“Prehistoric Times” magazine (issue 144 winter 2023) is reviewed by team members at Everything Dinosaur and what a jam-packed edition it is! Canadian artist Julius Csotonyi provided the illustrations for a new publication that features 1,200 dinosaurs. This immense volume was written by Evan Johnson-Ransom and in an interview Julius explains that virtually all the illustrations contained in the book were especially commissioned and new. Magazine editor Mike Fredericks conducts an interview with the artist and this piece is accompanied by many examples of Julius’s work.

The front cover artwork is supplied by Daniel Navarro, and it features the Chinese tyrannosauroid Dilong. Dilong is one of the featured prehistoric animals in issue 143, the other being the super-sized, prehistoric snake Titanoboa.

David Navarro also provided the artwork to be found on the back cover of the magazine, a stunning illustration of a T. rex family feeding on the carcase of a mosasaur.

Tracy Lee Ford

Inside the magazine Tracy Lee Ford concludes his series on how to illustrate dinosaur integumentary coverings with an examination of the feathers and bristles associated with ornithischian dinosaurs. John Lavas continues his profile of the highly influential Czech artist Zdeněk Burian. In this issue, he focuses on the projects and volume of work produced by Burian from the end of war until his death in 1981. Look out for the stunning gouache prints contained within this in-depth article.

Randy Knol and Mike Fredericks bring us up to date with new model introductions from CollectA and Safari Ltd, the editor has had a busy month as he also interviews palaeoartist John Conway about his new book “A History of Painting (with Dinosaurs).” John explains that he wanted to create an art book that explores how famous painters from the past, each with their very own painting style, would have depicted dinosaurs. The article includes numerous examples such as a portrait of Lambeosaurus done in the style of Pablo Picasso and a stunning pterosaur reflecting the impressionist painters such as Monet.

Titanoboa

As well as covering Dilong, Phil Hore presents a short history of Titanoboa and proposes that amongst the enormous reptiles that existed in north-eastern Columbia during the Palaeocene, the most fearsome predator of all might have been a giant, prehistoric turtle. Reader submitted artwork is prevalent including illustrations by Esther Van Hulson, James Gurney and M. Elliott Massion who also contributes a drawing to the Dilong article.

The recently introduced Rebor museum-quality Titanoboa maquette is also featured in the Titanoboa article.

To view the range of Rebor prehistoric animal figures in stock at Everything Dinosaur, including Titanoboa figures (whilst stocks last): Rebor Replicas and Figures.

Mike Howgate follows up his article from issue 142 and examines the casting in bronze of a pair of European bison by Benjamin Waterhouse Hawkins, prior to the creation of the famous Crystal Palace prehistoric animal sculptures. This provides a convenient segue into the extensive Mesozoic Media section providing reviews on lots of new prehistoric animal publications including the “Art and Science of the Crystal Palace Dinosaurs” by Mark Witton and Ellinor Michael. Amongst the cornucopia of new publications, Mike Fredericks explores new fiction, reviewing “Liopleurodon: The Master of the Deep” by M. B. Zucker as well as two new publications from Gregory S. Paul and published by Princeton University Press which documents Mesozoic Sea Reptiles and Pterosaurs respectively.

Our congratulations to the team behind “Prehistoric Times” and to all the contributors to issue 144.

To learn more about this magazine and to subscribe: “Prehistoric Times” Magazine.