Update #4: I've been funded!
I am so humbled by the continued support and interest that all of you wonderful backers have shown in me and my project! I waited to post this update, just in case I was reading my Kickstarter screen incorrectly: have I really exceeded my goal, still with two and a half weeks to go? What a great feeling to know that I will actually get to realize my plans and create a digital Dryptosaurus! Thank you all so much!
The public dissemination of science and paleontology is an important issue for me. Through my art, I contribute to this dissemination by translating discoveries and research into readily understood visual interpretations. Yet it has bothered me that I haven't been able to contribute my skills to more paleontological projects - both because my traditional sculpture can be very time consuming, limiting the number of works that I can physically create in a given timeframe, and also because as a labor and material intensive effort it can be costly, beyond the grasp of underfunded researchers or institutions. Now that I have reached my goal and will venture into digital sculpture, I would like to make an additional effort to do more for paleontology. At the annual meeting of the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology (mid October, 2012), I will be donating my services for one digital reconstruction to the live auction, with the proceeds going to the Fossil Preparator's Grant. My hope is that a researcher, small museum, or even a student might have the winning bid, for which I'll collaborate to create a visually striking Zbrush reconstruction of their specimen, for use in a forthcoming press release, presentation or paper... in some small way giving back to the field that continues to give so much inspiration to me!
Aki Watanabe on September 19, 2012
Congrats again! Looking forward to seeing you at SVP!
Kat Foster on September 19, 2012
Congrats Ty! We are proud of you and can't wait to see all the cool work you do with the new technology.
Cicero Moraes on September 19, 2012
Congratulations!
Anna Bevens on September 18, 2012
I'm so excited that you reached your goal! I pledged for a Skype presentation, and you're going to make a 5th grade class in California really excited :) Thanks so much for coming up with this project.
Jonathan McGaha on September 18, 2012
You're a cool cat, Tyler Keillor.