So, you're illustrating a children's book involving dinosaurs. Do you make them feathery or scaley?

[Erana]

...Yes, one of the things I would like to do in life is illustrate children's books.
But that got me thinking: Would you make them feathery or scaly? I mean, most were feathery, we've known that for a few years now. And yet, all our depictions are still of these giant bald lizards.
With kids books, you've gotta weigh historical accuracy and recognizability/ tradition...

So, my fellow Escapists, what would you do? And more importantly, Why?

 

[mjc0961]

If it was meant to be educational, feathery. If it was just some story that happened to have dinosaurs in it but it didn't matter how they looked, probably scaly. Like you said, even though we know different now, we still picture dinosaurs as being scaly most of the time.

 

[SonofaJohannes]

Scales are cooler. Kids like cool things. We're not trying to teach them evolution, we're trying to sell a book.

 

[ChupathingyX]

Feathery because it's more accurate and i hate teaching people things that are wrong. Even if it isn't an educational book I would still draw them with feathers.

Even though I truly miss the days of scaly Velociraptor and Deinoychus.

 

[sheic99]

Since it's a children's book, they're going to be purple and humans are going to ride them into war with machine guns strapped to them.

 

[Squilookle]

With kids books, you've gotta weigh historical accuracy

Um... what? How did you arrive at that conclusion? I don't recall the Dr. Seuss or Mr. Men books looking like proper people/animals...

Seems pretty clear cut to me: If it's an educational book make them feathery. If it's a storybook, make 'em scaley

 

[Thaluikhain]

But that got me thinking: Would you make them feathery or scaly? I mean, most were feathery, we've known that for a few years now. And yet, all our depictions are still of these giant bald lizards.
With kids books, you've gotta weigh historical accuracy and recognizability/ tradition...

I'm not sure if most of them were feathery, but anyways, there a variety of ones believed not to have been, you can always just stick to those ones.

Otherwise, stick feathers on them, for accuracy's sake. Don't need children growing up with more misconceptions that could have been avoided. Whatever you do, don't stick cavemen in (unless they are time travelling cavemen).

 

[Koshok]

I would draw the dinosaurs feathery.
If we know (or rather, have evidence for) that dinosaurs were feathery, it seems to me like we should depict things as much the way they were as possible. Inevitably, the child is going to learn more about the subject. And when that happens, likely can't help but feel betrayed, or think the source isn't credible.
I know I wasn't real happy with my elementary school teachers when I learned that the fact that drains spin clockwise isn't due to the rotation of the earth.

 

[Vault101]

...Yes, one of the things I would like to do in life is illustrate children's books.
But that got me thinking: Would you make them feathery or scaly? I mean, most were feathery, we've known that for a few years now. And yet, all our depictions are still of these giant bald lizards.
With kids books, you've gotta weigh historical accuracy and recognizability/ tradition...

So, my fellow Escapists, what would you do? And more importantly, Why?

they couldnt have ALL been feathery

I mean if its educational yeah sure a degree of realism is required

but if its "Tina the dinsouar who wanted to be a ballerina"......well damn what a stupid childrens book

 

[FalloutJack]

Well I mean, they didn't all go the way of the bird, so I figure mostly scaley, since my book would be about all the great predators. And nevermind how violent that sounds. You and I both know that your basic dinosaur-loving kid eats that up like no tomorrow.

 

[GrimTuesday]

Scaley, mostly because that is recognizable to the majority of people and I'd rather not have a bunch of morons asking why I drew a bunch of birds.

 

[Shoggoth2588]

Feathers: I feel like you can have more artistic liberty with feathers than scales. Sure, there are orange and yellow lizards around today but scales are almost always associated with the colors green, brown and, grey. Feathers can be a ton of colors and kids like bright colorful things I think...

 

[Yokai]

A little of both. Feathers on the crests and elbows and such, but scales for the most part. Sure, it's not entirely accurate, but it's a good balance of recognizability and accuracy.

 

[Talydia]

Scaly, facts and evidence be damned. I grew up with em scaly, they're scaly! :O

 

[Cowabungaa]

I'd present both and explaining why I did it; here's a picture of what we thought this species of dinosaur looked like until a few years ago when we discovered the same species with feathers on it, and now we think it looked like this.

Scales are cooler. Kids like cool things. We're not trying to teach them evolution, we're trying to sell a book.

But it's not true. It'd be lying for sake of coolness. There is no need to coddle them with things like this. Besides, they're still huge killing machines, now they're just fabulous!

 

[Psycho Cat Industries]

Its a bird,no wait its a dinosaur.
Have both,after all,there were feathered and scaled ones.

 

[Aethren]

With kids books, you've gotta weigh historical accuracy and recognizability/ tradition..

Clifford the Big Red Dog would like a word with you.

Also, when did we learn they were feathered? ...I missed that memo.

 

[ethan22122]

Probably a mix of both. If it's a childrens book than I would make a cool wonderworld of lizard and bird creatures living together.

 

[herts]

Scales in my opinion, they'll learn that dinosaurs were feathered later on if they're really that interested.

 

[Dasistgutja]

I say just play with drawing different feathered versions, get used to it, find a way that doesn't make them look too foolish. Besides, birds can be bloody scary.
The main thing is to have a finished product that looks cool, but people still notice that it's feathered, without being repelled by the idea.