplyDeleteI'm currently creating a Pokemon-style game featuring Dinosaurs for my degree coursework.
I'm wondering how you created the vast world of Dinotopia as I'm currently trying to figure out a better name for the games rangers poachers.
Do you have any suggestions on what I should name the factions instead?
Cheers
Rowan