Reticulated Python Deadly Art

This is Deadly Art.

I'm lucky enough to travel the world tracking deadly animals.

But in this show, my team of artists take my killer moment...

..and turn it into art.

And we'll reveal another unique creation.

Along the way, you'll get to pick up some tips,

tricks and techniques, so you can make some art yourself.

This is no ordinary art show. This is Deadly Art.

'Coming up on Deadly Art... you wouldn't want to get into

'a tight squeeze with this predator.' Look at that, on my leg!

The Deadly Artists recreate another killer moment.

It's always deadly when we use metal for our big art.

And we'll show you a doodle to impress your friends.

Today, we're going to meet a snake that can be as long

as a double decker bus, and can stretch its jaws wide enough

to take in prey that could be the size of a pig, or even a deer!

This is the world's longest snake.

'This massive snake is found through much of Asia.

'Its name, the reticulated python, actually means "netted,"

'and refers to that colour that runs down its back.

'This python is an ambush hunter. It'll lie in wait for its prey,

'and then attack with extraordinary speed and strength.

'Another Deadly Art challenge for today's team. Let's meet them.'

Hey, I'm Mike! I'm a cartoon artist, and I'm up for today's Deadly Art!

I'm Michelle, and I just love working with different materials.

'Mike and Michelle represent the Deadly Art team,

'who are always up for a challenge. And this is the killer moment.'

As the python lassos its prey, it constricts...

and then it swallows.

And this can all be over in a matter of minutes. Totally deadly.

Let's capture that striking position. Mouth open, its body

-coiling behind.

-And its jaw.

-Let's make sure we represent that.

-The deadly strike before the kill!

Let's get some materials.

'Time for some more Deadly Art!'

'Mike and Michelle grab everything they need

'to make their incredible killer moment artwork.

'I love the idea of using old food tins for the body of the snake.

'Great stuff! This is a great technique, but remember,

'don't try anything you see in our Big Art sections.

'Mike and Michelle are trained professionals.

'Now, it's all about the real thing, and in the jungles of Borneo,

'you'd think finding the longest snake in the world would be easy.

'Unfortunately, it's not.

'We search and search, and in the end, we ask the locals for help.'

I was wondering if you could tell me where I could find a big snake.

Whoa! Hello there, mate!

I think that means, "Go away!"

'So we head off again, and we look and we look,

'but we start to run out of time and realise that maybe

'we're not going to see one of these incredible snakes in the wild.

'But we do have a trick up our sleeve.'

Well, I know Deadly 60 is about wild animals,

but you cannot say we didn't try and find our big snake in the wild.

It just didn't happen. Luckily, Eric, our guide,

knows someone who does have exactly the snake we've been looking for.

And I've heard that it's quite a big one!

-So let's have a look.

-Hi, Steve.

-Hi, hi, how you doing?

Hello. Hey, Eric. Can I take it out?

OK, let's have a look.

Ah! Yeah, that is a big snake.

That is a very big snake. Is it OK for me to take it out?

So...

this is a big reticulated python.

He really is big! Crumbs, that's heavy! That's really heavy! Right!

A reticulated python is the longest snake in the world.

Believe it or not, the anaconda from South America can get larger

and heavier bodied than this.

But in terms of pure length, the reticulated python has it.

I have to say, this is the thickest,

heaviest bodied retic I've ever seen!

'More from that heavy fella later!'

'Let's get back to Mike and Michelle.'

Now that we've got our tin cans cut up, I'm going to use the scrap metal

to create that big, striking mouth. I'm going to start on the bottom

of the jaw. So, I've got this piece here, and I've cut these tabs.

What's great about this metal is that it's so easy to bend,

and I'll use these tabs to create the bottom of the mouth.

Then, for the top of the mouth, I've got this piece.

I'm not sure how it's going to go together,

but the idea is to use all these scrap pieces of metal,

layer upon layer to create that basic shape of the mouth.

'I reckon the textures of the metal are going to work really well

'on our Big Art snake.'

I'm working on the body. As you saw, we cut the tops and the bottoms

off our tin cans, and sliced them down the middle to make them wider.

These pieces of metal are great cos the texture is similar

to the underbelly of a snake.

I'm attaching two pieces of metal together to create a segment.

Then we're going to create lots of segments and put them together

as we start to make the body of our snake.

'This art is deadly and has lots of sharp edges.

'Don't ever attempt anything you see in our Big Art stages.'

'This looks riveting! Now, Mike's got a Deadly Doodle.'

I'm going to show you how to draw this reticulated python.

We're going to start with some simple shapes. Actually, just one.

It's just a circle for the head.

We're going to draw a cone around the head,

and now it's all squiggly lines for the body.

So, we're going to use a U for one line.

Then two big hills.

A "C" over there.

We're going to join that line up here,

and I want my body to be wrapping and coiling around itself.

Draw his tail, ending up there.

Wrap that one around here, come around here, a whole bunch of hills.

You can draw yours coiling any direction you want.

Spilling over the page, just like this.

Have fun with it. Have your snake go any direction you want.

The last little bit we'll add with our pencil is the eye.

Now it's time to pick up your black marker and add in some details.

First thing is the eyebrow.

From the head, but each time they get to each other we want it

to look bunched up, so we can add a couple of little lines like that.

Down to here...

..draw in this C again, this time, another few of those

curving lines, make it look like it's all coiling together.

Down here, wrap it around, back to the head.

All the way around to that really thick tail. Cool.

Put that around there. And a few more coils back here.

Now it's time for the head.

We'll start with the nose, so we'll come back to our eyebrow,

wrap it around the front of the mouth,

and add in our jaw.

Split that in half, and give him a bit of a snaky smile.

Now, to make his eyes look really deadly.

Draw in that shape, come around for a circle, and draw in

a reptilian pupil, and some wrinkles around the bottom of the eye.

Add in his nostrils, then draw in that curvy forked tongue.

Cool. Now, I could stop here,

but because pythons have unique markings just like

our individual fingerprints, I'm going to start drawing my pattern.

You can draw your pattern any way you like.

My pattern is a bunch of squiggly lines,

with some dots in the middle.

All right! There you have one seriously deadly reticulated python!

'Nice python! How did some of you get on drawing this Doodle?

'We went to Devon on a Deadly Day Out.

'Here's all the action from the Deadly Art Tent.'

We're going to start with a circle

on the left-hand bottom of our page.

This is going to be for the head,

and we're going to turn that into an ice-cream cone for his nose.

ALL: Ya-a-ay!

-I'm Caley.

-I'm Sam.

-BOTH: And this is our Deadly Doodle.

I liked the head and the nose and the pattern which I used.

My favourite bit is probably the head as well,

because it's got the most detail in and I like detail.

ALL: This is our Deadly Doodle.

My favourite bit's the face

because I like the way the tongue's zig-zaggedy like lightning.

-I'm Lucy.

-And I'm Leah.

BOTH: And this is our Deadly pythons!

-The deadliest bit is the face.

-I think it's the coils.

I'm really happy with my doodle.

Mine is the deadliest.

Mine is the deadliest.

'They all look deadly! Keep on doodling!

'Let's get back to the Deadly Art studio. The snake is taking shape.'

Now the larger sections have been finished,

it's time to move on to the next stage.

As we move along the snake's body, we need our tin cans

to get smaller and smaller, so I'd better carry on attaching them.

'It's unbelievable to think that a load of old tin cans

'can be bent and shaped into a lethal predator!'

Now the head is taking shape, I can work on the eye.

For the eye, I've chosen this tin can.

We're going to slot it into this hole that I've left. Perfect.

Now for the reptilian pupil, I've got this piece of metal.

We're going to rivet it into place...

Now I've given that python its deadly stare

as if it's about to strike its prey.

'Over in Borneo, I was getting into a tight squeeze

'with a monster reticulated python.'

Crikey! I tell you, it's a good job it's quite tame, isn't it?

If this was snappy, I wouldn't be quite so keen

to be handling it like this.

Do I need to worry when its head starts heading towards me like that?

-It is getting used to you.

-Yeah. So this snake's been in captivity

for about 15 years, so it's not very aggressive.

Believe me, I would not be handling it like this

if this was a wild snake.

'This is a reticulated python I found a few years ago,

'living under a bridge in a village. The locals asked me to take it back

'to the forest, as it had been eating their chickens.

'This one was only about eight feet long, but was incredibly aggressive.

PYTHON HISSES

'Normally, they eat wild boar, pigs and birds,

'but they are confirmed people-killers.

'Naturally, the locals were worried that it could eat their children.

'This one was killed several years ago by villagers who thought

'it had done exactly that.

'But when they looked inside, it was fortunately a wild boar.'

The reticulated python can get to be much bigger than this.

The longest recorded specimen was about 28 feet.

This one's about 20, so it would be an extra me plus a bit more.

And I have to say, this isn't even constricting me,

but just the weight and power of it. Look at that on my leg!

This is how a reticulated python kills its prey,

by wrapping some coils around the animal,

and as it breathes out, the retic clenches a little bit more,

and every time the animal breathes out, it clenches more and more,

until there is no lung space left, and the animal suffocates.

'A huge predator with a killer technique.

'Incredible. Back to the Big Art, and it's all coming together.'

'Look at those massive teeth!'

'That's it! They've finished.'

I love the fact we've created something

so amazing-looking out of some old tin cans.

I know, it's always deadly when we use metal.

This python is sharp. You have to have gloves on to handle this thing.

-It's going to look great.

-Definitely.

'It's nearly time for the Big Reveal. I asked the Deadly Art team

'to recreate this killer moment and turn it into art.

'So, let's take a look at the finished result.

'Well, I really didn't expect that. That is pop art-tastic!

'The corrugations on the tins represent

'the belly scales of the snake!

'Those bright colours from the labels work so well!

'They're like the colours running down the reticulated python's body.

'And those twisted metal fangs look vicious!

'The snake's standing up, ready to strike!

'You wouldn't want to get in its way. Nice work, team.'

What an incredible creation!

Make sure you try the Doodle and the DIY,

and we'll see you next time for more Deadly Art!

Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd