This is a prep and reconstruction project on a Pelycosaur (most likely Dimetrodon) I recovered from a private ranch in Oklahoma. The femur was broken, with a missing section from the middle.
The originals were cleaned and then solidified with a consolidant, then a copy was made with a silicone mold. The two parts have been joined with PaleoSculp epoxy putty, and missing section recreated based on scientific description papers and drawings.
The last step was painting to replicate the colors and hues of the original without actually trying to make a perfect copy.
In this first image, the original fossil is on the left and my recreation is on the right.
This is the fossil as it was found. Exposed on the surface in a cow path.
The silicone mold is able to duplicate the details amazingly well, even though they don’t show well in the all-white resin.
Even though I matched the position based on scaled-up images of paleoart by Robert Reizs, I still feel the curvature is slightly exaggerated, and the amount of missing material in the middle of overdone. I will likely be making a second version.
I am overall very happy with the texturing and feel it blends excellent to the original.
