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How is art of extinct animals such as dinosaurs, flying reptiles and ancient mammals created? How much of these depictions - known as 'palaeoart' - is based in science, and how much is whimsy and speculation?
How is art of extinct animals such as dinosaurs, flying reptiles and ancient mammals created?
Dr Mark Witton
(Palaeoartist)
In this talk, part of the Pint of Science celebration taking place in Portsmouth in early May, University of Portsmouth palaeoartist and palaeontologist Dr. Mark Witton discusses how science can rebuild the life appearance of long extinct animals from fossil remains, from understanding their basic proportions and musculature up to their hair, feathers and even colour.
The talk takes place in the Basement Bar of the Portsmouth Guildhall, alongside the palaeoart exhibition A Natural History of Deep Time. This artwork celebrates millions of years of evolution with a gallery of scientifically-informed artistic recreations of extinct organisms and their world. The artwork shows the development of life from 540 million years ago to the modern day, focusing on some of the most significant, spectacular and unusual species known from the fossil record. Visitors will see the bizarre communities of the Cambrian, the first land animals, a myriad of dinosaurs and other fossil reptiles, and the species that shaped the modern world.
NB. There is no age restriction for the lecture or exhibition, but the lecture content is "semi-technical" and might not be of interest to younger children.
The talk takes place in the Basement Bar of the Portsmouth Guildhall, alongside the palaeoart exhibition A Natural History of Deep Time. This artwork celebrates millions of years of evolution with a gallery of scientifically-informed artistic recreations of extinct organisms and their world. The artwork shows the development of life from 540 million years ago to the modern day, focusing on some of the most significant, spectacular and unusual species known from the fossil record. Visitors will see the bizarre communities of the Cambrian, the first land animals, a myriad of dinosaurs and other fossil reptiles, and the species that shaped the modern world.
NB. There is no age restriction for the lecture or exhibition, but the lecture content is "semi-technical" and might not be of interest to younger children.
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