Palaeontologist and palaeoartist. Follow my work at patreon.com/markwitton. Affiliated with the University of Portsmouth, views and opinions are my own.
Joined April 2013
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2,340 Photos and videos
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I know, I know, we're not even halfway through 2023. But if you're a forward-thinking type who wants a 2024 #paleoart calendar, the good people at Ackermann have already created one featuring my art!
Check it out at ackermann-kalender.de/en/din….
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More new #paleoart at #Patreon: my take on the large Mesozoic mammal Didelphodon, a hard-biting, 4-6 kg carnivore that might have been semi-aquatic (if only someone would publish those data!). High-res version and discussion at patreon.com/posts/92023460. #sciart
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New #paleoart at #Patreon: a tyrannical triptych, showing all the habitats once occupied by Tyrannosaurus. Far from just inhabiting humid coastal plains and forests, you could also find T. rex in cool northern regions and mountains. More info here: patreon.com/posts/tyrannotou… #sciart
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Mark Witton (Bluesky: @markwitton.bsky.social) retweeted
30 Oct 2023
Also worth noting the excellent example of palaeoart inspired by British Fossil material - just the sort of thing our new Marsh Palaeoart Award is all about! Submissions are currently open, more details on our website: palaeosoc.org/grants-prizes/…
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New #Paleoart at #Patreon for #FossilFriday: how we've modelled floating in swimming in large theropods, starring T. rex - or "Sea rex", as it should be known whenever swimming in marine habitats. High-res image and discussion at patreon.com/posts/91763468.
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Wrapped up two big #paleoart projects this week, so for the rest of the year I'll be beavering away on my sixth book for a Dec deadline. There's a cryptic clue to the nature of the book in this image - and no, it's not pterosaurs (Quetzalcoatlus lawsoni, if anyone's wondering).
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Holy moly, even more new #paleoart at #Patreon? Baby tyrannosaurids emerge from their buried nest, completing the reproductive theme of this week's posts. Hi-res version of this image and lots of discussion about juvenile tyrant dinosaurs at: patreon.com/posts/90036481
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For #FossilFriday, new #paleoart at #Patreon: nesting Tyrannosaurus deposits her eggs into a hole in the ground. Many dinosaurs seem to have buried their eggs, including some big theropods - we just don't see it depicted often. Hi-res and discussion: patreon.com/posts/90032285
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More new #paleoart at #Patreon: an attempt to show a realistic take on dinosaur copulation. A lot of what's said about dinosaur mating is pretty ridiculous so, in an essay accompanying the hi-res version of this image, I try to cut to the sensible stuff.
patreon.com/posts/89965576
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New #paleoart at #Patreon: Tyrannosaurus face bites. Thanks to large numbers of injured tyrannosaurid skulls, we know a lot about this behaviour. The main take-home? They weren't very nice to one another. High-res art and discussion at: patreon.com/posts/were-going…
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Big and very welcome #paleoart news: the @Palaeonto_Soc has announced a new palaeoart award, structured around UK palaeontology. Details below - you have until November 25th to enter for a £500 prize 1 year of PalSoc membership!
26 Sep 2023
🎨Marsh Palaeoart Award! 🎨
We are delighted to launch this new award recognising talent in the depiction of fossil faunas from the British Isles! Supported by @MarshAwards, our judges incl. @MarkWitton & @gsciencelady. £500 prize! More details: palaeosoc.org/grants-prizes/…
ALT Advert for a new palaeoart award. Winning prize of £500 and 1 years' membership of the Palaeontographical Society. Submissions open 14th October. Go to www.palaeosoc.org for more info
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(Please share this widely around your palaeo/palaeoart spheres, especially as the palaeo community is increasingly fragmented)
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Mark Witton (Bluesky: @markwitton.bsky.social) retweeted
24 Sep 2023
This is such a fantastic portrayal of the world's most gigantic penguins (from Otago!). See our display in Te Taiao @Te_Papa
#Paleoart of giant fossil penguins, Kumimanu, for #FossilFriday. Penguin diversity exploded in the Palaeogene and human-sized, spear-beaked Kumimanu were just one of many lineages. Their feathers weren't precisely like those of modern penguins yet, and some had reddish colours.
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#Paleoart of giant fossil penguins, Kumimanu, for #FossilFriday. Penguin diversity exploded in the Palaeogene and human-sized, spear-beaked Kumimanu were just one of many lineages. Their feathers weren't precisely like those of modern penguins yet, and some had reddish colours.
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Time to start packing those bags, folks. We've had a good run. theguardian.com/technology/2…
Oh, look, some random words:
Bsk: @markwitton.bsky.social
Mas: @markwitton@sauropods.win
Th: @mark_witton@threads.net.
FB: markwittonpalaeoart
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I've finally set myself up in the azural realm, it seems like a pretty neat place so far. Will be posting my #paleoart and other content there, so please look me up if you're on the same platform!
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Is anyone else finding that their posts are getting fractions of expected engagement? It's possible that no one cares for my new art (I always knew the bubble would burst!), but for the last week I've had significantly less interaction with my posts. Algorithm issue, maybe?
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Thanks to everyone who commented and shared links here. The writing is on the wall, it seems. If this is how it's going to be, Twitter is now pretty useless for promotional purposes. I reckon I'll try bluer skies soon if the opportunity arises.
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For #FossilFriday, speculative Cenozoic tyrannosaur art at #Patreon: a species adapted for grasslands (the "stilt tyrant") and high-latitude, cold environments ("tundra tyrant"). Fluffy as it is, please don't stroke the latter.
Hi-res and discussion at patreon.com/posts/children-o…
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