Emprego de tecnologias de baixo custo como ferramentas na representação virtual de espécies extintas.

Abstract

The representation of extinct species is an important auxiliary tool in Paleontology, since the time when only manual drawings and paintings existed. These traditional illustrations provided a link between theoretical and visual concepts, whether for the academic or popular world. Within this context, computer graphics technologies emerged as a versatile resource, being used in several areas of science, among which are paleontological research. With the evolution of information technology and its popularization, it has become easier to apply this type of technology within paleontological studies, bringing back the image of what the look and even the behavior of beings that no longer exist on Earth would be like millions of years ago. However, there are difficulties in adopting computational means, considering that there is a very large variation in the cost and accessibility of software and technologies in the market, with equipment and applications that require the investment of considerably high values in computers and program licenses, in addition to a complex learning curve, facts that limit the choice of this type of resource to a limited number of users. However, it is possible to get around these problems, considering the existence of alternative methods and applications that provide work with the same quality, but with a more accessible investment perspective. This work aimed to develop a lower cost methodological proposal for those who seek to enter the scientific field of paleontological visual representation, using free and also low-cost software, in addition to accessible techniques. To apply the methodology, a virtual reconstruction of the Brazilian pterosaur Tropeognathus mesembrinus was carried out over a period of five months using Blender, Krita, Adobe Substance 3D Painter and Meshroom software, showing the steps to be followed to achieve a result with good scientific accuracy. In the end, after analyzing each phase and selected tools, the methodology's ability was proven to be a useful and considerably lower cost alternative to the high-value options popularly used in the market, thus providing a more accessible path for initiation in paleoart.