Stu Pond

@stupond

PaleoStu. Self-employed creative specialising in scientific visualisation, illustration, motion graphics, graphic design, 3D. Avocational palaeontologist working on armoured dinosaurs. Scientific Associate at The Natural History Museum, London 🦕

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Stu Pond@stupond· 22d

RIP Bill Oddie, an inspiration to young schoolboy Stu not only for his Goodie brilliance, but as a birder and naturalist. In these dark times we need the Oddies of the world, and he will be much missed. #birding #science #funkyGibbon

Stu Pond@stupond· 25d

From cells, organelles and MOAs to dinosaurs, devices and ecosystems, if you need an illustration, video or animation, then get in touch and let's work together!

Stu Pond@stupond· 25d

This issue of Nature discusses the state of the art in the age of AI and is well worth a read. Lots of interesting points made by the artists interviewed. I'll leave you to draw your own conclusions, but whatever happens, scientific visualisation will need experienced artists. 2/3

3D render of a T. rex skeleton by Stu Pond

Black and white skeletal illustration of Vectipelta by Stu Pond

Illustration of an Eosinophil by Stu Pond

Prostate-specific antigen in a cell, still frame from an animation by Stu Pond

Stu Pond@stupond· Jul 19

Tyrannosaurus rex : graphite & watercolour

Stu Pond@stupond· Jul 13

RIP Sam Neill. Jurassic Park is one of my favourite films and Neill's character Dr Alan Grant inspired a new generation to consider palaeontology as a career. “They’re moving in herds. They do move in herds.”

Pic shows Sam Neill as Dr Alan Grant and Laura Dern was they watch dinosaurs in the distance, moving in herds.

Stu Pond@stupond· Jun 14

RIP David Hockney. Such an influence on myself and so many others. I could’t pick a favourite work of his, but this painting of a country lane from his Yorkshire Sketchbook is a wonder, and I revisit it time and again.

Stu Pond@stupond· May 29

The skeleton of Hypsilophodon found by Mick Green on the Isle of Wight in 2006, currently on display at The Etches Collection. #FossilFriday

Stu Pond@stupond· May 15

Finally made it to The Etches Collection on the Isle of Purbeck last week. The huge pliosaur skull was the star of the show for sure; a stunning fossil, beautifully prepped. Also gorgeous fossils of other marine reptiles, pterosaurs, fish and dinosaurs (yay!) #FossilFriday

view of the main gallery of The Etches Collection

Close-up of the snout and teeth of the huge pliosaur on display at The Etches Collection

The huge pliosaur skull on display at The Etches Collection

Me and the huge pliosaur skull on display at The Etches Collection

Stu Pond@stupond· Mar 18

Barnacle Geese on the fringes of the local Canada gaggle. Beautiful. #birding

Barnacle Geese on the fringes of the local Canada gaggle, image shows three Canada geese with three Barnacle geese behind them.

Stu Pond@stupond· Feb 23

First frogspawn of the year seen this morning here at the foot of the Cheshire Peak District. prev at same location: 04.03.25; 29.02.24; 03.03.23; 08.03.22; 12.03.21; 09.03.20.

A picture of fresh frogspawn in a local stream (seen today 230226), with a frog in attendance.

Stu Pond@stupond· Feb 13

Got T. rex on my mind for the first time in a while. Here's an isolated T. rex manual ungual in the wild, found by one of the team whilst prospecting in the Hell Creek, Montana in 2010. #FossilFriday

An isolated T. rex manual ungual found whilst prospecting in the Hell Creek, Montana in 2010

Stu Pond@stupond· Feb 10

If cutaneous spikes were widespread in ornithischians, it'd make any ankylosaurs sporting them look even more dramatic. I suspect they were more so than we often depict them (see Spicomellus). Speculative doodle of the head and neck of Polacanthus from a 2015 sketchbook. #ankylosaurs #SciArt

A speculative reconstruction of the head and neck of Polacanthus with cutaneous spikes drawn in 2015.

Stu Pond@stupond· Feb 6

It's the weekend... and relax.

Stu Pond@stupond· Jan 30

This is one of two 60w daylight simulation bulbs purchased when I was an art student 43 years ago. The first popped in 2021 after 39 years of continuous service, near daily usage. The second incandesced for 4 years until it pinged last night. We shall not see their light again. #SciArt

A 43 years old daylight simulation bulb that popped last night.

Stu Pond@stupond· Dec 12

Dorsal view of the skull of Pinacosaurus, the specimen is still in its field jacket. Seen at the Dinosaurs of China exhibition in 2017. #FossilFriday

Stu Pond@stupond· Nov 19

Snow on the tops this morning here on the edge of the Peak District in Cheshire. #snow

Snowy hills at the edge of the Peak District, with bare trees and green field beneath.

Stu Pond@stupond· Nov 15

Nothing on the news, but the storm that blew through last night was the worst I’ve ever seen. Trees down all across the village, structural damage (lost a soffit), roofs blown off buildings. I collected conkers from this beautiful horse chestnut a few weeks ago. The pool is new too.

Stu Pond@stupond· Nov 14

Sadly I can't be at #2025SVP, and thanks to all the tweeters for keeping us informed. Here are some 3D meshes of dinosaur skeletons I have created for research and outreach, based on 3D data from photogrammetry, lidar & first-hand observation. I hope to have prints of this available soon! #SciArt

3D meshes of dinosaur skeletons created for research and outreach.

Stu Pond@stupond· Nov 4

Scientific visualisation is a speciality of mine. Illustrations, graphic design, motion graphics. Got lots of capacity. Get in touch via DM or my website (link below👇). #SciArt

Stu Pond@stupond· Oct 29

Blast from the past: Old digital flyer from the early 2010s showcasing some off the palaeo and sci vis work I'd done over the years as a freelancer. Much water passed under the bridge since then, but I'm still available for hire! #scivis #sciart

Promotional image for my work as a freelancer

Stu Pond@stupond· Oct 28

I can remember the first time I saw a thin section under a microscope. I was fascinated by the science and struck by the beauty of the sections. I couldn't wait to see thin sections of dinosaur bone, so had my own slides made from rolled fragments picked up on IOW beaches. #palaeontology

A thin section of dinosaur bone seen under a polarising microscope

Stu Pond@stupond· Oct 27

From the day job: The monitoring of Prostate specific antigen (PSA) levels is a vital tool in screening for prostate cancer. In this shot PSA is about to leave a cell in the prostate gland and head into the bloodstream. Cinema 4D, After Effects, zBrush, Logic X. #SciVis #SciArt

Stu Pond@stupond· Oct 21

Alright? Going to #SVP2025 in Birmingham? Make yourself at home with a bit of Brummie lingo on your tee-shirt! Bostin! Alternatively, bag a cool palaeo-related tee and impress your friends and peers. Link to my RedBubble shop in the comments 👇

Stu Pond@stupond· Oct 21

PaleoStu's Movie Reviews: Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives. When does a movie become art? This Thai film moves at a gentle pace and invites the viewer to drift along with the narrative. Superb sound design. Sensitive, thoughtful filmaking that lingers in the mind. Recommended. 8/10

Still from the film Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives

Stu Pond@stupond· Oct 17

On this day in 2012 we were at the SVP icebreaker at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences. A terrific museum and a great meeting. The field trip to NC and Virginia was superb. We also visited the Great Smoky Mountains after the meeting. Great trip! #FossilFriday

Stu Pond@stupond· Oct 14

I specialise in scientific illustrations, motion graphics, animations and graphic design. Get in touch!

Stu Pond@stupond· Oct 2

Need science visuals? Graphic design? Scientific illustration? Motion graphics? I do those! Get in touch and let's discuss how we can work together to communicate your research. I can create visual assets for journals, social media, print, meetings or outreach. Website here: stuartponddesign.com

Stu Pond@stupond· Sep 15

Walking through the woods and heard hammering, the source being this Nuthatch that was in the process of successfully extracting an acorn lodged in the bark of a mature Ash tree, presumably by one of the very vocal and industrious jays that were about at the time. #birding

Stu Pond@stupond· Sep 12

Species interaction over millions of years. Limpets sheltering in a dinosaur footprint seen at the impressive Triassic track site at the Bendricks, Barri, Cymru. #FossilFriday

Species interaction over millions of years. Limpets sheltering in a dinosaur footprint at the Bendricks, an impressive Triassic track site at Barri, Cymru.

Stu Pond@stupond· Sep 9

Scientific illustrations? I create those! Simple or complex, 2D or 3D, for any subject illustrations can communicate complex research, processes and concepts effectively. Plus scope for re-usage across a range of channels of delivery. Get in touch! #SciArt