Background
Gurney's assignments for National Geographic magazine required him to work with archaeologists to envision and paint ancient cities that no one alive today has ever seen. This inspired him to imagine his own, so he painted "Waterfall City" and "Dinosaur parade". These were originally done as "art prints for collectors". He later decided to create an imaginary island based on these paintings.
The character Bix in the series is modeled after the Dino-Riders Protoceratops toy.
Rather than digital tools, Gurney used "plein-air studies, thumbnail sketches, models photographed in costume and original cardboard or clay maquettes" to create 150 oil paintings for his 2007 Dinotopia book.
Many have claimed that some scenes in the film Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace (particularly those in the city of Theed on Naboo) unfairly copy images from Gurney's books. Gurney acknowledges the resemblance but has remained positive about it. In 1994, director George Lucas had met with producers to discuss some of the concepts and visuals behind a Dinotopia movie that was never made.
Read more about this topic: Dinotopia
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