Author: Tony Hitchcock
A brief image-based overview of the process and issues involved with creating an 8.4 metre life reconstruction of the Pliosaurus specimen excavated by Simon Carpenter in Westbury, for Bristol Museum. The brief necessitated creating a model that was robust enough to cope with over 75,000 hands-on visitors during the 8 month ground level portion of the exhibit, but also light enough to be supported from overhead trusses to give the illusion that she was swimming. The poster will present artistic, scientific and practical considerations needed in order to bring the project to fruition. Further discussion will include some of the compromises that were necessitated along the way.
First, I made a scale maquette, in consultation with Judith Sassoon. This was then scanned to create a 3D file, from which the full-sized version was CNC milled in Hampshire. This model then needed to be hollowed out to fit an internal support truss which would anchor to the ceiling, as well as providing a frame for the speaker system and computer-controlled animatronics that were installed for the interactive part of the exhibit.
The polystyrene form was then skinned with polyurea and painted in situ at the Museum. The final colour scheme was a composite of elements of various extant animals; our main objective was to create something believable, but also distinctive enough to be recognisable as Bristol’s Pliosaur, named Doris by public vote.