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[grody311]

I tend to build statues fairly liberally in my fortresses.  I love seeing the different images they portray.

My latest fortress seems to have a strange recurring theme, though: the majority of my statues are either of a large roach, or, now that my metal crafter is becoming more skilled, a statue of large roaches.  Plural.  Because multiple statues of single ones just wasn't cutting it for him.

I'm not exaggerating when I say that out of the dozen golden statues I have so far, 9 of them are of roaches.  I thought that maybe my metal crafter just really liked them, but after reading his bio I see that he detests them.

I can't say I've ever seen this before.  If it wasn't so amusing I would probably swap him out for a new (and unfortunately less practiced) metal crafter.

In the future, is there a way I can ensure that I pick a metal crafter (and engraver, too, now that I think about it) that will create things that actually generate happy thoughts in my fortress?

(I've also noticed that my embark is infested with large/giant variants of many creatures - although no roaches so far.  Untamed wilds biome.  Could this be influencing the design choices?)

[AutomataKittay]

In the future, is there a way I can ensure that I pick a metal crafter (and engraver, too, now that I think about it) that will create things that actually generate happy thoughts in my fortress?

(I've also noticed that my embark is infested with large/giant variants of many creatures - although no roaches so far.  Untamed wilds biome.  Could this be influencing the design choices?)

Not really, outside of checking their preference and avoiding any that likes or detests things that'll bother other dwarves. Even then, they might still occasionally make some if they've seen such recently, though this part might be me mis-remembering. Dwarves love to make image of things that they detests, probably something in their small mind keep getting tickled and compelled by the horror of it. I believe they might take some influence by those that they knows and talks to, too.

It does occasionally lead to amusing result like their best friend or spouse being terrorized by such thing

As for embark influence, not very likely, at least not if it's in their preference that they loves or hates something so much. Preference pretty much comes first, then historical event ( I've heard more traditional dwarves prefer historical events ) with local preferrence. It does depends on how much history there was, somewhat.

[grody311]

Dwarves love to make image of things that they detests

Oh I didn't realize that this was a common phenomenon.  I probably just didn't notice before.  Or perhaps most of my previous metal crafters all had rather benign dislikes, like disliking ravens or something, and I never thought twice about the content of their statues.  Thanks for clarifying.

[Garath]

one time my metalworker shared a hatred for worms with my mayor. So when I ordered 4 statues for the mayor his new living room, guess what he made? Statues of worms...

[greycat]

Dwarves love to make image of things that they detests

Oh I didn't realize that this was a common phenomenon.  I probably just didn't notice before.

They also love to make a statue of another dwarf surrounded by vermin that the other dwarf hates.  I find this hilarious.

[Larix]

As i understand it, dwarfs don't get unhappy thoughts over seeing a _depiction_ of a hated vermin, they just value the item significantly lower.

Almost every dwarf detests some kind of vermin, i think the better way to go would be to pick a dwarf who's more likely to depict historical events. I don't know what governs this, though - creativity and tradition might be important. Having a lot of fort history for your beards to depict should help - tons of legendary crafters who make masterwork stuff, battles, appointed and replaced nobles, that kind of thing. Masterwork spam can become a bit silly when 2/3 of your images are of a dwarf triumphantly raising a thread of wool, a dog tallow roast or a bucket. Although it's always fun if you have masterful engravings showing the engraver of the work engraving (another, earlier masterwork).

[ShadowHammer]

They also love to make a statue of another dwarf surrounded by vermin that the other dwarf hates.  I find this hilarious.

Whenever I get a statue like this, I put it in the dwarf's tomb. They will be guarded in death by that which they hated in life!

[WanderingKid]

Not sure about statuary, but if you want historical events in engravings, it's 'admires tradition' in their stuff.

[xoseph]

Are there Giant Cockroaches?  They should be captured and tamed.