Nigersaurus taqueti
To ensure accuracy, I sculpted the visage of this incredibly bizarre sauropod atop a cast of its skull restoration. This flesh reconstruction accompanied Nigersaurus on its public debut and scientific announcement in 2007. Created under the direction of paleontologist Paul Sereno at the University of Chicago Fossil Lab, unique details include a keratinous muzzle and pieces of cropped vegetation mixed with saliva within the oral cavity.
Structural Extremes in a Cretaceous Dinosaur. Paul C. Sereno, Jeffrey A. Wilson, Lawrence M. Witmer, John A. Whitlock, Abdoulaye Maga, Oumarou Ide, Timothy A. Rowe
PLoS ONE. 2007; 2(11): e1230. Published online 2007 November 21. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0001230 PMCID: PMC2077925
Paleoartist Tyler Keillor describes his process.mp4