For Halloween, I want to get eight ventilation tubes from Home Depot (like in the image above). Cut them down to about five feet long and attach them to a plastic garbage can. Put the garbage can over my head, presto! I’m a squid or octopus. I will even have my arms go through two of the tubes so I can control them and move them around. But those tubes will be longer than my arms, so I’ll have some sticks inside the tube to extend my arms longer. And there will be little holes in the side of the arms, so I can stick my hands out when I need to use them.
Here are some fun images of squids and octopuses:
octopus
squid
The octopus would be fun, cuz of their eight arms. I could put something fun at the end of each arm. I don’t know what yet. But something maybe. And plus they have suction cups. Again, not really sure what to use for suction cups.
Squids are fun cuz they squirt out ink. So maybe something with a pen or something. I dunno. Like each arm could hold a pen? I could draw with a pen? And then there’s beached squids. Those are fascinating. And then there was the time when a giant squid attacked Chicago.
Either with the octopus or the squid, I’m gonna make some really big eyes. Like those googly eyes. I need to find a clear plastic plate for the outside, a paper plate for the inside, and some black cardboard for the inside eye. That way, when I move the googly eyes will shake around!
Questions:
- What would make good suction cups?
- What else would be fun props or jokes to go with the octopus or squid?
- If the tubes end up being metal or some color, maybe I should cover them with an old bedsheet. What color would be ideal? And maybe I should wear all black or gray so that my body is not too distracting from the costume?
maybe to simply things, you should just make all the tubes the same length as your arms. then you wouldn’t have to bother with sticks n stuff. i don’t think it’s a good idea to squirt people with ink. an old bed sheet? what? i like the idea of wearing the same color clothes. you should definitely do that. for “suction cups” maybe you could use small plastic bowls. you could get really colorful ones. how will you cut holes in the garbage can? that sounds hard.
but i like the idea of octopus/squid in general. that’s pretty original, and ambitious!
plastic garbage can. not metal. the bed sheets would be used to cover the materials–instead of painting them. oh no, i would not squirt people with ink. I would just… i dunno, write stuff? lol uh. errrr.
you could get a sheet of large bubble bubblewrap and attach it to the underside of your arms to simplify the suction cup look… you can also get plastic tubing for the arms… might be safer.
Bubble wrap! L.Wells, yer the best!
your “arms” remind me of this character: Robot B9
Cool idea, Spud! For suction cups, buy REAL suction cups! You can get them at office and art supply stores. They usually come with a ring around the bump that ends in a hook so you can hang things off them … usually small stained glass pieces on windows.
OH! You should buy some of that “disappearing ink” and squirt it on people!
still, it’s a tricky business. people might not appreciate it…. but a clever idea nonetheless!
My initial thought was the same as yours Laura, but then I thought, most people would be wearing a costume which people may not mind as much if the ink stained a little.