CRYPTO LEGENDS: The Loch Ness Monster

The legend of the Loch Ness Monster dates back hundreds of years and continues to this day as an ongoing mystery. Many argue that there is no large aquatic animal in the loch due to the lack of physical evidence and will only accept it’s existence when a specimen is actually captured. But just because it has never been netted and pulled ashore does not prove that it doesn’t exist. Eyewitnesses through the centuries claim to have seen everything from a ripple on the water’s surface to humps, neck and head and even the rare occurrences of the creature ventured forth on land. They believe that what dwells in Scotland’s deepest fresh water lake is possibly unlike anything accepted by science as a living creature. Affectionately called “Nessie” by the local folk, this beastie may not be a monster at all but an elusive member of a group of animals so perfectly adapted to their watery environment as to remain hidden for as long as they desire.

About the series:

When I originally planned my series of cryptozoological mystery creatures many years ago, there was no question as to which beast would begin the line. It had to be the creature that I had known of since childhood and has lead to my lifelong interest with all things deemed mysterious in this world we live upon. The Loch Ness Monster is more than a legend, it is the reinforcement that man has not yet discovered every living thing on the planet and that some lifeforms can and have eluded us for the most part and in many ways have survived because of their ability to avoid us. With this series I call “Crypto Legends” I hope to bring some of the most intriguing of the wide range of unknown creatures into the light as sculptural presentations. Though there are perhaps hundreds of various un-cataloged beings that fall into the category of unknown species that have been witnessed around the globe, my intent is to focus on only twelve of the largest and most captivating of the list. Each animal will be presented using as much documented reference as I am able to access in order to create the most accurate representation. Where there is only vague information to piece together I will attempt to fill in the gaps with my imagination but never to the extent of becoming pure fantasy.

About the model kit:

This resin model kit has been hand cast in 8 separate parts requiring glue and pinning prior to painting. The part breakdown is as follows: Base, upper body with neck and head, lower body with tail and flipper, three separate flippers, rotting log and an eel. The base represents the loch bottom and depicts a cluster of boulders, settled silt and a celtic cross symbolic of when holy men attempted to exorcise the lake of demons. In addition the sub-base presents an assortment of names by which the creature is known both around the world and through local tradition. How big is the kit? Nessie as shown in the photos is 11” from tip of snout to tip of tail. Total height assembled including base is 9 3/4”. No two sides of the base are the same but at the widest side in the front it measures 9 3/4”. I did not set out sculpting Nessie in a definite scale but it works out to about 1/18 based on the size of the eel which is approximately 4"long or 6’ in real life. This would make Nessie approx: 20’ long when fully stretched out in 1/18 scale. According to my research this might represent a juvenile to young adult as fully grown adults are speculated to be between 30 and 40 feet long. Until the time comes when science accepts the existence of the beastie with proof positive, this interpretation of Nessie will be my tribute to a mystery that I hope will never be wiped from the earth. So here now for your perusal is the other lady of the lake. Nessie, the Loch Ness Monster.