Tentacle Creature: Visual Research

The task for this assignment is to create a colour concept for a tentacle creature, informed by visual research and studies to aid the design process.

First up I created a moodboard of tentacles and creatures that possess them. I wanted to look for images that showed tentacles within the "context" of an existing creature, as well as close-ups that focus on the details which will be paramount to creating a convincing design.

(image sources at end of post)

I feel that both kinds of images are important; the close-up photographs to study what tentacles actually look like, and the in-context shots to get an idea about how squid and octopi "hold" themselves, as well as how tentacles connect to the body and interact with things.

From these images, I've began work on some small studies in my sketchbook to get a better understanding of how tentacles look.

I've referenced some of the larger images we can see on my moodboard, and likely I will do further studies as I begin work on creating my character. The top left drawing was a first attempt at drawing a tentacle, without working from a reference, to compare what I thought I knew to what I've now learnt from the photo studies, as seen in the other pencil/watercolour and ink sketches.

After this initial stage of work, I now feel more confident in my understanding of this subject, and much more able to create a convincing design for my creature.


Image sources:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/34450190@N08/11847079564
http://www.nhm.ac.uk/nature-online/species-of-the-day/collections/our-collections/architeuthis-dux/morphology/index.html
http://ocean.nationalgeographic.com/ocean/photos/squid/
http://www.thedailymash.co.uk/images/stories/tentacle250.jpg
http://www.2luxury2.com/monterey-bay-aquarium-inspires-conservation-of-the-oceans-through-breakthrough-tentacles-exhibit/
http://pajaritoenelalambre.wordpress.com/2011/03/26/to-scare-the-octopus/
http://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/severed-octopus-arms-have-a-mind-of-their-own-2403303/?no-ist
http://www.regardsurlemonde.fr/blog/caracteristiques-remarquables-des-animaux-de-nos-oceans (unable to find original source)
http://www.nhm.ac.uk/about-us/news/2010/april/colossal-squid-joins-museum-tour64890.html
http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/octopus-chronicles/2014/01/10/octopus-arms-human-tongues-intertwine-for-science/