In early July of 2021, I was given the opportunity to travel to Show 1 of Jurassic Quest to train the general repairs crew on proper patching and painting techniques. I had an amazing time meeting my coworkers and watching their skills and passion develop.

We were given the task of repairing a Titanoceratops which had multiple rounds of subpar repairs, causing extensive damage not only to the paint, but also to the foam of the body. Despite all of these challenges, in addition to rain, flooding, tornados, and everchanging lighting conditions, we were able to achieve a beautiful finished look.

Over a dozen 8"-20" incisions had been made on the body over the years for internal repairs on the frame, motors, and electrical components. However, they were not properly sealed and were coming apart. The second, and larger, problem we faced, was the surface of the dino was not properly cleaned prior to the last two paint jobs. Meaning the paint did not properly adhere and was all peeling off (note the brown, gray, and orange layers).

The curriculum was set up in such a way that I was able to mix colors and and apply techniques to one side and the crew mimicked the processes on the the other side using my work and the photo as references.

To tackle these issues, we enlisted the help of 4-5 employees over two days to peel off as much of the degrading paint as possible. We completed this painstaking process using acetone to break down the bonds between the layers, scrub brushes, scraping tools, and fingers. 

Once we reached the base layer, the seams were cut back open, cleaned, the foam was properly bonded with Super 77, which melts the open cell foam and creates a strong adhesion, eliminating the probability of further damage. The cuts were then cleaned with acetone to remove any dirt and oil, sewn with nylon thread, and coated with silicone and 2" nylon strips to further strengthen and smooth out the damaged areas. 100% silicone and white gas were also applied to the edges of the layers in an attempt to bond them and reduce the risk of further peeling. The tips of the horns and tip of the tail were also resculpted as a result of damages.

Standard technique will advise painting dark to light. However, when airbrushing, I always start with my lightest colors and build up more saturated and darker colors on top. I feel it creates a better blend and eliminates overspray which can cloud up shadows and reduce contrast. 

We used a Wagner FLEXiO 3000 for a quick and even application of the white base. This airless sprayer has a very fine atomization with fluid pressures ranging from 1200-3600 PSI, which causes excessive overspray and is not optimal for detail work. In contrast, the Fuji Semi Pro 2 HVLP system, used on later stages of application, uses a powerful 1400-watt 2-stage bypass motor in a metal turbine to generate a consistent 5 PSI, resulting in minimized over-spray, wasted paint, and air pollution. 

For a white base, I would have preferred using Titanium White, as it has more pigmentation and creates a more opaque application. However, the only paint available at the time was a Soft Mixing White which resulted in an uneven layer. However, in instances such as these where I am looking for a natural, softened look, it worked in our favor.

Next were the base colors, Naples Yellow and NY + Phthalo Blue, avoiding highlighted areas that remained white. In hindsight, I would have liked these colors to be a bit more saturated, they looked amazing under a tent on a dreary, overcast and rainy day. But when the sun came out and we removed the tarp later, they looked quite washed out. 

This is the part where my bosses used to get nervous! "A green and yellow dinosaur with purple stripes... Ok, I'm trusting you!" Haha! 

Fear not! Shadows are cool tones and are never the black or gray you imagine them to be. Shadows are impacted by the color of the surface you see them on, by the light on the surface, and by items surrounding the object! The reference photo has clear shades of lavender as the the graphic detail, we opted to stick with the darker shade of aubergine found in the tail of the reference photo to create a more dramatic look and to simplify the process of blending. This color was created mixing Phthalo Blue and Clizarin Crimson which also made for a great mid tone shading color, creating shadow and tying the color from the stripes into the rest of  the body.

We worked on developing directional flow of the lines and variation, techniques for marking out desired placement, and options for correction.

This simple, sheer mix of Raw Umber, is what brings this creature to life. It makes all of the skin folds pop and blends the greens, yellows, and purples together into a realistic character. Using a blend with lower pigmentation allowed us to build color where we wanted it and create shadow without overwhelming the lighter colors below. I suggested working with the curves of the body at an upward angle to mimic directional light and shadow casting on the body.

The Show 1 crew and I had so much fun fixing and bringing this dino back to life. It was a 4 day process in all and we were down to the wire. I really enjoyed the teaching process and admire how easily they were able to pick up the concepts. I hope my time there will have a positive effect and impact the success of the show and the satisfaction of the customers in the future!