For a while now, I’ve had this storyline in my head about a world where the dinosaurs didn’t die, but rather as the earth cooled moved to warmer climates. The story takes place in the American southwest and is about the First Nation people who when they migrate to the southwest discover the existence of the dinosaurs. Some of the images here you’ve seen in other gallery projects, but now you know why I made them. At this point, I don’t know if I’ll ever complete this project (it would be nice if someone was interested in backing this project), but for now, I’ll periodically produce more images—in between paid projects and other samples.

The story begins as families gather around the Ancient Storyteller in mountain valley with a large waterfall off in the distance. It is Fall and the Aspen's are turning yellow. This is the opening scene in a story that is narrated by the Ancient Storyteller.

As he weaves his tale that he knows is true because his father had told him this story, as his father had told him, and his father before had also told.

The first contact was not as you might expect a violent encounter. Instead it was a little girl (one very similar to the one laying on the ground in front of the storyteller) who found the dinosaurs first. She loved when her mother and father had shown her the rainbow in the mist of the great waterfall. One day she sneaks away from the village to go back to the waterfall and there in the pool beneath the falls were a pair of Parasaurolophus.

When the girl sees the bright colors on the male, she moves toward them. The male gently approaches her and she touches him as he bends down close to her. She names him “Rainbow.” As she grows she will become known as “Rainbow Rider.”(eventually the dinosaur and little girl Poser figures will be placed in a scene at the base of the waterfall.

The story goes on, and over time the First Nation people learn to live and respect the dinosaurs both the plant eaters and the carnivores. They share the land and the bounty of the land with the dinosaurs.

However, there were those who sought to dominate the people, the dinosaurs, and the land. They raid encampments. Enslave some people and brutalize and kill many dinosaurs and cause many tribes to live in fear.

Eventually rebels from different tribes decide to fight back. They declare war.

And one early morning they gather before dawn. The battle is about to begin.

Below are some of the characters developed for the following “Dawn of the Battle” image.

Parasaurolophus and rider were developed in Poser and then imported into  Hexagon where the harness and reins were built.

All people and wardrobe are various Daz figures including Michael 4, Victoria 4, and Kids 4. Many thanks to Raul Lunia (DinoRaul) for his spectacular dinosaur models. Scenes were created and rendered in Vue Complete 9 and 10 with considerable modifications in Photoshop. The Waterfall and the splashes around the feet of the dinosaurs in the “Dawn of the Battle” scene are created with Ron’s Splashes 2 (Photoshop brushes).