ARTWORK BY WILL HOOKER
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Paleoart

Established September 2005

Is paleontology “going the way of the dinosaur?” 

Like many young kids, I was fascinated by dinosaurs. I would spend hours setting up my toy dinosaurs, creating museums using blocks to mimic the halls of my favorite museum, the American Museum of Natural History (AMNH); I would categorize by species, lock the sperm whale and giant squid in battle, and, of course, hang the giant blue whale from above. I was in awe my first visit there, when I was no more than two years old. I became a frequent visitor to the AMNH, I still love exploring the fossil halls of the fourth floor, the great stature and imposing presence of its eternally preserved creatures sending my imagination on journeys through time. I can spend hours gazing at the remains of mighty and mystical creatures that have been gone for millions of years. 

​As Soren Kierkegaard once said, “life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards.” Paleontology is more relevant and important today than it ever has been; in today’s world, we need to learn from the past so as not to make the same mistakes of earlier generations. I believe its global impact on areas from climate and the environment to engineering, sustainable energy, and genetics to medicine will be far reaching. And that’s what's fascinating about it; paleontology instills imagination in a child and fosters a lifetime of love for science. Paleontology teaches people to draw from the mistakes of the past to create a better future.
Paleoart Portfolio. ​September 2005 - November 2020

About Paleoart:

Paleoart is the accurate depiction of prehistoric fauna according to current scientific evidence. Since science is always changing, so too does paleoart. This means that older work becomes more inaccurate as newer discoveries are made.

The constant need for revision makes paleoart an exciting field. It demands continual practice of the arts, which helps me to develop not only my skills as a paleoartist, but it also improves my general art talents, such as drawing (pencil, pen & ink, charcoal) and painting (oil, acrylic).

Similar to the study of paleoart, this page is set up chronologically, with my most recent work on top, and my oldest drawings on the bottom. This was done intentionally to show my life-long progress.

[Note: Some may notice that I have Jurassic Park/fantastical (dragons, monsters, etc.) depictions on this page. I understand that these works do not demonstrate true "paleoart" per se, but I decided to keep them here because they help to show my evolution more as an artist in general.]

How to Paleoart:

​What is paleoart? Where do you start? A brief introduction to the study, a little bit about myself, tip and tricks, and more! Plus, learn how to draw a T. Rex!
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Dinosauria, ​Pencil Study
February 4 - March 18, 2018​

This series was a practice of dinosaur anatomy. I studied the works of several paleoartists including Todd Marshall (Rugops Primus), Raul Martin (Supersaurus Sketch), Raul Ramos (Pachycephalosaurus; Diabloceratops) and others to develop an understanding of morphology.

This study was essential to my own development as a paleoartist. It helped me develop an artistic style and voice. Since I now have a greater understanding of dinosaur anatomy, I am now better at making my own unique compositions (with the help of reference). I am becoming less dependent on references, and am able to use my own imagination/scientific speculation to build my own environments.

Some of my favorite examples of completed paleoart that abide to proper appropriation rules that I have done include: ​
  • River Ecosystem of North Africa, Late Cretaceous Period
  • ​​The Tethys Ocean
  • ​AMNH 5027

Allosaurus Fragilis
​Time Lapse:

Allosaurus fragilis. Pencils. July 8, 2015 
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February 2021

ANS Ceratopsians

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ANS Ceratopsians. Procreate for iPad. February 24, 2021

Ordovician Nautiloids

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Ordovician Nautiloids. Procreate for iPad. Febrauary 23, 2021
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Chambered Nautilus. Procreate for iPad. Febrauary 23, 2021
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​Endoceras. Procreate for iPad. Febrauary 23, 2021

Triceratops horridus

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​Triceratops horridus. Procreate for IPad. February 16, 2021

January 2021

Allosaurus fragilis

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​Allosaurus fragilis: Skull Study. Pen & ink (brushmarkers). January 24, 2021

November 2020

Temnodontosaurus platyodon

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​Temnodontosaurus platyodon. Pen ​& ink (gels, brushmarkers). November 22, 2020

June 2020

Spinosaurus aegyptiacus

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​Spinosaurus aegyptiacus Skull Study. ​Pen & ink (gels, brushmarkers). June 30, 2020

May 2020

Barosaurus at Theodore Roosevelt Rotunda, AMNH

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Barosaurus at Theodore Roosevelt Rotunda, AMNH. ​Pencils. May 25, 2020
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Barosaurus at Theodore Roosevelt Rotunda, AMNH Reference Photo. ​Courtesy of the AMNH​

How to Paleoart
What is paleoart? Where do you start? A brief introduction to the study, a little bit about myself, tip and tricks, and more! Plus, learn how to draw a T. Rex!

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T. Rex Tutorial Sketch. ​Pencils. May 5, 2020
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Behind-the-Scenes Study of Todd Marshall's Rugops Primus. Pencils. April 4, 2020 ​

​January 2020

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The Panthalassic Ocean. Oil on white canvas. January 24, 2020

August 2019

Main Street, Jurassic World

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Concept I. Mixed media (pen & ink and brush markers). August 25, 2019
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Main Street, Jurassic World. ​Oil on white canvas. Augsut 27, 2019
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1) Underpainting Layer. ​August 17, 2019
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2) First Color Layer. August 20, 2019
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3) "Overpainting" Layer. August 27, 2019

June 2019

AMNH 5027

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AMNH 5027. ​Pencils. June 30, 2019
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AMNH 5027 Reference Photo. Photography. March 31, 2019

The Tethys Ocean

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The Tethys Ocean. Oil on white canvas. June 14, 2019
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Concept I. Pen & ink. June 3, 2019
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Concept II. ​Pen & ink. June 3, 2019
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Concept III. ​Pen & ink. June 3, 2019

​January 2019

River Ecosystem of North Africa, Late Cretaceous Period

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Concept I. ​Pencils. January 5, 2019
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Concept II. Pencils. January 5, 2019
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River Ecosystem of North Africa, Late Cretaceous Period. ​Pencils. January 16, 2019

July 2018

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Indoraptor. ​Pencils. July 2, 2018

May 2018

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Tyrannosaurus rex. ​Colored pencils. May 19, 2018

April 2018

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​Dilophosaurus wetherilli. ​Colored pencils. April 7, 2018

​March 2018

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Diabloceratops eatoni. Pencils. March 18, 2018
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Pachycephalosaurus wyomingensis. ​Pencils. March 4, 2018

February ​2018

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Edmontosaurus regalis. ​Pencils. February 24, 2018
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Gigantoraptor erllianensis. ​Pencils. February 19, 2018
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Supersaurus vivianae. ​Pencils. February 10, 2018
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Rugops primus. ​Pencils. February 4, 2018

February 2017

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Indominus v. T. Rex. ​Colored pencils. February 25, 2017
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Terror of the Skies. ​Colored pencils. February 18, 2017

​May 2016

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Spinosaurus aegyptiacus Skeleton. ​Pen & ink. May 25, 2016
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Indominus Rex Iteration IV. Pencils. May 12, 2016

July 2015

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Indominus Rex Iteration III. ​Pencils. July 2, 2015
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Stegoceratops. ​Pencils. July 7, 2015
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Neotyrannus. ​Pencils. July 21, 2015
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Dilophosaurus wetherilli. ​Pencils. July 8, 2015
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Allosaurus fragilis. ​Pencils. July 8, 2015

​April 2015

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Indominus Rex Iteration II. ​Colored pencils. April 25, 2015
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Indominus Rex Iteration I. Pencils. April 15, 2015

​November 2013*

*View Collection
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Predator DNA: Out for Blood. ​Pen & ink. November 23, 2013
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Storm Breaker. Pen & ink. November 20, 2013

​June 2013

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Predator DNA. Colored pencils. June 24, 2013

June 2012

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Extreme Green Dragon EX. ​Colored pencils. June 21, 2012
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Gigantoraptor erlianensis. Pencils. June 15, 2012

March 2012

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Green Dragon 101. Colored pencils. March 23, 2012
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Green Dragon III. ​Colored pencils. March 23, 2012

May ​2010

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Dinosaurs. Crayon. May 2010

​September & October 2005

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Riding a Tyrannosaurus. Crayon. October 2005
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Dinosaurs. Crayon. September 2005
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My Work
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Paleoart
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AP Art and Design
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Landscape Series
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Project Pulse
Copyright © 2020
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