Fixtures and Fittings || FINAL OUTCOME: Squid Necklace

The making of my squid necklace has been a success. I have done what I set out to do: make an unusual wearable piece that is unisex and can be worn on any part of the body. I also photographed my piece, worn by a male model. The squid is made mostly from wire, however, I also used corduroy fabric on the centre and for the fins to reduce costs and add some texture and additional interest. The two longer tentacles are very long, and thinner, so that they can be easily moulded and wrapped around the wearer.

I put blue eye make up on my model to fit with the underwater vibe, and cool tones of the squid. It also works with my idea of breaking down gender expectations and stereotypes. I think my squid looked really good on my model, and he tells me that he enjoyed wearing it. I photographed it both round his neck and on his head. I think it actually looked best on his head, the tentacles reaching down his forehead and around his ears. It worked well with the avant garde nature of the piece. I think my photography was not entirely successful. I should have thought more about the location and lighting. I wanted to use natural lighting, and did so, however the place where the lighting looked best was an awkward location. It was in an attic space and the roof was low and the surroundings not particularly nice to look at. I had to sit my model against a wall and very few angles were possible where the background was good as well as the lighting and model's position.

My fault with the squid was that it was too heavy. If I were to make it again I would need to make it easier to wear. I would make it lighter and the log tentacles stronger. The squid sort of 'sagged' when worn and though I deliberately made it so that the body could move independent of the head I think it was actually a mistake as it meant it flopped sideways all the time and did not look good. Below are some photographs from the photo shoot.