Step-by-step guide to dinosaur skeleton model making

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To sculpt the arm and leg bones, a support base of hardened epoxy clay is first formed over a wire support. The  armature is then bent to the correct pose according to the original concept sketch.

 Each limb bone must be sculpted twice; once for the left side and second mirror image version for the right side. Additional wire supports may be needed, as show here for the fibula (the fine bone of the lower leg).

Tools shown are a metal sculpting tool (top) and a sharp knife (bottom).

Toe bones for the back legs (left) and front legs (right) require some patience to sculpt. Here Shigeru attaches them as a group to each leg using a simple wire loop.

Front legs are joined with a wire into a single piece. Here Shigeru shows their approximate final position. The ribs and shoulder blades will need to be made before the front legs can be attached.