Mark Witton
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markwitton.bsky.social
Mark Witton
@markwitton.bsky.social
12K followers 380 following 750 posts
Palaeoartist, palaeontologist, author, documentary consultant and creature designer. Affiliated with the University of Portsmouth, UK; views and opinions are my own.

More about me at markwitton.co.uk.
Support my work at www.patreon.com/markwitton
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markwitton.bsky.social
Strong review of Spinosaur Tales from The Inquisitive Biologist: "Spinosaur Tales is a thoughtful and accessible book about these enigmatic dinosaurs... presenting a nuanced overview of what we know, what we can reasonably infer, and what is spin."

inquisitivebiologist.com/2025/11/26/b...
Book review – Spinosaur Tales: The Biology and Ecology of the Spinosaurs
Spinosaur Tales brings together two of the finest popular palaeontology writers for a nuanced and detailed overview of this challenging group of dinosaurs.
inquisitivebiologist.com
November 28, 2025 at 9:58 AM
markwitton.bsky.social
An inspiring article for National Illustration Day: www.theguardian.com/artanddesign....

Most #paleoart is probably "illustration" rather than "art" (if, indeed, these are distinct categories) and is an excellent example of how images augment written/verbal communication and democratise #scicomm.
Informative, beautiful and deeply human: it’s time to cheer the underrated art of illustration | Oliver Jeffers
We do judge books by their covers. Illustrations spark young imaginations, solve problems, present information - and shape our world, says the children’s author on National Illustration Day
www.theguardian.com
November 28, 2025 at 9:34 AM
markwitton.bsky.social
I didn't have "Southern Rail openly adopts Skynet policies" on today's bingo card.
November 26, 2025 at 4:14 PM
Reposted by Mark Witton
dsrovinsky.bsky.social
Just received Down Under:

Looking forward to reading the spinosaur science from @davehone.bsky.social and @markwitton.bsky.social
November 26, 2025 at 5:23 AM
Reposted by Mark Witton
eriorguez.bsky.social
Well, christmas came a month early this year; skimming through, @markwitton.bsky.social 's work is impresively thorough. Shame on the shifting consensus on juveniles mere months after publication of this edition, but still a must have.
November 25, 2025 at 5:59 PM
markwitton.bsky.social
Working on invertebrate #paleoart at the moment, knowing I'm probably making mistakes despite best efforts, consulting primary literature etc. Inverts are much like fossil plants: there are few accessible resources on their appearance so we must wing it, or go down deep rabbit holes to restore them.
Detail of a larger painting showing the trilobites Eldredgeops rana.
November 24, 2025 at 1:56 PM
markwitton.bsky.social
Thanks to Marc for a great review of our new book! "...a tremendous amount of work went into this book... there’s no other work that unites everything we know about them, their palaeoenvironments, and their modern day afterlife like Spinosaur Tales..". #dinosaurs #books
@chiffchat.bsky.social
November 24, 2025 at 10:18 AM
markwitton.bsky.social
Brain work bad thanks to some sort of flu, so you'll have to write your own amusing #FossilFriday post about this giant #azhdarchid #pterosaur #paleoart.
November 21, 2025 at 3:58 PM
markwitton.bsky.social
Starting the journey home from #2025SVP. I didn't leave the conference empty handed...
A plinth panel from SVP2025 atop a suitcase filled with animal skulls from my palaeoart workshop. The panel was gifted from the organisers because I designed this year's logo.
November 16, 2025 at 11:20 AM
Reposted by Mark Witton
tetzoo.bsky.social
Mainstream palaeoart often seems lily-white in terms of the diversity of its contributors. But pieces of palaeoart that rank among the -MOST SEEN- works in the entire field were examples of black craftsmanship. This week came news on the passing of Garfield G. Minott (1966-2025)... cont
Garfield Minott at microphone, holding sauropod model. Photo from Simcoe Muskoka Family Connections Black History Month event. Carcharodontosaurus head model by Minott, as used in technical paper by Kent Stevens. Minott Carcharodontosaurus head model from Paul Sereno lab website.
November 15, 2025 at 1:31 PM
Reposted by Mark Witton
princetonupress.bsky.social
Thrilled for our triple author signing tomorrow (14 Nov) at @societyofvertpaleo.bsky.social #SVP2025 #2025SVP in Birmingham, UK! Come see @markwitton.bsky.social (King Tyrant, 11-12noon), David Hone (Uncovering Dinosaur Behavior, 12-1pm), and Mike Benton (Dinosaur Behavior, 2-3pm)! buff.ly/TmWzwCS
November 13, 2025 at 10:00 AM
markwitton.bsky.social
I'll be signing and sketching in copies of my (unintentionally orange) @princetonupress.bsky.social books this Friday, 11:00-12:00 at #2025SVP #SVP2025. #Pterosaurs and T. rex: what more could anyone want?

#paleontology #fossil #dinosaur
November 12, 2025 at 6:28 PM
Reposted by Mark Witton
princetonupress.bsky.social
Thrilled for our triple author signing on Friday 14 Nov at @societyofvertpaleo.bsky.social #SVP2025 #2025SVP in Birmingham, UK! Come see @markwitton.bsky.social (King Tyrant, 11-12noon), David Hone (Uncovering Dinosaur Behavior, 12-1pm), and Mike Benton (Dinosaur Behavior, 2-3pm)! buff.ly/TmWzwCS
November 12, 2025 at 3:00 PM
markwitton.bsky.social
Scenes from the #SVP2025 #2025SVP #paleoart workshop. We had terrific talks from @cpdinosaurs.bsky.social, @tetzoo.bsky.social, @palaeojules.bsky.social and @bobnichollsart.bsky.social, as well as fantastic discussion from attendees. Thanks to everyone who contributed, I hope you all enjoyed it!
November 12, 2025 at 7:37 AM
Reposted by Mark Witton
richardjbutler.bsky.social
Although #2025SVP officially starts tomorrow, today we have a Triassic field trip to Warwickshire, tours of @lapworthmuseum.bsky.social, workshops run by @markwitton.bsky.social & @graphicssci.bsky.social & our evening Walking With Dinosaurs event chaired by @tweetisaurus.bsky.social!
November 11, 2025 at 7:51 AM
Reposted by Mark Witton
littlegreenbooks.bsky.social
Spinosaur Tales from David Hone and @markwitton.bsky.social is out now: a new book exploring the world of the legendary Spinosaurus, packed with science, illustrations, and the latest research. Perfect for #dinosaur enthusiasts!

Pick it up here:
uk.bookshop.org/a/2456/97813...
#Booksky
Spinosaur Tales: The Biology and Ecology of the Spinosaurs
The Biology and Ecology of the Spinosaurs
uk.bookshop.org
November 11, 2025 at 12:54 AM
markwitton.bsky.social
Sneaking glimpses at the set up of #SVP2025 #2025SVP, spotted some familiar logo artwork in the ICC.
November 10, 2025 at 9:30 PM
Reposted by Mark Witton
tetzoo.bsky.social
Two new #Spinosaurus-themed things just arrived at Tet Zoo Towers. Congrats @davehone.bsky.social and @markwitton.bsky.social for the release of what looks like a very well designed book. #dinosaurs
Hone & Witton book Spinosaur Tales and a toy Jurassic Park Spinosaurus.
November 7, 2025 at 1:12 PM
markwitton.bsky.social
I'm late to my own party (again, sigh) but my new book on #spinosaurid #dinosaurs (written with @davehone.bsky.social) was officially released yesterday! Tons of info on and #paleoart of spinosaurs therein: research history, evolution, ecology, life appearance etc. Available wherever books are sold.
November 7, 2025 at 5:28 PM
markwitton.bsky.social
The reality of being a freelancer is that you end up working a lot of evenings and nights, something #mammals have been doing since the Mesozoic. Here's new #paleoart of two #Jurassic gliding Mammaliaformes, Arboroharamiya, starting their day as the sun sets 160 million years ago. #sciart #fossil
An evening chase erupts above the forests of Late Jurassic China between two gliding mammal-like animals. The sun sets between them, highlighting the leaves of the ginkgo tree they have leapt from. The mammals are darkly coloured, reflecting data from palaeocolour studies suggesting dark brown hues across most or all of their bodies.
November 4, 2025 at 9:20 PM
Reposted by Mark Witton
polydontid.bsky.social
Spinosaur Tales by @davehone.bsky.social and @markwitton.bsky.social. I got my hands on it early, and I can't recommend it enough for anybody interested in these enigmatic therapods!
November 4, 2025 at 12:33 PM
Reposted by Mark Witton
davehone.bsky.social
Nanotyrannus is cool and all, but what if there was a brand new book written with, and illustrated by, @markwitton.bsky.social on Spinosaurus? Wouldn't that be really cool?

Listen to use talk about it here before it comes out in less than a week!

terriblelizards.libsyn.com/s11e10-spino...
October 31, 2025 at 4:08 PM
markwitton.bsky.social
It's #Halloween, so here's some scary #paleoart of the dreaded MAMMALIAN NOCTURNAL BOTTLENECK HYPOTHESIS. Which of these Megaconus will survive - AND WHAT WILL BE LEFT OF THEM?

(Image just uploaded to #Patreon, along with a detailed discussion of this idea: www.patreon.com/posts/142523...)
Three grey squirrel-sized Megacous mammals are caught in the open on Halloween night in Jurassic China. Shedding ginkgo trees arc overhead and the full moon has risen high above. But eclipsing all this is a looming crested tyrannosauroid. The theropod doesn't seem to have noticed them yet, but there's a murderous glint in his eye and a Krugerian quality to his hands. The lead Megaconus turns around to his companions. "Hey, is this a vaguely sinister but actually safe Disney forest, or a genuinely sinister '80s slasher movie one? Because if it's the first one, we're cute enough to make it through this. But if it's the second one, we're a group of disposable mammaliaforms in a story where everyone is rooting for the killer. And let's face it: we breed like tiny mammaliaforms are meant to, and we all know what that means in slasher lore." He looks out of the picture at the pile of DVDs his artist will be watching tonight. "I think we might be boned, gentlemen."
October 31, 2025 at 7:16 PM
markwitton.bsky.social
October 30, 2025 at 9:21 PM
markwitton.bsky.social
Over the next few hours/days I'll be uploading lots of new #paleoart to Patreon. First up is this #Neanderthal fellow looking whimsically over his shoulder, wondering if he locked the door to his cave. Lots of discussion about his appearance and clothes at
www.patreon.com/posts/142405... #sciart
As the snow falls in front of the setting sun, Thag the Neanderguy pauses mid-step and looks behind him. He's thinking about the third series of Twin Peaks again. "Maybe it _was_ about the bunny", he ponders. But while Thag misses some of the nuances of event TV, he understands fashion very well. He's wearing all this season's newest Neanderthal gear, carrying his two dead rabbits in a looped strap alongside his thick, fur-lined boots. A pouch is slung over his left shoulder, containing various flints and bone tools. He's warm and stylish in his gloves, trousers, coat and shawl, and he's accented the whole ensemble with a cumberbund-type affair that he doesn't know what to call, but _who cares_: it looks cool. He realises that his body type has no significant waist, but this gives his body an important upper-lower divide. Even way back then, in the Pleistocene, you had to dress the body you had, not the body you wanted.
October 30, 2025 at 3:18 PM