Liam Elward Paleoart 🇵🇸

Functional anatomy, jaw mechanisms, and feeding behavior of Dunkleosteus terrelli (Placodermi, Arthrodira) A new musculoskeletal reconstruction and revision of the cranio-mandibular anatomy of the Devonian arthrodire placoderm Dunkleosteus terrelli from a comparative and functional anatomical perspective....

anatomypubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...

A Permian Creek bed inhabited by giant insect and temnospondyl

A scene of a centrosaurus dinosaur browsing vegetation by a mountain stream

A tuojuangosaurus dinosaur bathing in a woodland pool

A therizinosaurus dinosaur with two chicks walking through the early morning woods

Once upon a time I was a nearly prolific illustrator of ancient life forms. Here's a sampling of this 🐡🎨 paleoart from the early 20's.

Garfield Minott at microphone, holding sauropod model. Photo from Simcoe Muskoka Family Connections Black History Month event.

Carcharodontosaurus head model by Minott, as used in technical paper by Kent Stevens.

Minott Carcharodontosaurus head model from Paul Sereno lab website.

Mainstream palaeoart often seems lily-white in terms of the diversity of its contributors. But pieces of palaeoart that rank among the -MOST SEEN- works in the entire field were examples of black craftsmanship. This week came news on the passing of Garfield G. Minott (1966-2025)... cont

Here the result of the Seaham Formation #paleostream, maybe the most relaxing formation stream we will ever have! This Carboniferous tundra wasn't chosen because of it's fossils, but because of its setting.

Softening the steps to gigantism in sauropod dinosaurs through the evolution of a pedal pad Biomechanical evidence attests that sauropod dinosaurs tiptoed around on cushioned heels to support their immense weight.

Softening the steps to gigantism in sauropod dinosaurs through the evolution of a pedal pad (Jannel et al. 2022)
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...

One of the best & most useful scientific figures when it comes to sauropods is this one from Jannel et al. 2022. It's visually clear & gives a good idea of which sauropods we have decent hind foot aka pes material for.

And conversely, aardvark "claws" are approaching hoof status

Jealous!

Here's how they look "in context"

In "Ecology of the Brontosaurs" Robert Bakker describes adaptations of many ungulates, including the "elongate, banana-shaped" hooves of the swamp-dwelling sitatunga antelope. Surely, I thought, that's an exaggeration. But these are crazy!

I use it all the time for things like textures. I'd also recommend the Nature Picture Library - photos are lower res, but a variety of photographers and they're usually wild/natural environment shots

Have you ever used Joel Sartore's/National Geographic's The Photo Ark? It's great for that kind of thing

Saw this on FB just now

Henry Sharpe's recent paper on exoparia is a great example of just how relevant histology can be to making #paleoart

#2025SVP I sometimes forget how important histology is to paleontology, and how often you see histological slides in conference talks. Some sort of simplified guide to how to read these diagrams would be a useful reference for paleoartists & other less academic folks
#SVP2025

They must've been laminated or something last year because I still have my tags from the last 2 years back at home but frustrated with how unprofessional it looks to have a torn name tag. Metal lanyard clips are shredding it! #2025SVP #SVP2025

@extinctmonsters.bsky.social

This is really nicely done. The lighting makes your details sing

I FORGOT KULINDADROMEUS. I think you could put it's tail integument safely within the "weirdly armored/banded" category

Early Permian synapsid impressions illuminate the origin of epidermal scales and aggregation behavior

Those ventral brick or rectangular rows of scales are present in: Juravenator, Triceratops, pelycosaurs, a ton of snakes/lizards, & crocodilians. It seems a common way to protect the often vulnerable underside of an animal, especially parts lower to the ground

A feature I don't think I've ever seen depicted in #paleoart, although I gave this New Mexico chasmosaur a speculative ring-scaled tail. It seemed a natural transition from the ventral brick-like rows of scales based on Triceratops

One interesting thing you often see scales do is becoming "banded" or forming ring-like formations down the tail. It's present in countless lizards, and pretty clearly visible in crocodilians.

I’m just going to say it straight away - the amount of stairs and small steps, and confusing layout makes the ICC an absolute disaster in terms of accessibility. Looking forward to muscle pain at the end of the conference #2025SVP !

Darren and Liam at SVP Palaeoart Workshop.

A set of people at the SVP Palaeoart Workshop.

Bob Nicholls giving a talk at the SVP Palaeoart Workshop.

Darren's name badge.

And that's the end of that chapter. What a great success: the SVP Palaeoart Workshop.

My name tag is already trashed, that has to be some kind of record right? #2025SVP #SVP2025
😭😭😭

#2025SVP travel advice: as soon as you get to your hotel room find the ironing board and iron and iron all your shirts and suit jacket, if you plan on dressing to impress. Hang everything up in the hotel closet and it will stay wrinkle free until you need it. Then go and hang out (or nap)

digital painting: a little egret hunts against the wind, wading through tall grasses

salt marsh

A tribute to a small patch of vegetation on a local beach that has driven everyone completely insane

God damn this is amazing

Newly Designated Wyoming Dinosaur ‘Mummy Zone’ Could Hold A Perfect T. Rex New research has identified a dinosaur "mummy zone" in a series of ravines near Lusk, Wyoming. It's produced two mummies of a fleshy dinosaur with back…

cowboystatedaily.com/2025/11/02/n...

Your best scene yet! I’ll give you a pass for it not being a sauropod THIS time 😉