If I make a squid, which one should it be??

[pipsquek]

Monterey is a squid loving town. Not just because they have caught and eaten tons and tons of them, but because they actually like them. Four people have seriously requested that I make a squid for them after seeing Big Red, and I am seriously comtemplating the idea for a couple of them.

So which one should I do??

Keep in mind, it has to be a species that I can get plenty of material on, so no newly found species that has only been photographed once. Also, I am really into doing things life size, but no one currently wants, or can afford, for me to build and Archie.

 

[cbarela]

If I may suggest...

Taningia Danae is pretty damn cool looking. That or Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni. Unfortunately there isn't GOBS of images of either of these (or any of the really neat large deep sea cephs).
My two cents worth.
-Chris

 

[pipsquek]

I just remembered that I asked someone a few year ago for pictures of a GPO hecto. (Actually, I asked a lot of people for help, but this was one fo the two that came through for me.) He was resistant to helping me until I offered money (I was really desparate). I finally got a couple of pictures from him a few weeks after, and promised to send him the afformentioned money. But I didn't, and now I'm feeling guilty, because I don't remember his name, or where he was located, and the computer that I had that info on is long dead. If anyone out there knows of who this might be, please let me know so that I can send him the money.

 

[Clem]

Hello Pipsquek,

I'd second Cbarela's Taningia suggestion. It's big enough to be impressive, but not Archie big. Two nice things about Taningia are the large, lemon-yellow photophores on the arm tips. It might be cool to render those in a different metal from the rest of the sculpt.

What about the Humboldt squid, Dosidicus gigas? 6ft long, with big eyes, fins and keels on the arms. Hooks, too. (Actually, both of these squid have hooks on the arms; wouldn't that be fun to render in metal, over and over and over and over again.)

But then, there's always Moroteuthis robusta, the Pacific giant squid. It's warty mantle texture would reproduce well in your chosen medium, and the overall plan is similar to Archie's.

Sorry to be so unfocused, but knowing the quality of your work it's difficult not to imagine the possibilities.

Cheers,

Clem

 

[pipsquek]

I like the idea of a Humboldt just because I know a fisherman who has offered to get one for me. Pictures are great and necessary, but the real thing is the best.

 

[joel_ang]

Archi would look pretty cool i'm sure, its not exactly a squid but howabout a vampy? :vampyro

 

[erich orser]

Jonathan,

You've mentioned that you have some contacts in the local marine biological community. I like Taningia quite a bit, but I'd pick a locally-occurring specimen such as the other two Clem mentioned. I'm a freak about the Humbodlt, dosidicus gigas, and then the moroteuthis robusta is pretty amazing as well. While not the same, obviously, I've found the easiest way to fix a picture of moroteuthis in the minds of lay-people (like me) is to describe them the way the late Dr. Dustin Chivers at the Steinhardt did for me: "They're like the toy-poodle version of an architeuthis, right down to the ammonia!" I know MBARI has footage of both, plus there's a preserved humboldt from the Doc Ricketts days pickled and on display in a huge jar at the Monterey Bay Aquarium. Down in Santa Barbara at the great Natural History Museum, there is a preserved morotuthis on display beneath the 23-foot architeuthis model. Back to Humboldts, well, they've been in the news here in California a lot over the last couple of years, so there's likely going to be interest in one, plus they've got awesome swimming keels, proportionately large fins, and really obvious barbs - nearly spikes, really - ringing each sucker. And both these squid have hooks.

Erich

 

[snafflehound@work]

What about an ammonite?

 

[Donnerboy]

Can I get a picture of your sculpture?

That is really good looking from what I can see.

I would love to get a bigger pic if you would send me one or post one up.

Thanks,
Will

 

[Tintenfisch]

Hi guys,
Just a clarification - unless I'm going crazy - Dosidicus does have seriously evil teeth on the sucker rings, but no hooks, per se. I believe the only taxa with arm hooks are the Octopoteuthidae, Enoploteuthidae, Gonatidae, and Mesonychoteuthis. But Moroteuthis robusta definitely has tentacular hooks.

 

[erich orser]

Kat,

Nope, you're not going crazy. Humboldts are hook-less. My bad.

Erich

 

[Phil]

I believe the only taxa with arm hooks are the Octopoteuthidae, Enoploteuthidae, Gonatidae, and Mesonychoteuthis. But

Oh don't forget the ancient belemnites, they all had arm hooks too....those poor unloved unsung heroes of the primitive coleoids!

 

[Clem]

Kat,

My bad, first.

So, Pipsquek, instead of hooks you'll have to model sharp teeth ringing each of the suckers. Doesn't that sound like more fun?



Clem

 

[cthulhu77]

You could always go to the other end of the spectrum, and do a silver Loligo...or if an octo, an annealed copper and pewter Mimic...
but, then again, size does matter...
greg

 

[Tintenfisch]

Oh don't forget the ancient belemnites, they all had arm hooks too....those poor unloved unsung heroes of the primitive coleoids!

LOL. Sorry, Phil, my bad as well!