The Camptosaurus Challenge!

It began, as anything of any merit does these days, with some joshing around on Twitter. Brian Engh made a remark about paleoartists who rely on lateral view too much.

lol paleoartists so shook by non lateral views.

— Brian Engh (@GreyGriffon) April 4, 2018

So, I replied that a good way to quickly test someone’s skills would be to have them draw a non-traditional view of a relative obscure taxa. “Camptosaurus in anterior view,” I said off the top of my head. Within minutes, both Brian and Jack Mayer Wood had responded with their own renderings…

@Anatotitan's #CamptosaurusChallenge is a wicked exercise for anyone into their #paleoart. It's simple: draw a Camptosaurus front on! (My attempt's a little wonky, but that's the point surely! It's all too easy to become comfortable with only lateral views.) pic.twitter.com/wzVlChGNwk

— Jack Mayer Wood (@TheWoodParable) April 4, 2018

<4 min pic.twitter.com/TPsi9fDnYg

— Brian Engh (@GreyGriffon) April 4, 2018

…and within a few more minutes, Brian had sounded out this call.

#CamptosaurusChallenge #ReferenceAdventures version:
1) DOWNLOAD THIS REFERENCE VIDEO i shot @NHMLA: https://t.co/5oWD542noT
2) Draw you a #Camptosaurus from anterior (front) or anterio-lateral (3/4) view
PROVE YOUR #PALEOART SKILLS TO @anatotitan OR PERISH IN EXTINCTION!!!!!!!! pic.twitter.com/uyL6WnwNue

— Brian Engh (@GreyGriffon) April 4, 2018

So why not do a post of the responses, right? I’m proud to present an entire gallery of the front-view Camptosaurus illustrations! I live to serve.

Attempting the #CamptosaurusChallenge without using a reference. @anatotitan @GreyGriffon pic.twitter.com/6m8ZagsARv

— Matt Celeskey (@clepsydrops) April 5, 2018

#CamptosaurusChallenge @anatotitan @GreyGriffon #Camptosaurus
I've just started drawing paleoart, so hopefully there aren't too many mistakes… pic.twitter.com/lTkfEkR8cI

— Klara 🐉💤 (@the_meep_lord) April 6, 2018

#CamptosaurusChallenge

Okay learned a lot with this challenge, the first being that I didn't know squat about camptosaurus hands. I feel so ashamed 😓
I think she turned out fine though.#paleoart pic.twitter.com/p4GbI4yvKE

— SaurischianDesigner (@Saurischian16) April 5, 2018

realizing you really dont know how to draw ornithopods when attempting the #CamptosaurusChallenge which is embarrassing when you volunteer regularly at NHMLA and see the Camptosaurus mount all the time. @anatotitan @GreyGriffon pic.twitter.com/yuEgMub4XQ

— tyler likes dinosaurs 🦕 (@Wolpard) April 6, 2018

I'm not a palaeoartist but decided to take the #CamptosaurusChallenge anyway and did this rough sketch.
It's a bit :-/ pic.twitter.com/qSToGIa2c1

— T૦mᴍү Leu͘҉n̕g̷ (@The_Episiarch) April 5, 2018

A sketch I did for the #CamptosaurusChallenge !
I like this challenge, it makes you draw something different and something strange. @GreyGriffon @anatotitan #paleoart pic.twitter.com/Bjt3jjkAZY

— Ioioiee (@ioioiee) April 5, 2018

My attempt at the #CamptosaurusChallenge from @GreyGriffon & @anatotitan . Not as easy as it sounds pic.twitter.com/BiNDgfcQrd

— Dane Pavitt (@DaneSPavitt) April 5, 2018

An awful sketch for the #CamptosaurusChallenge. Not reference at all! @GreyGriffon @anatotitan pic.twitter.com/ifwcpIvpZ5

— Carlos de Miguel (@Carlosdino88) April 6, 2018

Hastily-sketched #CamptosaurusChallenge between document requests. Cc @GreyGriffon @anatotitan pic.twitter.com/ckId3doGqJ

— Zach Miller (@zmiller1902) April 5, 2018

Another #CamptosaurusChallenge now that I'm home. I really need a reference model, but I don't have any ornithopod toys. Not crazy about it; will likely redo. Cc @GreyGriffon @anatotitan pic.twitter.com/SlQAWwJWGb

— Zach Miller (@zmiller1902) April 6, 2018

#CamptosaurusChallenge, Straight Outta Campton! pic.twitter.com/0oqBeL8VxZ

— Scott Reid (@DinosaurDrawing) April 4, 2018

Saw the challenge and went for it! Please excuse the short notice lined paper and comments/criticisms welcome #CamptosaurusChallenge pic.twitter.com/Is4MYmAp8g

— Marcello Toscanini (@mtoscanini510) April 5, 2018

realizing you really dont know how to draw ornithopods when attempting the #CamptosaurusChallenge which is embarrassing when you volunteer regularly at NHMLA and see the Camptosaurus mount all the time. @anatotitan @GreyGriffon pic.twitter.com/yuEgMub4XQ

— tyler likes dinosaurs 🦕 (@Wolpard) April 6, 2018

Quick and dirty #CamptosaurusChallenge for @anatotitan Done in a hotel lobby with a notepad and ballpoint pen. #paleoart #sketch #camptosaurus pic.twitter.com/RSB2tAVL10

— Christopher DiPiazza (@ChrisDPiazza) April 6, 2018

I finally took the #CamptosaurusChallenge!
As I’m posting it, I realize that its tail is clearly broken, but I’m happy with it otherwise. pic.twitter.com/WdEIxsBkNL

— Talcott Starr (@talcotts) April 6, 2018

My take on the #CamptosaurusChallenge!

A Bull Male with an inflatable Throat Pouch…
And another stepping on 'Lori'! (part of a joke from the #paleostream)#Palaeoart #paleoart #dinosaurs #FossilFriday #artworks #jokes pic.twitter.com/G0X6ZkygjC

— Julian Kiely (@JulianPalaeoART) April 6, 2018

There were even a couple of jokers who flipped the challenge, bless ’em. Here are Jaime Headden and Patrick Murphy’s Camptosaurus butts.

For @GreyGriffon and #CamptosaurusChallenge and provided without further comment from my tablet. pic.twitter.com/ggFnvjMxE9

— Jaime Headden (@JaimeHeadden) April 6, 2018

Um excuse me @GreyGriffon and @anatotitan why have I not seen any Camptosaurus butts? #CamptosaurusChallenge pic.twitter.com/Q3beNlxLfn

— Patrick Murphy (@Prasokour) April 5, 2018

Since this humble herbivore inspired so many people to pick up pen, pencil, and marker, I’ll split this into two posts. I did not expect this to blow up my mentions over the weekend! Thanks to everyone who jumped in and tried this out.