Creepy Things In Bottles

eldriche

New Member
Does anyone else like to create creepy things to immerse within old bottles and jars? I'd like to share some of my creations and see what you've come up with. I'd especially like to get into some discussions regarding various techniques, liquids, old labeling, etc.

Specimans.JPG
 
Yes I do! Actually, I was seeing this girl back in the mid 90's and I made her a fetal baby in a pickle jar submersed in mineral oil for her birthday. She inexplicably liked it and we eventually got married ten years later. Keep it up, only good things will come of it.
 
I recently bought an adorable little specimen from etsy. When it arrived it was even cuter then the picture. So cute I had my character in my MMO in character find and display the little guy so I can show it to everyone both in the real world and a virtual one.
 
I've tried to stay away from putting anything "organic" in jars, since they require formaldehyde, alcohol or other harsh preservative liquids to keep them from going nasty. I prefer to make things out of clay, silicone, etc. But for quickie props, there are any number of odd fishing lures that work great. The problem I have is coming up with a way to make the liquid “murky.” Clear colored water, oils, even antifreeze works for some things, but I want to have a more milky effect for others. The best thing I’ve found is just adding a few drops of Elmer’s glue, but even that will eventually clear up and settle onto the bottom. Any other suggestions?
Jar Spec.JPG
 
The problem I have is coming up with a way to make the liquid “murky.” Clear colored water, oils, even antifreeze works for some things, but I want to have a more milky effect for others. The best thing I’ve found is just adding a few drops of Elmer’s glue, but even that will eventually clear up and settle onto the bottom. Any other suggestions?

Everything settles eventually, even finely ground pigments like artists inks. They'll eventually form a film that requires agitation to re-suspend. The best material I've found for "clouding" is cosmetic grade mica powder. It's a fine white powder that's clump resistant, non-organic, and relatively cheap. It settles, but doesn't film, making it easy to swirl it up again. Don't confuse cosmetic mica with the mica interference powders used by scrapbookers. That stuff color shifts, which can be a very cool effect, but doesn't cloud.

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You folks need to check out Propnomicon.
The owner of the site has posted here a few times.


And like that, he is summoned! Heh. Here's a basic tutorial I did a few years ago using liquid latex and the dodgy christmas ornaments available in dollar stores.

And here are some old specimens I banged out.

propnomicon specimen 3.jpgpropnomicon specimen 1.jpgpropnomicon specimen 2.jpg
 
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Any chance of seeing some more of your sundry goods for sale Propnomicon ;) ?

Not until spring, at the earliest. Freezing temperatures and specimens in liquid don't get along well.

I also need to improve my sculpting skills, something I've been working on over the last few months. I'm almost up to mediocre level. Yeah!


I love that you have no idea what this is by looking at it. Only that it's icky. One of the charms of bottled specimens is that so much of the impact is in the imagination of the viewer.
 
there he is ...i was starting to wonder when you were going to show up lol

hahaha me too!

Haha, yeah yeah I guess I'm predictable :lol

Not until spring, at the earliest. Freezing temperatures and specimens in liquid don't get along well.

I also need to improve my sculpting skills, something I've been working on over the last few months. I'm almost up to mediocre level. Yeah!

I love that you have no idea what this is by looking at it. Only that it's icky. One of the charms of bottled specimens is that so much of the impact is in the imagination of the viewer.

Hehe,thanks, the aging on my bottles was rubbish but I only had pics of stuff from a few years back. Oh, and we all need to improve our sculpting skills but making Deep Ones out of paper mache?! You are not allowed to say your skill level is below mediocre :lol :cool !
 
I posted this on my MMO character's twitter page with a tale of finding the little guy in an Egyptian cultist's mouth where it had replaced his tongue like an isopod. In reality I put the polymer clay sculpt on an old rag and sprinkled it with grenadine, olive oil and soy to stand in for bodily fluids. I need to get a pic of him in his jar still.

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Dude you're friends with the person behind tinplate on Etsy? Tell them I love their work and that after Christmas, there will be many more purchases. Many more.
 
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