How To Make A
REATURAMA
UNIVERSE
Giant Squid
12m long. Lives in the deep sea. Meat eater.
Artist Anthony
James creates his
deep sea models by
using recycled
materials.
If you want to build
your own deep sea
creature, here’s how
to do it.
What You Will Need
A Roll of WIDE Masking Tape. Scissors. A Black Felt tip pen.
A Plastic Pop Bottle. A Cereal Box. Newspaper. Coloured
Paper. Two plastic see through containers. Water based
(ready mixed) paint. Some brushes.
STEP 1 The Body
The first thing you will need is a roll of WIDE masking tape,
which is brilliant for making all kinds of models. The second
thing you will need is a large plastic pop bottle. Make sure it is
thoroughly washed out before you use it, dry with its top on.
Now tear off or cut off one page of a standard sized newspaper
and crumple this up in your hand. Once this is done re-open
the page and lay it flat on a table. Now stick masking tape all
around it, half on and half off, effectively sticking it down onto
the table. Only do this if you have an unvarnished worktop or a
work table. You now have a large patch of newspaper which
can be rolled around your plastic bottle and stuck down.
For more information ON THE WORK OF Anthony James log on to www.creaturama.com.
All materials and images - Copyright Anthony James / Creaturama. All rights reserved
STEP 2 the body
You should now have a bottle completely covered in crinkled newspaper, creating crinkly
squid skin and allowing the model to be painted later. You now need to create the squids
mantel (Unless your bottle is already the right shape like some flavoured water bottles are)
CORNY
FLAKES
STEP 3 the mantel
The mantel is the sharp end of the squids body. It
can be created using a cereal box. Cut down one
corner of a standard cereal box and then open the
bottom flaps so that you are left with just a large
sheet of card. Use the side without any wording or
graphics on so that you can paint it later. Now cut
out a VERY large triangle trying to use as much of
the card as possible.
Now you can fold this triangle in
half, down its length, don't roll it, just
fold it as if it’s a large paper
aeroplane.
Once you have done this masking
tape it together down the open side,
leaving the end open. You can then
attach this 3D cone to your bottle
creating the squids body.
For more information ON THE WORK OF Anthony James log on to www.creaturama.com.
All materials and images - Copyright Anthony James / Creaturama. All rights reserved
STEP 4 the tentacles.
You might need some assistance with this step as two sets of hands are better than
one. Use one sheet of newspaper and crumple it up into a ball, then undo it and
flatten it out again. Now hold one end and twist and squeeze from the other until you
make paper rope. Make sure you put some masking tape over the twists as you are
creating them to keep them twisted up. One long piece of masking tape about the
length of your forearm from elbow to hand should be enough. You will need to do this
at least 12 times for a giant squid
If you get too bored
making loads of
tentacles just make 6
or 7 and your squid
will still look good!
STEP 5 Hunting
tentacles.
Giant squid have two slightly longer
tentacles. You can make these with
newspaper too, but stick on two leaf
shaped pieces of card onto the ends to
create the Squids special Hunting
tentacles.
For more information ON THE WORK OF Anthony James log on to www.creaturama.com.
All materials and images - Copyright Anthony James / Creaturama. All rights reserved
STEP 6 the fins
To create the squids fins you will need two A4 pieces of thin coloured card (the colour
of your squid) Simply fold these into two fans by continually folding the card
alternative ways. Once you have created the fins place each side of the squids
mantel and fix into position.
STEP 7 the eyes
There are several ways to create the squids two large
eyes. One is to find two transparent plastic containers that
look the right size. Draw round these on a piece of white
paper and then use a black felt tip to create a black pupil
in the middle of these two round shapes. Then cut these
out and stick the paper eyes onto the squid using double
sided tape. Once these are in position you can then stick
the two transparent containers over them to create
transparent staring eyes
Wrap the masking tape half on
and half off the transparent
containers art there bases so
as not to cover them too much
with tape, then cut petals out of
the tape and fold back.
For more information ON THE WORK OF Anthony James log on to www.creaturama.com.
All materials and images - Copyright Anthony James / Creaturama. All rights reserved
STEP 8 Painting
Once the eyes are fixed on then its all
about painting. Choose one colour and
paint the whole model, tentacles as well,
this same colour and let this coat dry. You
can then add stripes or spots with a
different colour when this is dry. Painting
one colour like this makes your models look
really crisp and clean.
The finished
transparent eye
with its masking
tape ready to
stick.
FINISHED
If you can make a squid as
outlined here then the sky’s the
limit for your model making, as
sticking newspaper around a
bottle and then creating a sharp
tail is how to make lots of other
models—like Rockets, Dinosaurs
and Dragons.
GIVE IT A GO!
For more information ON THE WORK OF Anthony James log on to www.creaturama.com.
All materials and images - Copyright Anthony James / Creaturama. All rights reserved
Artist Anthony James Presents
As seen on BBC’s ‘Blue Peter’ & ITV’s ‘KINGDOM’
REATURAMA
UNIVERSE
DEEP SEA
Educational & fun mask and model
making Workshops for Schools
Museums & Galleries.
Artist Anthony James presents some of his incredible masks, models and costumes, all
created from recycled materials and used in exhibitions, theatre and television.
He talks about his work, it’s design and it’s construction to both delight and inspire.
Anthony then helps both staff, pupils or the general public to build their own fabulous
creations using household junk and recycled materials, while stressing the importance
of research, design, technology and imagination. For more information on charges and
materials needed go to -
Www.creaturama.com
All materials and images - Copyright Anthony James / Creaturama. All rights reserved