...muscle insertions. In other ceratopsians, the ornamental fringe above the neck muscle insertions is taller than in Triceratops, with very large window-like holes that would have been covered by skin & other tissues, but could not have supported the musculature & dense tissues of a hump (2/2).

It's definitely not a hump. While the layout of cavities suggests thick neck muscle insertion, the frill would still be a very prominent ornamental fringe. The vascular surface textures indicate tight intergrowth of skin to the bone, including a broad area on the rear surface above the... (1/2)

Skinny-necked Triceratops are my single biggest palaeoart pet peeve. Many otherwise pretty great illustrations and models from top-tier talent fall into this trap, and it's a real deal breaker for me. I almost feel a genuine discomfort in my own neck when I look at them, no joke.

(Triceratops prorsus holotype skull from Hatcher's original monograph, interpreted muscle insertion layout from Tsuihiji 2010, 3D reconstruction by yours truly, built atop the Smithsonian's composite skeleton)

In any case, I don't necessarily think that strong bony landmarks on the face of T. rex is strictly wrong, but that's besides the point of this piece.

It's an exaggerated character, not a "real" T. rex. The overall shrink-wrapped, emaciated look is both for the aesthetics and is part of the "lore".

This one isn't meant to be strict palaeoart! It's more of a character pitch for how I'd handle a T. rex in a horror-like setting, rule of cool and aesthetics taking some priority over what my actual palaeoart life appearance opinions would be.

Keep chugging through it Blender, I believe in you!

Similarities are expected even in ethical dino art.

But what I'm speaking about here is down to the level of very specific outline work & stylisations that couldn't have been created independently, couldn't be unintentional cultural osmosis, and couldn't have been done via ethical reference use.

There's some messyness around the lower jaw that needs cleaning up and ironing, but pretty happy with this portrait overall.