I am a metal sculptor that works with copper and bronze. For the last three years I have been working on an octopus of quite some size. I never really expected that there would be a place that I could show it off where it would get the proper attention that the animal deserves, but then part of the reason I started it was to teach people about them. Anyway, it's not quite finished, but I though I would go ahead and put some pictures of it up on this site.

If anyone knows where I can find good pictures of hectocotylized arms I would greatly appreciate it. I have been looking for the last two years but have only found fuzzy, dark and grainy pictures. I am specifically looking for Giant Pacifics, but anything to help me get a better idea of them would be great.

Thanks.

:shock:

That is so cool. I'm really looking forward to photos of the completed masterpiece.

:notworth:


:welcome: , by the way.

me too!!! :notworth: :notworth: :notworth: :notworth:

J

You wouldn't happen to have made any other fabulous ceph (or other marine animal) sculptures, would you?

octosational!

It's great! Welcome to TONMO!

Melissa

Fantastic! Such talent......

Where do you intend to exhibit it, do you think?

:we;come: to TONMO.com!

Great work you've been doing there!! :D

You wouldn't happen to have made any other fabulous ceph (or other marine animal) sculptures, would you?

This is the first ceph I've done, but I have done other sealife for quite a while. The last piece that I finished was a California Horn Shark. I would like to make a cuttlefish, but I am having some trouble finding pictures of certain angles, especially how the suction disks are on the arms. My next project is probably going to be a leafy sea dragon, but as a mermaid. I have lots of good pics of them at various angles that I took at the Monterey Bay Aquarium. I would like to do an angel shark or a wobbegong as well, but again there is the problem of pictures. I spend about as much time looking for pics and reference material as I do welding.

Fantastic! Such talent......

Where do you intend to exhibit it, do you think?

I don't know that I will. I have a few problems with galleries, and I haven't yet found one in this area that I feel comfortable with. And I would rather a person have it than an institution or muesem, even if it means talking much less for it than I than I would want to. Most likely I will keep it myself for at least 3 months after it is finished to make sure that I am happy with all aspects of it.

Well, you won't really have to put suction disks on their arms. :cuttle: 's arms have their suckers folded into their arms, so they won't normally be seen unless they are holding on to stuff.

Well, you won't really have to put suction disks on their arms. :cuttle: 's arms have their suckers folded into their arms, so they won't normally be seen unless they are holding on to stuff.

The most dynamic pictures I have seen so far do show top two arms raised and showing suckers, and that is the pose I would want to make one in. It would be helpful to find a dead one some day, one that I could poke a bit and take pictures of.

Want me to send wasabe when he dies :lol: ? Try doing a google image search on cuttlefish. There are quite a few in that 'pose' :wink:

Pipsquek,

Your octopus is extraordinary. Congratulations.

Clem

Thats an amazing piece of artwork, pipsquek!

Well, I am about a month or so from finishing this piece that has been more of a ruling factor in my life than I ever came close to imagining. I had no idea when I started this thing that it would help me stay alive through amazingly bad times, and I had no idea that that was the case before I typed it here. WOW.

Anyway, I still have to finish quite a bit of detail work, the papalliae, wrinkles, etc., before I do the patina. But here is a pic of how he looked when I stopped working on him today.

His name is Big Red.

He looks really great to me right now!

I'm quite curious as to how you're going to make the papillae.

Great sculpture!!!!

How big is the piece? I can't tell from the pictures.

Do you have photographs of your other works? or a website with pictures?

It is about 3 1/2 ft tall, and 2 1/2 ft wide and deep. The only other sealife I have made in the last four years is a California Horn Shark, but I can't find the CD that has the pictures on it. I have made other things, fountains, mirrors, and some kinda kitchy stuff, but most of it has been trades for chiropractics, printing, etc. Website is in the near future, right after I finish Big Red, and someone who is willing to do it on trade. Big Red has been pretty expensive to make, and doesn't leave much time for paying pieces, but I recently quit my day job in order to do this full time. I am starting on an elephant head later this week, but that's a donation for auction to a local wild animal refuge. After that and Big Red are done, I plan on making a leafy she dragon, but it will be a mermaid, a leafy she-dragon.

Very nice! Unbelievable detail! :notworth:
greg

That is truly amazing! :D

Five years and nearly 2,000 individually fabricrated suction cups later, "Big Red" is done. He's almost four feet from base to tip top, and weighs in at about 75lbs. The rock that he is on is probably over a hunderd. The arm that is tucked up underneath the mantle is the hecto, which I finally got a look at after 3 years of searching in all the wrong places. Whaddaya think sirs and madams???

:shock:

What do I think?

:notworth: :notworth: :notworth: ...

This is fabulous!

2000 suction cups - I will never again complain about monotonous work!

Melissa

2000? pshah........

you need at least 5000 to make it a decent representation......




Only kidding..... very nice work :thumbsup:

:shock:
Holly.
Molly.

Best octo piece of art i've ever seen :notworth: :notworth:

TPOTH

I posted a picture in the gallery section, and it was up for a few days, and now it's gone. I don't get it.

And thanks TPOTH, that is exactly what I was trying for.

Is this your picture? (http://www.tonmo.com/gallery/profile.php?uid=1440)

Melissa-

Yes it is. What happened? I put it up with a little info, and if was there for a couple of days, and then it was gone.

These are mysteries of the ether - maybe Tony can offer an answer.

But your picture is right there in the gallery.

Melissa

It's still there!

here's the link... (http://www.tonmo.com/gallery/displayimage.php?album=10&pos=3)

I cant even begin to explain how impressed I am...