Prehistoric Life
Fred Adell - Wildlife Artist Prehistoric Life Mixed Media (Ink, watercolor, tempera) on illustration board
AMEBELODON ("shovel-tusked mastodon) & TELEOCERAS (short-legged rhinoceros) scene:
2022
Mixed Media (Ink, watercolor, tempera) on illustration board
24" x 36"

(What is now) Kansas in the late Miocene (9 million years ago). The shovel0tusked mastodon grew 10-15 feet long, weighed 8- 10 tons, the short-legged rhinos were 8-10 feet long, weighed about 5 tons, both inhabited wetlands (marshes) in the Great Plains region of North America, when grasslands were becoming more widespread...

Fred Adell - Wildlife Artist Prehistoric Life Mixed Media (Ink, watercolor, tempera) on illustration board
ARGENTAVIS (meaning "Argentine Bird)"
2022
Mixed Media (Ink, watercolor, tempera) on illustration board
24" x 36"

Giant condor- like bird of the late Miocene (over 10 million year ago) inhabited southern South America (Argentina & Chile), largest (heaviest) known flying bird(over 150 lbs.) to have existed. Wingspan was estimated to be 15-20 ft. Depicted here one is about to feed on a MACRAUCHENIA (camel-like ungulate, more closely related to tapirs and horses) carcass. Both creatures lived at a time when South America was an island continent (like Australia) before connecting with North America (via the Isthmus of Panama) about 5 million years ago.
Fred Adell - Wildlife Artist Prehistoric Life Mixed Media (Ink, watercolor, tempera) on illustration board
" ELASMOSAURUS (E.platyurus) VS. TYLOSAURUS (T. proriger)"
2022
Mixed Media (Ink, watercolor, tempera) on illustration board
24" x 36"

Existing in the Cretaceous Period of the Mesozoic Era, Elasmosaurus (a plesiosaur) and Tylosaurus (a Mosasaur) some 70 million years ago in the Niobrara Sea (named for the river in Nebraska) which connected the Gulf of Mexico with Hudson Bay, essentially dividing North America into two subcontinents: Appalachia in the East, and Laramidia in the West. Plesiosaurs (meaning "near lizard") like the Elasmosaurus were characterized by elongated necks and tails(the body itself rather compact) and reaching lengths of over 60 feet, but only weighing a couple of tons. The more massive (though shorter) Mosasaurs (named for the Meuse River in Germany), were shorter (about 40 feet) but considerably heavier (5-10 tons) and much more powerful. Unlike the Plesiosaurs, Mosasaurs were in fact true lizards, most closely related to the Monitors (Varanidae) such as the Nile, the Goanna, and the Komodo "Dragon" of today, but evolved for a primarily sea-going life.

lived during the Cretacous Period of the Mesozoic Era, some 80-65 million years ago. The setting is the Niobrara Sea (which connected the Gulf Coast with Hudson Bay),in what is now Kansas to the Dakotas. Plesiosaurs (meaning"near-lizard") were marine relatives of modern lizards (but not true lizards) , characterized by elongated necks and tails. They could measure up to 60 feet long, but weighed only a few tons, whereas the Mosasaurs (which are true lizards, related to the modern- day Monitors) measured about 40 feet long, but were more massive, weighing up to 20 tons
Fred Adell - Wildlife Artist Prehistoric Life Mixed Media (White Gesso, white laundry marker, black ballpoint pen) on black illustration board
"GORGOSAURUS (G.libratus)VS. STYRACOSAURUS (S. albertensis)"
2022
Mixed Media (White Gesso, white laundry marker, black ballpoint pen) on black illustration board
24"x 36"

The Gorgosaurus (meaning "Fierce Lizard") and Styracosaurus (meaning "Shield Lizard") both inhabited what is now western Canada circa 80 million years ago. Mesozoic Era, Cretaceous Period.
Fred Adell - Wildlife Artist Prehistoric Life Mixed Media (Ink, watercolor, tempera) on watercolor paper
"NANUQUSAURUS (N. hoglundi)"
2022
Mixed Media (Ink, watercolor, tempera) on watercolor paper
18" x 24"

Literally meaning "Polar Bear Lizard", Nanuqsaurus inhabited the Arctic coasts of (what are now) Canada & Alaska some 70 million years ago, It evolved adaptations such as a thickly feather coat (most likely white) for insulation against the frigid temperatures to be encountered at that latitude .Mesozoic Era, Cretaceous Period.
Fred Adell - Wildlife Artist Prehistoric Life Mixed Media (Ink, watercolor, tempera) on illustration board
"SPINOSAURUS (S. aegypticus)"
2022
Mixed Media (Ink, watercolor, tempera) on illustration board
24" x 36"

This sail-backed carnosaur actually specialized in a diet of fish (including small sharks) lurking in coastal wetlands of what is now North Africa (Egypt to Morrocco) over 90 million years ago...It was among the largest of the predatory dinosaurs, exceeded in size only by Giganatosaurus of southern South America. Mesozoic Era, Cretaceous Period.
Fred Adell - Wildlife Artist Prehistoric Life Mixed Media (Ink, watercolor, tempera) on illustration board
QUETZALCOATLUS (Q. northropi) QUARTET"
2022
Mixed Media (Ink, watercolor, tempera) on illustration board
24" x 36"

At a total mass of over 200 lbs., and a wingspan of approximately 30 ft., Quetzalcoatlus (named after a Toltec serpent god) would've needed a very strong thermal to be airborne, and much of the time it walked on land, stalking prey like a Marabou Stork (Leptoptulus crumeniferus) would.Those living along a coast would include fish (as depicted here in their diet, while inland populations would've hunted smaller reptiles (perhaps primitive mammals as well) that they could grab. A type of pterosaur (pterodactyl kin), Quetzalcoatlus lived about 70 million years ago in (what is now) Texas and northeastern Mexico. Mesozoic Era, Cretaceous Period.
Fred Adell - Wildlife Artist Prehistoric Life Mixed Media (Ink, watercolor, tempera) on primed (gesso) cardboard
"DILOPHOSAURUS (D.wetherilli) PAIR"
2021
Mixed Media (Ink, watercolor, tempera) on primed (gesso) cardboard
12" x 18"

Early Jurassic 175 Million Years Ago in (what is now) Southwestern U.S. (into northern Mexico). "Dilophosaurus" means "Double-crested" lizard. Mesozoic Era, Jurassic Period.
Fred Adell - Wildlife Artist Prehistoric Life Mixed Media (Ink, watercolor, tempera) on watercolor paper
"CRYOLOPHOSAURUS (C.ellioti) PAIR DEVOURING GLACIALISAURUS (G.hammeri) "
2022
Mixed Media (Ink, watercolor, tempera) on watercolor paper
18" x 24"

.Fossils of both (about 200million years old) were discovered in Antarctica, which at the time they existed was 400 miles north of its present location, and had a climate more like New Zealand (temperate rainforest along the coast, snow-capped mountains inland). "Cryolophosaurus" means "Icy Crested Lizard" Mesozoic Era, Jurassic Period.
Fred Adell - Wildlife Artist Prehistoric Life Mixed Media (Ink, watercolor, tempera) on watercolor paper
"ARCHAEOPTERYX (A. lithographica)"
2022
Mixed Media (Ink, watercolor, tempera) on watercolor paper
11" x 15"

Discovered in limestone deposits in Bavaria, Germany (where it's known as "Urvogel") in the early 19th Century,the Archaeopteryx lived about 150 million years ago. It is considered the first true bird by paleontologists & ornithologists, although the creature retained it. "Archaeopteryx" means "Ancient Wing." Mesozoic Era, Jurassic Period.
Fred Adell - Wildlife Artist Prehistoric Life Mixed Media (Ink, watercolor, tempera) on illustration board
"SABERTOOTH 'TIGER' (Smilodon fatalis)"
2020
Mixed Media (Ink, watercolor, tempera) on illustration board
20" x 30" illustration board
Fred Adell - Wildlife Artist Prehistoric Life Mixed Media(Ink, watercolor, tempera) on illustration board
"DIRE WOLVES (Aenocyon dirus)"
2020
Mixed Media(Ink, watercolor, tempera) on illustration board
20" x 30"
Fred Adell - Wildlife Artist Prehistoric Life Mixed Media (Ink, watercolor, tempera) on illustration board
" SHORT-FACED BEAR (Arctodus simus) "
2020
Mixed Media (Ink, watercolor, tempera) on illustration board
20" x 30"
Fred Adell - Wildlife Artist Prehistoric Life  Mixed Media (Ink, watercolor, tempera) on illustration board
"CAVE BEAR (Ursus spelaeus)"
2020
Mixed Media (Ink, watercolor, tempera) on illustration board
20" x 30"

Living from 1.4 Million to 24 Thousand Years ago during the Ice Ages, the Cave Bear inhabited central and northern parts of Europe and Asia. Slightly larger than a Kodiak Bear (Ursus arctos middendorfi). it was primarily herbivorous(plant-eating) in diet Climate change and competition for living space with early Man precipitated its extinction.
Fred Adell - Wildlife Artist Prehistoric Life Mixed Media (ink, watercolor, tempera)
"IRISH ELK (Megalaceros giganteus)"
2022
Mixed Media (ink, watercolor, tempera)
20" x 30"
Fred Adell - Wildlife Artist Prehistoric Life Mixed Media (Ink, watercolor, tempera, color pencil) on illustration board
"MEGANEURA (GIANT DRAGONFLY)"
2022
Mixed Media (Ink, watercolor, tempera, color pencil) on illustration board
24" x 36"

Meganeura (meaning "Great Nerves"* in Ancient Greek) lived in (what are now) Europe and North America during the Carboniferous Period (350-280 Million Years Ago), and had a wingspan of up to 30 inches. It inhabited rainforests of tree ferns and horsetails, feeding on smaller insects (and other invertebrates), as well as small amphibians and perhaps very primitive (early) reptiles.

* Because the veins in its wing membranes resembled nerves.
Fred Adell - Wildlife Artist Prehistoric Life Mixed Media  (Ink, watercolor, tempera) on illustration board
"LAMBEOSAURUS (Lambeoraurus lambei)"
2022
Mixed Media (Ink, watercolor, tempera) on illustration board
20" x 30"