0:00:02 > 0:00:04I'm Steve Backshall, and this is Deadly Art.
0:00:07 > 0:00:09I'm lucky enough to travel the world,
0:00:09 > 0:00:11tracking deadly animals.
0:00:11 > 0:00:13ROARING
0:00:13 > 0:00:16But in this show, I'm picking 25 of my favourites...
0:00:17 > 0:00:18ROARING
0:00:21 > 0:00:23..and challenging my team of deadly artists
0:00:23 > 0:00:25to recreate a killer moment.
0:00:27 > 0:00:28You'll get to make some art,
0:00:28 > 0:00:32and in the final show, my team and I are going to choose which animals
0:00:32 > 0:00:35will make it into my Deadly Art Gallery.
0:00:35 > 0:00:38This is no ordinary art show, this is Deadly Art!
0:00:43 > 0:00:44On today's Deadly Art...
0:00:44 > 0:00:48I meet a curious creature who's seriously snappy.
0:00:48 > 0:00:50The head snaps out like that.
0:00:50 > 0:00:54My team of deadly artists recreate a killer moment..
0:00:54 > 0:00:56We need to do something really big.
0:00:56 > 0:00:58..and you can make your own Deadly Art at home too.
0:01:00 > 0:01:02Here's today's chosen animal.
0:01:02 > 0:01:05This ruthless reptile lives underwater.
0:01:05 > 0:01:07It's been around for millions of years
0:01:07 > 0:01:10- and with a bite that's - TURTLEY- awesome,
0:01:10 > 0:01:11he's a true monster of the deep.
0:01:11 > 0:01:13Any guesses?
0:01:13 > 0:01:16Well, the monster in question is...
0:01:16 > 0:01:18the alligator snapping turtle.
0:01:18 > 0:01:21Yes, I know. It is a bit of a weird name.
0:01:21 > 0:01:23The alligator snapping turtle spends its time
0:01:23 > 0:01:27sat on the bottom of a swamp, looking a bit like a log.
0:01:27 > 0:01:29But the clever thing is,
0:01:29 > 0:01:32he gets his lunch to come to him with a cunning con.
0:01:32 > 0:01:35On the end of its tongue is a lure that looks a bit like a worm
0:01:35 > 0:01:38And makes its prey swim right inside.
0:01:38 > 0:01:41It's going to be a challenge to recreate this monster.
0:01:41 > 0:01:44Time to meet the artists who are waiting for their mission.
0:01:44 > 0:01:49I'm Nicola. I'm an ice sculptress and a power tool queen.
0:01:49 > 0:01:50CHAINSAW REVS
0:01:51 > 0:01:54I'm Jo. I like using gloss paint, human hair -
0:01:54 > 0:01:57all sorts of different materials but most of all, I like making a mess.
0:01:59 > 0:02:01In a moment, you'll join me and the Deadly 60 crew
0:02:01 > 0:02:05in the Deep South of the USA on a hunt for alligator snapping turtles.
0:02:05 > 0:02:08First, let's take a look at the killer shot
0:02:08 > 0:02:09I'd like my artists to recreate.
0:02:10 > 0:02:12- CAMERA WHIRS - Snap!
0:02:12 > 0:02:15And their art has to include these three essential elements.
0:02:15 > 0:02:17Size. With its spiked shell,
0:02:17 > 0:02:21beak-like jaws and thick-scaled tail,
0:02:21 > 0:02:24this species is often called the dinosaur of the turtle world.
0:02:24 > 0:02:27They can grow up to 113kg.
0:02:27 > 0:02:30That's the weight of three 12-year-olds.
0:02:30 > 0:02:33The shell. Turtles evolved around 200 million years ago.
0:02:33 > 0:02:36Snapping turtles have long ridges along their back,
0:02:36 > 0:02:38very similar to those on an alligator.
0:02:38 > 0:02:41That's part of the reason they got their name,
0:02:41 > 0:02:43along with their amazing snap action.
0:02:43 > 0:02:46Prey is enticed in to their mouth, thinking they're getting a meal.
0:02:46 > 0:02:49What they get is one of the fiercest bites in the world.
0:02:49 > 0:02:52So, Jo and Nicola, get stuck in to your Deadly Art.
0:02:52 > 0:02:54That is the weirdest thing I have seen.
0:02:54 > 0:02:56But that worm is part of the killer moment,
0:02:56 > 0:02:58so we have to get it in.
0:02:58 > 0:02:59OK. Look at his head!
0:02:59 > 0:03:02It's huge! It's almost out of proportion to his body
0:03:02 > 0:03:04It looks prehistoric. It's like a dinosaur.
0:03:04 > 0:03:06We need to do something big.
0:03:06 > 0:03:09His skin is so rough and rugged looking.
0:03:09 > 0:03:11I tell you what's good for that - sand!
0:03:11 > 0:03:13We're going to need a lot of it.
0:03:13 > 0:03:16Jo and Nicola are using their brute strength.
0:03:16 > 0:03:18I think this could get a bit messy.
0:03:18 > 0:03:22Right. We've got masses of sand for our turtle.
0:03:22 > 0:03:23Let's get compacting.
0:03:26 > 0:03:29Boof! Boof!
0:03:29 > 0:03:32Snapping turtles love dark, murky, fresh water.
0:03:32 > 0:03:35So, we're heading to the Black Bayou Wetlands
0:03:35 > 0:03:38in the US southern state of Louisiana.
0:03:38 > 0:03:41To help find one, I've enlisted the help of an expert.
0:03:41 > 0:03:43This is Mitch.
0:03:43 > 0:03:44He's studying the turtles.
0:03:47 > 0:03:49The Black Bayou is pretty vast.
0:03:49 > 0:03:51And the water is, as you can see, pretty murky.
0:03:51 > 0:03:54So our chances of just happening across the animal
0:03:54 > 0:03:56we're looking for, are pretty slender.
0:03:58 > 0:04:01We put out these hoop net traps...
0:04:03 > 0:04:05..and there's fresh fish bait inside.
0:04:06 > 0:04:08I'm really hoping...
0:04:09 > 0:04:11..that we've caught something special.
0:04:15 > 0:04:17We actually have three.
0:04:17 > 0:04:20I don't believe it!
0:04:20 > 0:04:23Look at the size of the head on that one!
0:04:23 > 0:04:25Stick around because I'll get closer
0:04:25 > 0:04:27to these turtles in just a moment.
0:04:27 > 0:04:30But how are Jo and Nicola getting on in the Deadly Art studio?
0:04:30 > 0:04:34Because I want the jaws of the turtle to be wide open
0:04:34 > 0:04:36so we can see the insides of his mouth,
0:04:36 > 0:04:40it needs to be extremely strong so that it can hold its own weight.
0:04:40 > 0:04:43That's why I've got a box, loads of sand, loads of water,
0:04:43 > 0:04:46and I'm going to use machinery to compact this sand down,
0:04:46 > 0:04:48so it becomes really, really strong.
0:04:48 > 0:04:51I'm loving how extreme Deadly Art can be.
0:04:51 > 0:04:54Now Jo's going to show you how to do a portrait
0:04:54 > 0:04:55of the snapping turtle.
0:04:57 > 0:05:01First off, a big square in the middle of my page.
0:05:01 > 0:05:04And an oval coming down here...
0:05:04 > 0:05:06which will be his leg.
0:05:06 > 0:05:07Here we have a rectangle.
0:05:08 > 0:05:14And then a triangle down here and a triangle down here.
0:05:14 > 0:05:15Now we have to join it up.
0:05:17 > 0:05:19So I'm doing quite jaggedy lines...
0:05:25 > 0:05:28..because he's got such gnarly skin.
0:05:28 > 0:05:30Up here, I'm going to do
0:05:30 > 0:05:34these triangular shapes which is just to hint
0:05:34 > 0:05:36at where his ridges on his back will be.
0:05:38 > 0:05:40Those claws look fierce, Jo!
0:05:40 > 0:05:43Now I've got to put in where his mouth's going to be.
0:05:43 > 0:05:46I'm going to have a line going right down the centre
0:05:46 > 0:05:47of that square that I drew.
0:05:50 > 0:05:52And that's going to be the far edge of his mouth.
0:05:52 > 0:05:57The alligator snapping turtle has got lots of ridges around his neck
0:05:57 > 0:05:59which I'm going to draw in.
0:05:59 > 0:06:03OK. I mustn't forget that little wriggly worm inside his mouth.
0:06:03 > 0:06:05I'll pop that in now.
0:06:05 > 0:06:09The more shading you do, the more intricate the drawing will be.
0:06:09 > 0:06:12so, I'm just going to start off around the edges.
0:06:17 > 0:06:19OK, I'm going to go into the mouth now.
0:06:19 > 0:06:22Really build up those layers
0:06:22 > 0:06:25to get that really dark, cavernous jaw.
0:06:25 > 0:06:28Don't forget to leave out the worm.
0:06:35 > 0:06:39So, now I'm going to go back into it, just with a rubber.
0:06:39 > 0:06:42This will really bring it out and highlight certain areas.
0:06:42 > 0:06:46It makes a more 3D drawing and makes it much more realistic.
0:06:46 > 0:06:48Rubbing along those tough ridges.
0:06:48 > 0:06:52My Deadly Doodle alligator snapping turtle.
0:06:52 > 0:06:53Nice portrait, Jo!
0:06:53 > 0:06:56Now, back to our huge sand sculpture.
0:06:58 > 0:06:59There we go.
0:06:59 > 0:07:01Lovely.
0:07:01 > 0:07:04So, we've got one part for the body and one block for the head.
0:07:04 > 0:07:07The sand's compacted, ready for sculpting.
0:07:08 > 0:07:13This is my outline for the profile of the turtle.
0:07:13 > 0:07:15This mark here is going to be where his mouth is.
0:07:15 > 0:07:18As you can see, his jaws are going to be wide open.
0:07:18 > 0:07:20That's why I needed a strong block of sand.
0:07:28 > 0:07:31OK, so I've made two spikes on the turtle shell.
0:07:31 > 0:07:34And the way I've been doing that is by getting this lovely mud...
0:07:35 > 0:07:38..making a pancake, slapping it down hard.
0:07:38 > 0:07:42And then, putting some dry sand over the top.
0:07:44 > 0:07:46Patting it down a bit more.
0:07:46 > 0:07:47And we're just layering it up.
0:07:47 > 0:07:51That's the biggest mud pie I've ever seen!
0:07:51 > 0:07:52I think that's high enough.
0:07:54 > 0:07:58OK, we'll leave Jo making a mess and travel back to Louisiana
0:07:58 > 0:08:01to get close to our three alligator snapping turtles.
0:08:01 > 0:08:02Right.
0:08:02 > 0:08:05Good job, man. Good job. You got him.
0:08:05 > 0:08:06Woo-hoo!
0:08:06 > 0:08:09That is a big turtle.
0:08:10 > 0:08:13Look at the size of that head!
0:08:13 > 0:08:16It's totally out of proportion to the whole of the rest of the body
0:08:16 > 0:08:21and most of that is just pure muscle power driving that jaw.
0:08:21 > 0:08:25It's almost like a great big curved kitchen knife.
0:08:25 > 0:08:28Looking at the shape of the head and the body
0:08:28 > 0:08:30it's very irregular.
0:08:30 > 0:08:34The colour's quite dark and he blends in really, really well
0:08:34 > 0:08:38with all the vegetation at the bottom of the water here.
0:08:38 > 0:08:42And then as soon as a fish gets too close, the head snaps
0:08:42 > 0:08:44out like that.
0:08:44 > 0:08:46The jaws clamp shut incredibly quickly,
0:08:46 > 0:08:48and the fish is history.
0:08:48 > 0:08:50The snapping turtle's head was huge
0:08:50 > 0:08:53and our big sand sculpture looks just as deadly.
0:08:53 > 0:08:57I've got the main body of his head already carved in now.
0:08:57 > 0:09:00And now I'm working on inside his mouth
0:09:00 > 0:09:02and I want this bit to look dramatic
0:09:02 > 0:09:05so I'm going to carve underneath
0:09:05 > 0:09:10so it really looks like it's got that curly, wiggly shape.
0:09:10 > 0:09:12Jo's on to the legs.
0:09:12 > 0:09:14So, I've four mounds of sand
0:09:14 > 0:09:17and I'm packing these down really, really tightly,
0:09:17 > 0:09:18just like with the body.
0:09:19 > 0:09:21And then in with the trowel.
0:09:22 > 0:09:26I never knew sand sculpting could look so detailed and intricate.
0:09:26 > 0:09:27This looks superb!
0:09:32 > 0:09:34Nicola's using her muscles again.
0:09:37 > 0:09:39Sand sculpting may look hard work,
0:09:39 > 0:09:42but if you're at the beach this summer or have a sandpit,
0:09:42 > 0:09:44here's how you can make one too.
0:09:44 > 0:09:45Over to Nicola.
0:09:45 > 0:09:48The compacting process is really important,
0:09:48 > 0:09:50just like with our big turtle.
0:09:50 > 0:09:52We need to apply loads of pressure.
0:09:52 > 0:09:54Just start smacking it down.
0:09:54 > 0:09:59And you can start to see the shape of his shell already.
0:10:01 > 0:10:04Next, we need those all-important ridges.
0:10:04 > 0:10:07And for that I'm going to use some of this sand
0:10:07 > 0:10:15and lots of water to make this really gooey, disgusting mud stuff.
0:10:16 > 0:10:18Then, taking small amounts at a time,
0:10:18 > 0:10:23you can start to pinch on his central ridge.
0:10:23 > 0:10:25Now, he has three ridges on his back.
0:10:25 > 0:10:26One on the top
0:10:26 > 0:10:28and two either side.
0:10:28 > 0:10:30Much better than making sand castles!
0:10:30 > 0:10:34Now, he also has a lip all the way around.
0:10:34 > 0:10:36So, using your hands,
0:10:36 > 0:10:38you can pinch a shape
0:10:38 > 0:10:40around the entire shell.
0:10:42 > 0:10:44Now to add his head.
0:10:44 > 0:10:47Take some spare sand and just dump it in a pile in the top.
0:10:47 > 0:10:48Add some water.
0:10:49 > 0:10:50OK.
0:10:50 > 0:10:54Now, his head has got a little ridge in it
0:10:54 > 0:10:57so I'm just going to create that using my hand.
0:10:57 > 0:11:00Take away the excess sand that we don't need...
0:11:01 > 0:11:04..until you've got your base shape to work with.
0:11:05 > 0:11:08His mouth is just an S-shape.
0:11:08 > 0:11:09So, starting at his beak,
0:11:09 > 0:11:14just cut a nice, smooth S.
0:11:14 > 0:11:16You could use your spade to carve out the detail.
0:11:16 > 0:11:18You can start to see his mouth.
0:11:18 > 0:11:20I'll do the same on the other side.
0:11:22 > 0:11:23Round his head.
0:11:25 > 0:11:28I'm just going to cut here for his eyes.
0:11:28 > 0:11:30Just grab a small ball...
0:11:31 > 0:11:32..and stick it on.
0:11:34 > 0:11:36Now for his feet.
0:11:36 > 0:11:39So, he's going to have one there, one here.
0:11:43 > 0:11:48Give them a sprinkling of water, just to make them easy to use.
0:11:50 > 0:11:51There we go.
0:11:51 > 0:11:53Now to shape them.
0:11:53 > 0:11:55Just mould them in to position.
0:11:58 > 0:12:00So, cutting those leg shapes.
0:12:04 > 0:12:09For his claws, just score in some toes.
0:12:09 > 0:12:13And last, but not least, his tail.
0:12:16 > 0:12:18And there you have it -
0:12:18 > 0:12:22your deadly snapping alligator turtle.
0:12:22 > 0:12:23Looking great, Nicola!
0:12:23 > 0:12:26And our huge sand sculpture's complete too.
0:12:26 > 0:12:28Well, for the sheer scale of it,
0:12:28 > 0:12:32it has prehistoric portions, so I think we've got that one.
0:12:32 > 0:12:34Well, that's the dimensions sorted.
0:12:34 > 0:12:35I love what you did with the shell.
0:12:35 > 0:12:38Those spikes give it that deadly dinosaur feel.
0:12:38 > 0:12:41And what do you reckon to his mouth?
0:12:41 > 0:12:44Can you see why they call it the alligator snapping turtle?
0:12:44 > 0:12:47Oh, yeah. With the fish being lured in by that worm.
0:12:47 > 0:12:49That is the killer moment!
0:12:49 > 0:12:50- Definitely.- Yeah.
0:12:51 > 0:12:53So, it's time for the big reveal.
0:12:53 > 0:12:57Remember this is the killer moment I challenged my artists to recreate.
0:12:57 > 0:13:01So, let's take a look at our finished art.
0:13:01 > 0:13:03Look at that!
0:13:03 > 0:13:05Amazing! This is truly deadly
0:13:05 > 0:13:09and represents all the qualities I asked Nicola and Jo to include.
0:13:09 > 0:13:12A sand sculpture may not have been an obvious choice,
0:13:12 > 0:13:14but it really works.
0:13:14 > 0:13:17The dimensions of this dinosaur-like turtle
0:13:17 > 0:13:18are magnificent!
0:13:18 > 0:13:21The head and the mouth are really prominent
0:13:21 > 0:13:24and it's easy to get a sense of the primitive nature of this creature
0:13:24 > 0:13:26that's been around for millions of years.
0:13:29 > 0:13:31I love the shell.
0:13:31 > 0:13:34The Deadly team have really captured my killer moment
0:13:34 > 0:13:39even down to its open beak mouth, waiting to snap at any passing fish.
0:13:39 > 0:13:42Art definitely doesn't get any deadlier than this.
0:13:45 > 0:13:47That's a top deadly rating from me
0:13:47 > 0:13:49but will it make it into my Deadly Gallery?
0:13:49 > 0:13:53Maybe. See you next time for more Deadly Art.
0:14:04 > 0:14:07Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd
0:14:07 > 0:14:10E-mail subtitling@bbc.co.uk