Monday, November 14, 2011

The Congo Specimen

Another specimen from the Miskatonic University collection, this time from the 1927 expedition to the Congo. As usual, things didn't end well.







The glowing fluid is a by product of illuminating the interior of the jar with reflected light. The tabletop is lit by shop lights on both sides. Light passes into the jar and gets bounced off a circle of white paper sitting under the jar and a rectangle behind it. I stumbled across the idea trying to get decent shots of specimens floating in fluid.

If you like it, the specimen is currently on Ebay .

8 comments:

Alex Kaeda said...

A masterpiece!

I certainly wouldn't want to encounter such a creature during an expedition, especially miles and miles from civilization.

Anonymous said...

Very cool. Those early expeditions never ended well. Safer to be a lab scientist - until these specimens show up, of course.

beigemac said...

Very cool. I am curious about why you chose to have green claws on the creature, though.

CoastConFan said...

Thanks for the photographing pointer about the reflector under the sample. It really gives the fluid a creepy internal glow.

Propnomicon said...

@Alex Kaeda

Thank you for the very kind words.

@Anonymous

I expect graduate students quickly learned that field work with Miskatonic was something to be avoided at all costs.

@beigemac

The coloration wasn't by choice. This was originally a test subject for determining the long term viability of latex "thing in a bottle props". During it's first immersion sequence the epoxy resin teeth absorbed the green dye in the water/glycerine mixture, much to my surprise.

@ CoastConFan

As with most things here, I just stumbled across the idea. I believe I first read about it in reference to getting shots of pickles in a jar. Heh.

Phil said...

Nice. I remember this litle beastie with his green teeth from one of your old build articles. Always wondered what became of him.

Kephas Squared said...

The green teeth don't really detract from the critter - in fact they really add something. My first thought on viewing had been to wonder at such a marine-looking entity in the Congo. On a second look though, the teeth give it an almost vegetable appearance, as though it were some kind of dangerous - and horribly intrusive - plantlife.

Andy Skinner said...

Just found your blog this morning, very inspirational stuff and I love the specimen jars!!