The Super Sea Urchins of California - Actual suntan [7/9/2023]

"When the ecosystems of the world's oceans were on the brink of collapse, risky scientific efforts were made to get it back into some kind of balance. For example, while the Mediterranean coasts were overgrown by aggressive, poisonous kelp, on the American Westcoast all kelp was about to be devoured by massive swarms of sea urchins.



One solution to both problems was seen in a new genetic experiment.

The Californian sea urchins could live a very long time without having to feed, wandering the ocean ground in hordes like zombies in search of life to devour. Accidentally described as "zombie urchin" by a scientist, the media hopped onto the train and made the term popular, replacing a now long forgotten scientific term. Another term was "Purps", because of their color.



From these 'zombie sea urchins', a new creation was developed, growing much faster and larger than the little urchins. Once again science was trumped by the media and the original scientific term was replaced with a more catchy, popular sounding ones: Frankenurchin, frankly. It later was rebranded as Californicurchin.

In it's other traits it was similar to it's smaller ancestors, but it could also eat and absorb the smaller sea urchins and even filter and feed on microplastic. (The term 'Pac-Sea Urchin' never became that popular, though) But while the small urchins reproduced in masses, the large ones could be controlled much better and were collected easier after finishing their jobs.
So while they helped eating the invasive kelp of the Mediterranean, they also freed California of it's first official 'zombie plague' and paved the way to kelp reforestation, which the world benefits from today.



At least one apocalypse and hundreds of years later, these giant sea urchins are part of the new ecosystem, in which the few humans now play a much smaller role. But they rediscovered the Urchins to be a rich and tasty source of food. It's long needles make it dangerous to hunt, but with the right tools and knowledge they can be brought on land, picked apart and boiled in their own carapace, which after the feast is dried in the sun and used for several purposes - be it as stylish watering can, a shower head, part of an instrument or fashion."



- The New Ecosystem III: Flora and Fauna of the Mediterranean
Tier IV-Scribe Reflexio of Mirage Delta



Nobody left alive knows what ever happened to these Reef diving scientists who helped prevent the death of our oceans, but hundreds of years later, one Mediterran is specialized in these bizarre animals:

California.



When her fellow Mediterrans think of California, they think of adventurous pearl diving, surfing action and the Riccini di Mare (more about that later).



But while pearl diving she also discovered the benefits of collecting the Super Sea Urchins. On her diving expeditions, she learned how to salvage the entire creature for food, shell, poison and medicine. She developed at least three medical products and two poisons of it and took great risks in catalouging the wandering paths and birth cycles of these mysterious creatures, which are rumored by some Mediterrans to have come from space.

Can it be a coincidence that her first name matches one of her greatest passions?
When all the leaves were brown and the sky was grey, her mother went for a walk on a winter's day.
She fell down on her knees and began to give birth to California. After that, only sunny days followed.
She called her California Sol after the mythical land at the edge of the world, at the end of all civilization.



Mythical California is also the location of Paradise City, where the grass is green and the girls are pretty, where the streets are paved with golden starfish. Her mysterious father who is said to have had bright blonde hair and a sunny smile was believed to be an angel from there, so California's mum claims.
(Note: The actual land of California might not be that far away as everyone believes, though. A hint is a location called 'Venice Beach' - many believe historical California might actually be the sunken City of Venezia.)

Anyway, California might be the world's expert on Californian Super Sea Urchins, while there aren't that many humans left and the interest in science is much lower these days.

(This is obviously a Mutanti Giganti Claw, but California was asked to pose and "look scientific" with this prop when envoys of the Mirror communities were visiting with their daguerreotype camera. Her diving goggles also is a protection against splinters when working on the urchin shells.)


And like hundreds of years ago, science will always be overshadowed by fancy spectacle, that's why California is most well known for one invention: The Riccini, or Rikini, originally Riccini di mare (ital.: Ricci di Mare = Sea Urchin).



So when people are asked about California, they seldom reply with"You mean the leading scientist on Super Sea Urchins, whose research all our communities benefit from!?", but rather
"The blonde one who invented that spikey Bikini which compliments her form rather well?", in infinite different formulations. Since the first time she wore it publicly on the Stella Maris last year, she is regularly commissioned by women (or their partners) to make yet another custom Riccini for them. It's not easy work, as the sturdy shells can break in the wrong places if the force of a chisel and hand drill is applied to the wrong area. A process California and her skillfull hands mastered during her research projects.



So after several years she now has returned to her clan, for reasons yet unknown. She usually visits her half sister Capraia here, but it seems she is going to stay for a while.


Here she is wearing the first Riccini prototype which was created by accident, when her favourite super sea urchin Aristoteles III. perished in a crab attack.


The Riccini di Mare is the ultimate fashion statement of the modern Mediterran clanswoman.


While not the most practical of accessories, it's the style that counts.


California doesn't recommend it for her favourite past times, diving and surfing, although she has been seen wearing it anyways.




It obviously has some problems she adressed later.





Soon after the comissions came in, several new ones would be made with a form that is more fitting.

Ovy wrote:  ..."The blonde one who invented that spikey Bikini which compliments her form rather well?"

Ah, yes! I wish they all could be California girls!

Thorough (and entertainingly plausible) backstory on the emergence, the near-apocalyptic sea-floor dominance, and the eventual control of the Super Urchins... enhanced with clever musical interludes!

The urchins remain, if not a menace, at least an inconvenience in some isolated locales:





On a more practical note: what tools do you use to cut and drill the urchin shells? And did you craft miniature amphoræ for the sepia-toned "historical photo?"

Delightfully twisted, naturally ornate, just like the ricci di mare themselves. And extremely beautifully presented. Aristoteles III the late urchin had me laughing out loud. Well, at least he is still with her, and closer than ever. Quite touching, really.
I wonder what is the source of the small pearls that you used in one or two places here, and if they are actually stringable.

Oh wow, they actually make a rather perfect bikini! I’d never have thought of that! I’ve only been lucky enough to find a couple of sea urchins whilst beachcombing - gorgeous green and purple beauties from the Inner Hebrides - but I’ve got loads of well worn fragments I keep meaning to make into jewellery or something. Consider me inspired!

Excellent Ovy! the shell bikini looks great, but the thing that most impressed me was the ear ring, very clever! The pics of he of superb, terrific posing. She could be a new fave

What a neat idea. You never cease to impress with your inventiveness. Really cool.

She's gorgeous! And very sexy, in a tasteful way. Love the effect of the water on her 'skin'. As always, an inventive use of materials paired with a fascinating backstory.

This was a very educational introduction. Again learned something about sea urchins and zombie sea urchins. No wonder, with an expert like California Sol!

"California was asked to pose and "look scientific" lol That made me giggle. She already looks very professional with the heavy crab claw device in her hands. The mirror people were certainly impressed.

And as a fashion trendsetter she can make her hobby (diving) her profession and pick up raw material AND at the same time she is also a good model.

Very sexy pictures and her head is also immediately recognizable Ovyanic
What did you change on that HS?

Ovyesque? And isn't that a Ciri with a repaint and real hair?

GubernatorFan wrote:Ovyesque? And isn't that a Ciri with a repaint and real hair?

Ovyesque! thanks 


I must admit, I don't recognize that head, but I feel I should know 

California  with the much better fitting second Riccini. Made another three in between for a comission so I had some practice. Still have to sort the other pics, actually made the most of this in October and November.

davidd wrote:

Ovy wrote:  ..."The blonde one who invented that spikey Bikini which compliments her form rather well?"

Ah, yes! I wish they all could be California girls!

Thorough (and entertainingly plausible) backstory on the emergence, the near-apocalyptic sea-floor dominance, and the eventual control of the Super Urchins... enhanced with clever musical interludes!

The urchins remain, if not a menace, at least an inconvenience in some isolated locales:





On a more practical note: what tools do you use to cut and drill the urchin shells? And did you craft miniature amphoræ for the sepia-toned "historical photo?"

Thanks a lot, great pic! Always pays to live by the sea. I heard after the collapse of the global bank system, they use Sand Dollars n the US?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sand_dollar

And yeah sadly the story sound so plausible because the only thing I added were the Super Sea urchins. In reality, they try to fight the purple zombie sea urchins with sea otters, starfish and divers. It's up and down with the kelp forests.
https://baynature.org/2021/09/13/kelp-forests-surge-back-on-the-north-coast-with-a-lesson-about-stable-environments/

And glad you recognized some of the musical interludes, there were more I tried to shoehorn in, but maybe another time.

Those Amphorae are from a spacious diorama Valiarde made until he realized it takes away a lot of space, so it now takes away a lot of space over here.

The hardest part about getting good splinters of the tests (tests are the shells of the Sea Urchin) is crushing the beautiful sea urchin gently. Some break at the "seams" so uniformly jagged splinters are created.

The oval ones (Echinometra mathaei) are much sturdier and harder, the round ones (Tripneustes gratilla) much thinner and more fragile. I only have those, they are very cheap (some cents per piece) and found in deco stores in summer for example. I reinforced them in the back with multiple layers of Super glue.


Except the lower middle one, these all come from oval urchins.



For some I used a hacksaw to get favourable pieces. Sandpaper/sanding pads were used for smooting, metal files for detailing. I didn't activate my powertool as I wanted more control, so bascially I useed a hand drill on the inner sides.


There are extremly beautiful Sea Urchin tests out there with very varyying prices. I seems it get's more expensive the more colorful they are. Everyone who sends me beautiful Sea urchins gets free Riccinis.


https://www.schnecken-und-muscheln.de/Mehr-Meer/Regularia/Coelopleurus-maculatus-PH-3-cm::2916.html

GubernatorFan wrote:Delightfully twisted, naturally ornate, just like the ricci di mare themselves. And extremely beautifully presented. Aristoteles III the late urchin had me laughing out loud. Well, at least he is still with her, and closer than ever. Quite touching, really.
I wonder what is the source of the small pearls that you used in one or two places here, and if they are actually stringable.

Beautifully formulated, rhetorically pleasing. The pearls on the goggles, ear and belly button are those nail art half pearls, not stringable.
Glad you could laugh, although I knew philophical puns work with you. For educational purposes, there is a part of the sea urchin which is called "Aristotele's lantern" by all scientists except Aristoteles, who called it Horn lantern.  It's the teeth/mouth/jaw part of the Sea Urchin.

(Mouth/Teeth points downwards in the urchin. Never confuse a Sea urchins mouth with it's exit, they might get angry)


https://themarinedetective.com/2020/09/13/aristotles-lantern/

Aristoteles might have been one of the first to write scientific texts about Sea Urchin teeth it in the History of Animals. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Animals

Lynkhart wrote:Oh wow, they actually make a rather perfect bikini! I’d never have thought of that! I’ve only been lucky enough to find a couple of sea urchins whilst beachcombing - gorgeous green and purple beauties from the Inner Hebrides - but I’ve got loads of well worn fragments I keep meaning to make into jewellery or something. Consider me inspired!

Haha, yeah it was a really happy accident! Glad to inspire. I guess your fragments are these beautiful little dotted chips, sanded smooth by the sea. I agree think these would make great jewelry.

BAMComix wrote:Excellent Ovy! the shell bikini looks great, but the thing that most impressed me was the ear ring, very clever! The pics of he of superb, terrific posing. She could be a new fave

Thanks a lot! Yeah, Lynkhart got me on the track to use nail art as armor rivets, but then I stayed with tiny nails for rivets and used the half pearls as pearls. And it's Reverend Spooky's favourite for some reason.

Stryker2011 wrote:What a neat idea. You never cease to impress with your inventiveness. Really cool.

Thanks a lot! It's the Leia Bikini of her time.

skywalkersaga wrote:She's gorgeous! And very sexy, in a tasteful way. Love the effect of the water on her 'skin'. As always, an inventive use of materials paired with a fascinating backstory.

Thanks a lot, glad you found it tasteful too! Yes that water effect is achieved with your regular water spray can I used to clean the tbleuages with. If you keep a distance and spray indirectly that fine drop effect is achieved.

Valiarde wrote:This was a very educational introduction. Again learned something about sea urchins and zombie sea urchins. No wonder, with an expert like California Sol!

"California was asked to pose and "look scientific" lol That made me giggle. She already looks very professional with the heavy crab claw device in her hands. The mirror people were certainly impressed.

And as a fashion trendsetter she can make her hobby (diving) her profession and pick up raw material AND at the same time she is also a good model.

Very sexy pictures and her head is also immediately recognizable Ovyanic
What did you change on that HS?

Thanks, yeah the main reason of this post is educating people about sea urchins and the environment.
I painted the lips to remove lipstick, added some thin bown layers, added freckles and gave her the Mediterran/Kasrovykian eye shadow treatment to hide badly painted/printed eyelashes.

GubernatorFan wrote:Ovyesque? And isn't that a Ciri with a repaint and real hair?

No its a Ymtoys YMT015B headsculpt, the A verison I used with black hair for Capraia, the First Mediterran and the C (Red) for one of the Cargo People. When I made those Tank Girl Comissions, I got the head again, later with the blonde scalp of the head.

By now it seems to be sold out at most places. They never looked like the promos anyway. We will see California and her sister in the next post.

Super black & white shot Ovy, you caught the shadows perfectly! I might try and have a go myself at some point! (with a figure, of course ).

Thank you for the information about your tools and techniques, including the suggestion to reinforce the brittle shells with a layer of glue.

That black and white photo is excellent. Sexy and subtle.

I agree. The black and white photo is thoroughly beautiful. All the more so, with the expressive sea urchin bra adding detail to the shadows.
Thanks for expanding our education, Ovy, and explaining the Aristotelian reference (which I was connecting with very different dots). Ah, the tiny stickable half pearls... should have thought of those. I know them and have used them, except it was usually bigger sizes. And nice job on the YM head -- I think I like her better your way.

aargh, you are just killing me (over and over again) with your ovyque way to present your stuff!
feels like a spring of ideas that merrily spray all around you…

Aristoteles III - lol

I wonder whether we will get to know how other regions that commissioned the riccinis will wear them.

The opening pic's had me confused for a second or two, thinking the poster was on the wrong forum - Lol!
Great figure. The portrait is not one i recall seeing before, and looks different, in a good way.
Some excellent posing and photo skills.

A new summer fashion that was created in 1/6 scale first. You should have it patented!

When California arrived back at her old clan on Stella Maris, her friends and family were confused and delighted. She went to another clan some years ago, supposed to get married etc. But if asked about it, she is fast to distract from that topic. She also didn't bring her surfboard with her, which is also suspicious. She is already planning to have a new one crafted and paint it.



California with her second Riccini and her trusty ancient Seiko diving watch.


Her pearl knife will be shown in detail another time.



















Here the last BW shot in color.





California and her little half sister Capraia. The more superficial Clanspeople would place them in categories like "The tall smiley sunny one" and the "short dark moody one", but that's too much generalization.


They have the same face, but because of the hair and facepaint, some don't realize they are sisters. California and Capraia don't believe in the term "half-sister".

BAMComix wrote:Super black & white shot Ovy, you caught the shadows perfectly! I might try and have a go  myself at some point! (with a figure, of course   ).

Thanks a lot! Glad to have inspired you for a shoot.

davidd wrote:Thank you for the information about your tools and techniques, including the suggestion to reinforce the brittle shells with a layer of glue.

Your welcome

Stryker2011 wrote:That black and white photo is excellent. Sexy and subtle.

Thanks a lot

GubernatorFan wrote:I agree. The black and white photo is thoroughly beautiful. All the more so, with the expressive sea urchin bra adding detail to the shadows.
Thanks for expanding our education, Ovy, and explaining the Aristotelian reference (which I was connecting with very different dots). Ah, the tiny stickable half pearls... should have thought of those. I know them and have used them, except it was usually bigger sizes. And nice job on the YM head -- I think I like her better your way.

Thanks sir. Glad to educate. What was your connection to Aristoteles?
And they are not the sticky half pearls, they are just half pearls, you have to attach the glue yourself.

Illusion wrote:aargh, you are just killing me (over and over again) with your ovyque way to present your stuff!
feels like a spring of ideas that merrily spray all around you…

Aristoteles III - lol

I wonder whether we will get to know how other regions that commissioned the riccinis will wear them.

Thanks, yeah it's usually more ideas than time and money to realize them, as you know.

And I wonder too!

ukshaun wrote:The opening pic's had me confused for a second or two, thinking the poster was on the wrong forum - Lol!
Great feature. The portrait is not one i recall seeing before, and looks different, in a good way.
Some excellent posing and photo skills.

Haha, yeah that was intentional as you realized. Thanks.

ElBundy wrote:A new summer fashion that was created in 1/6 scale first. You should have it patented!

Ha, maybe, and create genetically manipulated super sea urchins along the way.

More beautiful photos of your beautiful creation. Love them. And I do appreciate you manage to keep them tasteful throughout. Loving the beadwork, which seems even more prominent now -- in fact on both sisters. And even the basic clothing, which is inspiring, as I have been working on something along these lines (minus riccini) on and off these days. What glue (if any) did you use for the pearl in her navel? I ask from the point of view of what works on but does not harm the TPE?
Aristoteles -- I don't know, the combination of giving a sea urchin the name of a great philosopher and references to Greeks (and Greek shipping magnates like Aristoteles Onassis) and the sea seemed both hilarious and apropos. Like naming a Dachshund Maximilian or something.

I like the trusty ancient Seiko diving watch. I'm wearing a not-quite-ancient-but-nevertheless-trusty Seiko diving watch myself at this very moment, with the screw-in crown at the 4 o' clock position.

I'm also intrigued by the shell-like decor around the rim of the goggles. That's a clever visual detail.

California certainly has style! everything works perfectly Ovy.

Aaagh! Your creations are so wonderful!! Love this new character and those bikinis are ridiculous!! Just... genius!! Very creative and beautiful on top! Unbelievable. And very inspiring. Thank you.

I love that sculpt, too, and the way the sisters look together. Kinda wish I had gotten the YMT015B, too. I opted for Ming, which I don't regret, but... oh well.. Got enough unused heads on display.

Nice outfit. And the extra accessories/jewelry, et., look great together.

Very creative and in a way probably better than clam shells for bras a la Ariel. Looking at them from the top they almost look like puffy hats with little beads stuck to them.