Our projects
Together we have a lot of experience working on diverse projects for many years, showcasing our ability to not only produce stunning and accurate skulls, but also excel in a multitude of other creative projects. Here we show you a few of many projects we have been working on.
If you have a project and are requesting a quote, please don't hesitate to get in touch with us.
Cave Lion (Panthera leo spelaea)
October 2023
Making the Majestic Cave Lion (Panthera leo spelaea) iron support from rough concept to precision masterpiece: We worked hard for months on this custom-made armature.
A lot of very precise work, especially as each bone had to be supported by ironwork and made individually detachable. The legs, head, back and ground support are separate pieces so that the ironwork can be transported, assembled and disassembled whenever needed. We worked with 3D prints so that the original skeleton would not be damaged during the metalwork.
When making the armature, it was important to preserve the manner of the old armature. We made the pose of the lion itself more dynamic. For our example, we used the, currently living and closest relative: the lion (Panthera Leo). At last, the armature was powder coated, getting that perfect finish.
The original skeleton is on display at the travelling GIANTS expo from the Institute of Natural Sciences Brussels. An amazing and visual exhibition about the giant animals that lived after almost all dinosaurs became extinct.
This specimen was found in the Grottes de Goyet (Belgium). It must have lived over 11,700 years ago during the so-called "late Pleistocene".
October 2022
Just after the official launch of R.I.P. Statue, we had the exciting opportunity to have our own stand at The Munich Show, one of Europe's largest fossil and mineral shows. Every year, the three huge exhibition halls attract thousands of visitors with their magnificent collection of fossils and minerals. It was an unforgettable experience for both of us, where we not only enjoyed exhibiting our own products, but also met new people who share the same passion.
The munich show
"Night of Discoveries"
September 2022
The “Night of Discoveries” provided us with the first opportunity to present ourselves at the market, a fair specifically for young scientists and artists. With the completed Daspletosaurus skulls as our centerpiece, we had our business cards, stickers, and the eye-catching banner ready. In addition to exhibiting the beautiful Daspletosaurus skull and our first creative variation, we conducted live preparation work and displayed a mold to showcase the process of creating such an impressive skull.
The festival grounds at Leiden University, the Hortus Botanicus, the Academy Building, and the Old Observatory served as the backdrop for an inspiring journey of exploration on Saturday, September 17, 2022, featuring performances, exhibitions, debates, workshops, and lectures aimed at the younger generation.
Daspletosaurus skull
May 2021
An acquaintance of Emma approached us with a request for a Tyrannosaurus rex skull. Intrigued by the idea, Lina decided to lend a helping hand, and thus began our collaboration to create a beautiful replica of the Daspletosaurus skull. This project is even extra special for us because that is where the origin of our company started. While working together, inspiration struck, leading us to explore the possibilities of creating molds and producing creative variations based on the original design. Using a silicone mold, allows us to produce high-quality reproductions. Creating the mold requires time and expertise.
After extensive research and months of modeling, we were finally satisfied with the shapes and details. The Daspletosaurus is entirely handmade by us, making it a unique piece. Although we didn't have our own workshop at the time, we also worked regularly from home, which went excellently.
The Daspletosaurus, meaning "formidable lizard" in Greek, was a predator that lived 77 millions of years ago. Its species name, torosus, translates to "muscular" in Latin. As one of the largest predators of its time, reaching lengths of up to 9 meters, the Daspletosaurus belonged to the Tyrannosaurid family and was the smaller and older cousin of the iconic T-rex.
Triceratops skull no. 21
augustus 2020
One of a few of the projects where we both were closely involved. The so-called “Skull 21” was unearthed in 1891 during the notorious 'Bone Wars' in the Lance Formation, Wyoming, United States. The skull came to TU Delft (NED) around 1950. During transport by ship, the skull was damaged due to a storm. Another story goes that the lorry driver threw the skull out of his truck when it arrived in The Netherlands. At the time, the skull was repaired with limited means. We have worked hard on the scientifically correct restoration. As a result, among other things, perfectly preserved teeth came out. This unique restoration has been made possible by combining knowledge and craftsmanship with 3D printing, 3D scanning, CT scans and more.
The Triceratops, one of the last surviving dinosaur species, existed until approximately 65.5 million years ago in the late Cretaceous period. This remarkable creature measured up to 9 meters in length, stood 2.5 meters tall, and weighed around 9,000 kilograms. De Triceratops is renowned for its horns and wide frill that extended over its neck and shoulders. It utilized its massive and sturdy horns to defend itself against formidable predators like the mighty T. rex!
Brachiosaurus
March 2020
This skeleton is particularly fascinating, not only because of its immense size but also because it was one of the first dinosaurs ever modeled and built by Aart Walen himself in 1992. One of these skeletons can be seen at the Sauriermuseum Aathal in Switzerland, where it was a major attraction when the museum first opened. Almost 30 years later, the skeleton was in need of repairs and a modern update. Aart and Lina worked together to restore its contemporary appearance, and it can still be viewed in the museum.
The first fossil of Brachiosaurus was discovered in the United States in 1883. The dinosaur was named "arm lizard" in 1903 due to its remarkably long upper arm. Between 1909 and 1912, more complete skeletons were found in East Africa, and one of them was displayed in Berlin. Aart Walen's Brachiosaurus skeleton is modeled after this particular specimen. The Berlin skeleton measures 23 meters in length and represents an animal weighing approximately thirty tons. Despite its size, the skeleton was relatively lightweight, with hollow vertebrae connected by air sacs, which is a characteristic feature of most long-necked dinosaurs.
Betasuchus
augustus 2018
In the 19th century, a discovery was made in the far south of the Netherlands, and the finding was later sold to the British Museum of Natural History. Although only part of the right femur was recovered, research indicated that the specimen, known as Betasuchus, is likely closely related to Dryptosaurus, a tyrannosaurid. Finding dinosaur remains in the Netherlands is rare, let alone a tyrannosaurid, making this specimen particularly special. Given its smaller size compared to Tyrannosaurus Rex, it holds unique significance.
However, due to the limited remains, reconstructing the Betasuchus proved to be a challenging task. To overcome this obstacle, the search extended to Poland, where remains of the Mongolian "Bagaraatan," a close relative of Dryptosaurus, could be found. Most of the skeleton's reconstruction was based on these discovered remains.
An interesting fact about this reconstruction is that it was created using 3D prints. Despite being made from printed materials, the reconstruction is so well-crafted that one might not even be able to tell the difference at first glance. A complete documentary is made of the reconstruction of this specimen:
WANGEROOGE - sperm whale
April 2017
2016, a tragic event occurred when 30 young sperm whales stranded on the coasts of Germany, England, France, and the Netherlands. Among them, two sperm whales washed up together on the shores of Wangerooge, an island off Germany's North Sea coast. The incident was likely caused by the whales getting lost and unintentionally venturing into shallow waters between Britain and Europe, where their navigational sonar may not have functioned as effectively as it would in deeper ocean waters.
Aart Walen, with his taxidermy background, has been involved in clearing away the carcasses on the beach. One of the skeletons has been cleaned and mounted by us, and is exhibited in Wangerooge. The skeletons are of great importance to better understand nature and animals. This way, you can get very close to such a skeleton, which is fantastic for conservation and educational purposes.
