All we like stories about real or fictional treasure hunters. Some of them like Heinrich Schliemann or Indiana Jones try to find handmade treasures. Others like Barnum Brown or George Edward Challenger search for ancient nature objects. And what about us? I am not a professional archaeologist or paleontologist but anyway then I find some interesting in a land on my summer cottage place or on a riverside (during fishing) I try to put it in my pockets ;-) At home it will be interesting to analyze what I get and sometimes it becomes real impressive. On one silicon stone I've found the impress of ancient plant! Another stone is the shell of ancient belemnite mollusk - 'devils finger'. I didn't find 'T. Rex' yet but... we can switch on our fantasy and realize the dinosaur using really ancient objects. So I decided to make appropriate mosaic with my stones collection.

Step 1: Search for Stones

The name of my native town Belgorod (Russia) in English translation is 'White-town'. It is because of huge mines of a chalk and silicon. Millions years ago there were a sea so there are a lot this materials in our land. I need only to see attentively under my feet to collect appropriate mineral stones. Some of them (silicon) have a black-white color and complicated shape, others (belemnites shells) looks like orange-colored cylinders and cones. Looking on them and moving them on the table like puzzle elements I get different pictures. Finally I have stopped on a dinosaur image. Why? Because this animal lived millions years ago and my stones came from the same times.

Step 2: Tools and Materials

Tools:

PVA-glue (a bit tube);
scissors;
brush small;
ruler;
pencil;
eraser.

Materials:

plywood plate (400х350mm, t=10mm) - 1 item;
nature silicon stones set (40х30х10mm, 30х20х10mm, 20х20х10mm,..) - 30..40 items;
belemnites shells (D=<10mm, L=20..30mm) - 10 items;
paper (A3) - 1 item.

You need to clean stones from chalk and lime and then wash them with water.

Step 3: Sketch Preparation

I plan to make mosaic on plywood plate so the first task is to make the sketch of a dinosaur and copy it on plywood surface. I have used a compilation of a brontosaur (general shape) and stegosaur (horns along the ridge) as a prototype. Draw sketch on a paper. Then cut the contour and use the paper stencil to copy image on a plywood.

Step 4: Stones Puzzle

This step is most creative stage. You need to fill the shape on plywood with your stones collection. For Dino's body I've used the largest silicon stones, for tail and neck - oblong elements, for horns - belemnites shells. You need to work cautiously to prevent the losing of your job - the stones are not fixed on the surface!

Step 5: Fixing the Mosaic

I used the PVA-glue to fix the stones position. This glue is very convenient and strong enough but have a limit - you need to keep the result glued object away from moisture. I plan to store mosaic indoor so this limit is not important. The same thing about the plywood base - it doesn't like wet, rain and low temperatures. So for outdoor you can us cement as a glue and concrete plate as a base for example. About the process of fixing. Work with stones one by one. Find the support points on them - three at least :-) Put the glue on these points and place the stone on its appropriate location. You have enough time (at least 5 minutes) to correct stone's position. The reliable fixing you will get after a 4-5 hours.

Step 6: Test the Result

My Dinosaur is in black-white style (because of the main material - silicon stones). But as I heard we have no reliable knowledge about the skin color of these ancient animals.

Step 7: P.S. Stones Around Us

The stone is infinity as universe. You can find everything inside them. When I worked on this project I've found the face image on one silicon stone. Another example. A few years ago I made some photos of a rocks on a seaside. Looking one of them I see the giant shark 'smiling' from the waves. Or it is only my imagination?!