MEGALANIA REVIEW PAGE
All images used with permission.
WHAT'S HERE:
A review of some of the resin dinosaur sculptures available from The Dinosaur Studio.
A 1/10th Scale Styracosaurus by Greg Wenzel of The Dinosaur Studio. Image and model copyright Greg Wenzel.
This Megalania page has been visited 
times since February 19, 1998.
The Dinosaur Studio offers quality resin life restorations of dinosaurs based on the most current theories of dinosaur appearance and lifestyle. Cast in cream-colored resin, each one-piece model conveys a real sense of a living animal. Sculptors Dan LoRusso and Greg Wenzel strive to portray the animals as animals rather than as slavering monsters, and it shows. Following are reviews of their 1/35th scale models. They have an extensive line of 1/10th scale models as well (the image above is one such model), but I have no experience with these.
The models come unpainted, although the Studio may be able to supply the pieces painted. For more information on this or any other aspect of The Dinosaur Studio, check into their website (see url below). The models may have a bit of excess resin on them, which is easily cleaned up with a dremel hobby tool or, with a bit more effort, with an X-acto knife. A little hobbying experience would be helpful but in my opinion is not strictly necessary.
LAMBEOSAURUS
Image and model copyright Greg Wenzel.
This is a terrific restoration of a very large hadrosaur from Late Cretaceous North America.
Greg has nicely portrayed the dinosaur in a quadrupedal stance. Neatly cast, with nice detail sculpting all around and a good sense of movement. Shown painted.
STEGOSAURUS
Image and model copyright Dan LoRusso.
Dan sculpted this Stegosaurus as a restoration of the skeletal mount
at the Denver Museum. Stegosaurus was an herbivore from the Late
Jurassic of North America. This is a very complex animal with a lot
going on and is masterfully captured. The plates are particularly
well-done and cleanly cast. Shown painted; the base is not included.
ALLOSAURUS
Image and model copyright Dan LoRusso.
Like the stegosaur, Dan's allosaur is sculpted as a restoration of
the skeletal mount at the Denver Museum. The two dinosaurs are posed
as if the allosaur were preying upon the stegosaur; needless to say,
these would together make a great diorama. I am particularly fond of
this piece. Like all
of the Studio's pieces so far, the allosaur incorporates all of the
key anatomical features indicated by the dinosaur's fossilized
remains: in this case, long forelimb claws, slender blade-like
teeth, very long
tail and unique head ornamentation, to mention only a few. A striking
model.
Note that it is portrayed stepping
forward with one leg up, and no base is provided, so it will have to
be mounted in order to stand once finished. Pictured unpainted.
GORGOSAURUS
Image and model copyright Greg Wenzel.
Gorgosaurus libratus, until recently known as Albertosaurus libratus,
was a medium-sized tyrannosaurid from Late Cretaceous North America.
This model is a smaller version of Greg's famous 1/10th scale
Gorgosaurus. Greg has given us -- bless him! -- a tyrannosaurid with
a closed mouth. Most animals generally keep their mouths closed,
but you would never know this about tyrannosaurids based on most of the available models
of them! Gorgosaurus's much larger relative, Tyrannosaurus rex, is
invariably depicted with its mouth wide open. I feel that a closed
mouth is more exciting, suggesting a hunt that's still on. (Let's
face it, folks: by the time a tyrannosaur had its mouth open to
bite, the hunt was probably just about over.) But this animal in
depicted still in pursuit of its prey. A real gem. Pictured unpainted.
The Studio also has released a Triceratops horridus, which looks superb. I will review it when I pick one up. Greg and Dan also have plans to release a Tyrannosaurus rex (yes, with closed mouth!) and a Pachycephalosaurus. There's been some talk of possible follow-ups in 1/35th, including a Camarasaurus, a Pachyrhinosaurus and a stalking pair of Utahraptors. Dinosaur model collectors eagerly await each new release!
Page-relevant Links
The Dinosaur Studio website. Check out the images of their 1/10th scale line (including many ceratopsians) and the well-known Battat/Boston Museum of Science 1/40th scale line (rubber toys sculpted to a high standard by the Studio).
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