Blue Appaloosa
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blueappaloosa.bsky.social
Blue Appaloosa
@blueappaloosa.bsky.social
5.1K followers 630 following 5.3K posts
3d printing for SciComm (and fun)
Animal Anatomy
Sometimes GameDev
Former adjunct
Too many pets

3d Prints (from USA): blueappaloosastudio.etsy.com
Merch: blueappaloosa.threadless.com
Patreon: patreon.com/BlueAppaloosa

Links: blueappaloosa.neocities.org
Posts Replies Media Videos
blueappaloosa.bsky.social
Sharing my weird art for #ArtAdventCalendar.

Little sculpture with 3d printed parts and clay-sculpted bits. All 3d modeling, printing, sculpting, carving, painting, etc. was done by me. Most of it was an experiment, but I think it tuned out pretty well!

#DarkArt
Side view of a skull of a deer-like creature with prominent fangs on the upper jaw, a split lower-with a a pair of fangs, and antennae-like structures protruding from the mouth. The skull is tan-colored, with parts coated in a light blue-ish substance. It also has red eyeballs and red, feathery antennae coming from the top of it's head. There are red lines carved into the lower jaw. Watermark Reads: Blue Appaloosa
December 4, 2025 at 9:58 AM
blueappaloosa.bsky.social
3d printed NOAI signs are finished! Table-top and hanging versions.

STLs you can print yourself are on my Patreon (no login or payment required): www.patreon.com/posts/3d-pri...

Printed versions you can purchase are on my Etsy: blueappaloosastudio.etsy.com/listing/4416...

#ArtShop #BSNM #NOAI
A white, A-frame sign with a red circle with diagonal slash over the black text "AI", below is the black text "Art designed by human artists, without the use of generative AI." Watermark reads: Blue Appaloosa A white sign with a red circle with diagonal slash over the black text "AI", below is the black text "Art designed by human artists, without the use of generative AI." There are keyhole-shaped holes in each of the upper corners, and a ruler along the bottom to show scale. Watermark reads: Blue Appaloosa
December 3, 2025 at 12:25 PM
blueappaloosa.bsky.social
Obligatory seasonal self-promo post: I make 3d printed animal skulls, keyrings, magnets, and #SciComm models. I design, print, and finish everything myself. Check out my Etsy for more!

blueappaloosastudio.etsy.com

Shop small this holiday season, support a small creator!

#PaleoArt #BSNM #ArtShop
A 3d printed eohippus (a prehistoric horse) skull. It’s tan colored and facing right. A US penny sits next to it, for scale. A 3d printed model for demonstrating the cranial kinesis (movement) of a fish skull, with different parts in different colors. Watermark reads: Blue Appaloosa Two 3d printed Strawberry Squid designs. The Strawberry Squid has a red body covered with pinkish specs and pinkish fins on the mantle. The eye on the left is small and dark blue, the eye on the right is large and greenish-yellow. The tentacles and suckers on the arms are tan. Each squid has a 1-inch (2.5cm) spit ring though the top of the mantle. Between them is a US penny for scale. A 3d printed tiktaalik skull (a primitive tetrapod fish, with a flatted head like a crocodile), in tan, facing right. the mouth is propped open with a stick, and a US penny sits next to it.
November 28, 2025 at 12:57 PM
blueappaloosa.bsky.social
November's #InvertArtChallenge, a Tachinid Fly. Such neat little feets! So fuzzy! I should probably get better at sketching fur/fuzz/hair.

#SciArt
Sketch of a tachinid fly on some flowers. It's a very fuzzy, black fly with a lighter colored head. Watermark reads: Blue Appaloosa
November 27, 2025 at 8:59 AM
blueappaloosa.bsky.social
Think this might be mostly finished? Might still poke at it a bit tho.

3d model of Diictodon skull reconstruction. I plan to do both tusked and non-tusked versions, so will add a tusk and pin boss later. To be 3d printed.

(Paleo People, I'd love feedback!)

#PaleoArt #3dModeling
Screenshot of a 3d model of a Diictodon, a prehistoric creature, side view. The skull is kinda turtle-like, with a "beak", but also has a prominent fang (although the actual tooth is missing). Screenshot of a 3d model of a Diictodon, a prehistoric creature, back/bottom view. We can see the hole where the spinal cord exits the skull, jaw hinge, and the bottom of the palette bones. Screenshot of a 3d model of a Diictodon, a prehistoric creature, top/front/side view. We can see the various bones inside the middle of the skull, the eye socket, hole for the third eye, and the top of the palette bones. Screenshot of a 3d model of a Diictodon, a prehistoric creature, top/side/back view. We can see the various bones inside the middle of the skull, and the top of the palette bones.
November 23, 2025 at 3:05 AM
blueappaloosa.bsky.social
Still working on the Diictodon skull 3d model, as well as a bunch of other projects. Dealing with some not-fun medication-related challenges lately, so progress is slow and things are frustrating.

#PaleoArt
Screenshot of a 3d model of a Diictodon skull, top/back/side three-quarters view, we're looking through the temporal fenestra, and can see the insides of the eye-sockets and top of the palette bones through the hole.
November 19, 2025 at 9:10 AM
blueappaloosa.bsky.social
It is just me, or does Diictodon kinda look like Cubone from the front? 🤔🤣

WIP mode of a Diictodon skull.

(Cubone from Pokemon Journeys: The Series, image found at bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/File:Go... )

#PaleoArt
Screenshot of a diictodon skull 3d model work-in-progress, from the front. It has big eyes and the zygomatic arch kinda looks like horns on the sides of the head. Screenshot of the Pokemon Cubone, from the front. A cartoony-styled creature that looks kinda like a short, bipedal, orange dinosaur wearing a dragon-skull mask and holding a femur like a club.
November 16, 2025 at 8:19 AM
blueappaloosa.bsky.social
Test print of a 3d printed, table-top, A-frame, NOAI sign. Folds mostly flat, stable when standing.

Thoughts on size? Too big? Too small? (~4.74x7 inches, 12x17cm)

Do the colors on the hinge bother you? (It's simpler to print with the weird colors there, and I'm trying to keep it simple.)
A white, A-frame sign with a red circle with diagonal slash over the black text "AI", below is the black text "Art designed by human artists, without the use of generative AI." A white, A-frame sign from the side-ish, folded in so it's mostly flat, with a small gap at the top. A white, A-frame sign with a red circle with diagonal slash over the black text "AI", below is the black text "Art designed by human artists, without the use of generative AI." At it's base is a scale bar with inches and centimeters, showing the sign to be roughly 12cm (4.75 inches) wide. A white, A-frame sign from the side-ish, alongside it is a scale bar with inches and centimeters, showing the sign to be roughly 17cm (7 inches) tall.
November 11, 2025 at 2:57 AM
blueappaloosa.bsky.social
Quick design of some 3d printable NOAI signs. Thoughts?

Artists who might consider having something like this at their booth/table/etc, would you want to hang them or have them free-standing on a table? (I will probably try to do both, just wondering if there's a general preference.)
Screenshot of some signs laid out in a 3d slicer. Two identical signs, side by side. They have a white background and a red circle with diagonal slash over the black text "AI", below is the black text "Art designed by human artists, without the use of generative AI."
November 9, 2025 at 5:03 AM
blueappaloosa.bsky.social
Happy Halloween! 🦄🎃
Two horse heads, facing right-ish. The nearer is chestnut roan with a large blaze, and the farther is chestnut with a star. They're both wearing bitless bridles and candy-corn colored unicorn horns.
November 1, 2025 at 3:05 AM
blueappaloosa.bsky.social
Forgot to mention that my 3d printed Horse Pelvis with flexible ligaments is finally listed on my Etsy shop! The bones are rigid, but the ligaments are a rubber-like material (TPU) so they flex/stretch a bit.

(ships from US) blueappaloosastudio.etsy.com

#SciArt #SciComm #HorseArt #Anatomy #bsnm
A 3d printed horse pelvis, top/back view. The bones of the pelvis and sacrum are tan, and the ligaments attaching the two pieces together are white. Watermark reads: Blue Appaloosa
October 29, 2025 at 4:19 PM
blueappaloosa.bsky.social
Test print of Eothyris skull. Looking pretty good, I think? It's about 3 inches (7.5cm) long. (Sorry for the crappy photos, will eventually take some better ones.)

Paleo people, I welcome your feedback!

#PaleoArt #SciArt #FossilFriday #3dPrinting
3d printed Eothyris skull in white, side view. (Eothyris is prehistoric creature. The skull is kinda like a broad-headed lizard with a Roman nose. ) 3d printed Eothyris skull in white, top/side view. (Eothyris is prehistoric creature. The skull is kinda like a broad-headed lizard with a triangular shape. ) 3d printed Eothyris skull in white, back/top view. (Eothyris is prehistoric creature. The skull is kinda like a broad-headed lizard with a triangular shape. This view shows the hole for the "third eye" on top of the head. ) 3d printed Eothyris skull in white, the lower jaw is to the left and the cranium to the right. (Eothyris is prehistoric creature. The skull is kinda like a broad-headed lizard with a triangular shape. This view shows the palette, which has tiny teeth. )
October 24, 2025 at 12:51 PM
blueappaloosa.bsky.social
It has seen the HORRORS (or something that makes it laugh? I can't really tell.)
A 3d printed Sacabambaspis, white in color, top/front/side view. (Sacabambaspis is a prehistoric jawless fish. It's kinda torpedo shaped, with a flattish top. It has eyes like small round headlights right in the front of it's flattish face, and it's mouth is kinda smiling.)
October 24, 2025 at 11:19 AM
blueappaloosa.bsky.social
Here's this month's (out of season) #InvertArtChallenge, a Christmas Tree Worm! It's an invertebrate creature, not a plant. The "feathers" are modified palps used for capturing and eating tiny prey.

#SciArt #BugSky
Sketch of a Christmas tree worm (it kinda looks like a strange plant, with a thick round "trunk" and many feather-like tentacles branching out from the top like a flower). Watermark reads: Blue Appaloosa
October 24, 2025 at 3:44 AM
blueappaloosa.bsky.social
Realized I had completely misinterpreted what the diagrams were trying to show at the back of the skull. *Sigh* I think this is better.

Eothyris skull reconstruction.

(Paleo people, I welcome your feedback!)

#PaleoArt #SciArt #3dModeling
Screenshot of a 3d model of an Eothyris skull, top/back-ish view. (Eothyris is prehistoric creature. The skull is kinda like a broad-headed lizard and has a triangular shape. This view shows the hole for the "third eye" on top of the head.) Screenshot of a 3d model of an Eothyris skull, bottom/back-ish view. (Eothyris is prehistoric creature. The skull is kinda like a broad-headed lizard and has a triangular shape. This view shows the roof of the mouth, which has many small teeth.)
October 23, 2025 at 6:20 AM
blueappaloosa.bsky.social
WIP of another little project I've been working on. This phase is complete, now to possibly ruin it with the next phase. 😭

I guess it kinda counts as #PaleoArt?

(Hoplitomeryx skull reconstruction. 3d modeled, printed, and painted by me.)

#SciArt
Side view of a painted Hoplitomeryx skull (Hoplitomeryx was a prehistoric deer-like creature with prominent fangs and five horns. One central horn in the forehead between the eyes, and a forked horn above each eye.) Skull is panted in shades of yellowish tan and red. Watermark reads: Blue Appaloosa Front-ish view of a painted Hoplitomeryx skull (Hoplitomeryx was a prehistoric deer-like creature with prominent fangs and five horns. One central horn in the forehead between the eyes, and a forked horn above each eye.) Skull is panted in shades of yellowish tan and red. Watermark reads: Blue Appaloosa
October 21, 2025 at 12:37 PM
blueappaloosa.bsky.social
More Eothyris skull reconstruction pics. Think it's mostly done?

(Paleo people, I welcome your feedback! Palette and inside the skull are almost impossible to find reference for. I know it's all speculative, but I'm far from an expert on that stuff.)

#PaleoArt #3dModeling
Screenshot of a 3d model of an Eothyris skull, side-ish view. (Eothyris is prehistoric creature. The skull is kinda like a broad-headed lizard with a rounded snout and many sharp teeth.) Screenshot of a 3d model of an Eothyris skull, top-ish view. (Eothyris is prehistoric creature. The skull is kinda like a broad-headed lizard and has a triangular shape. This view shows the palette, which has additional teeth.) Screenshot of a 3d model of an Eothyris skull, top/back-ish view. (Eothyris is prehistoric creature. The skull is kinda like a broad-headed lizard and has a triangular shape. This view shows the hole for the "third eye" on top of the head.) Screenshot of a 3d model of an Eothyris skull, top-ish view. (Eothyris is prehistoric creature. The skull is kinda like a broad-headed lizard with a rounded snout and a triangular shape from the top.)
October 20, 2025 at 10:56 AM
blueappaloosa.bsky.social
Making friends with the scary ghosts. 🤣👻
A chestnut horse's head, touching a black, skull-headed ghost with her nose. A chestnut horse's head, touching a purple, skull-headed ghost with her nose.
October 20, 2025 at 2:50 AM
blueappaloosa.bsky.social
WIP of a 3d model of an Eothyris skull reconstruction. Will eventually have a lower jaw and be 3d printed.

(Paleo people, if you know this fossil I welcome your feedback! I studied reference, but I've never seen the fossil in person.)

#PaleoArt #3dModel
Screenshot of a 3d model of an Eothyris skull, bottom-ish view. (Eothyris is prehistoric creature. The skull is roughly triangular in shape, with many sharp teeth.) Screenshot of a 3d model of an Eothyris skull, side-ish view. (Eothyris is prehistoric creature. The skull has a kinda of Roman nose, with many sharp teeth.)
October 19, 2025 at 8:30 AM
blueappaloosa.bsky.social
Hear me out. Whale skulls are weird looking. And if I saw one without a broad knowledge of animal anatomy, I might assume it's from a bird.

Look at this sperm whale skull. Many whales lack teeth too.

(pic by Ulli 2mecs, CC-BY-SA-4.0 at commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Categor... )
Photo of a sperm whale skeleton, front/side-ish view. The skull long and pointed, kinda like a bird beak.
October 15, 2025 at 12:40 PM
blueappaloosa.bsky.social
Hello #PortfolioDay! I make 3d printed animal skulls, keyrings, magnets, and #SciComm models. I design, print, and finish everything myself. Check out my Etsy or Patreon for more!

Etsy: blueappaloosastudio.etsy.com
Patreon: patreon.com/BlueAppaloosa

#PaleoArt #BSNM #ArtShop #Invertebrates
Side view of a tan, 3d printed horse skull. The mouth is propped open with a popsicle stick, and the hyoid (tongue bones) are visible. Watermark reads: Blue Appaloosa A 3d printed model for demonstrating the movement in a viper skull. Different part are printed in different colors. Mouth is closed. Two 3d printed captorhinus skulls. On the left, tan colored, frontish view, mouth closed. On the right, white, sideish view, mouth propped open with a US penny. Three 3d printed stylized blowflies surrounding a US penny. They all have white wings and red eyes, but different colored bodies. The left one is green, the bottom one is blue, and the right side is black.
October 14, 2025 at 7:52 PM
blueappaloosa.bsky.social
That sadly horse passed away suddenly last year (colic, turned out to be intestinal entrapment). He was super tolerant of dress-up and photo-shoots, especially since treats were usually involved.

My current one is a chestnut mare who's waaay too smart for her own good. 🤣
A chestnut horse, from the front-ish, with her head turned towards the camera's left. She's wearing a bridle and a rainbow colored unicorn horn, and four orange fly boots.
October 14, 2025 at 3:18 AM
blueappaloosa.bsky.social
I've done it! I've discovered the secret to driving visits to Etsy: Fish Posting! 🤣🐟

(Seriously tho, that's quite a jump! Apparently a lot of you liked the Fish Cranial Kinesis model! Awesome!)
A chart showing a bumpy, but fairly consistent line, with a sudden huge spike at the end. Text with an arrow pointing to the first "higher" point says: Posted Fish Kinesis Model. Text under the x-axis: Sep 18, Sep 26, Oct 3, Oct 10.
October 11, 2025 at 2:39 AM
blueappaloosa.bsky.social
This is what I've been doing the last few days. Can you find the bones in this CT cross section? 😭

#SciArt
Screenshot of a cross-sect of a fish fin CT scan. A blue oval-ish shape with a lighter blue outline and some very faintly visible lighter blue shapes inside. Screenshot of a cross-sect of a fish fin CT scan. A blue oval-ish shape with a lighter blue outline and some green-ish shapes inside. It's the same image as the previous picture, but the faint shapes are a more obvious green-ish color.
October 10, 2025 at 12:30 AM
blueappaloosa.bsky.social
Fish cranial kinesis model is now listed in my Etsy shop! Hopefully useful for showing the mechanism that opens and closes a teleost fish's mouth.

(Ships from US) blueappaloosastudio.etsy.com

#SciArt #SciComm #BSNM #ArtShop #Fish
October 7, 2025 at 8:11 PM