Nightserpent.com blog- Fantasy art of Paul Carrick
A welcome visitor
Hello!
I guess one could call it a New Year's resolution, I've told myself that I will create more art for myself this year. Don't get me wrong, illustration can be rewarding and interesting, but it can also involve a deal of compromise that can leave an artist wondering what his or her art might look like if it were wholly self guided. No doubt, much of my voice often seeps through any assignment, but I am still trying to please someone more than myself. So, what would I want to paint? To tell you the truth, I found that a bit of an overwhelming question. Too many different directions come to mind, it's hard to know which way to go and when to pause and further explore any given idea. I've become so accustomed to being given the dimensions, subject matter and a time frame to work within, it's sort of strange for there to be no pre-set parameters. I started sketching and sketching, revising and changing both the subject and environment, presumably it could have gone on forever but I was eager to paint. I decided to settle on one idea with the idea in mind that I would simply observe what I liked about it and what I'd like to see more of, and with the next piece I could refine my direction. It's a little less overwhelming to think of it more a journey and exploration. A recent experience spawned a concept...
Last Halloween I went to a steampunk themed event, though I didn't happen to have a steampunk costume in my closet I wore something vaguely related. A little too high-tech I suppose, but it was the closest thing I had on hand:
Someone came up to me and commented about how she never sees steampunk villains, and judged me to be one. For some reason, that judgement struck me as funny- who said I was a villain? Yes, there's a skull in there, but I think it's more of a cultural conditioning of ours to equate skulls with evil. Snakes are the devil in some religions, and worshipped as gods in others. I'm told in Japan the color white is correlated with death, so it's all quite subjective depending on one's vantage point.
That experience reminded me of reoccurring themes in the interviews I've given over the years, where I'll often comment that my Lovecraftian creatures don't really seem evil to me and that I see more of an alien sense of wonder in them. Perhaps it's the lighting or inhuman anatomy and textures in the paintings that are commonly associated with 'bad guys' that makes the sense of wonder harder for others to perceive? This question sparked the inspiration for my latest painting, what if some of the context were to change- would that change people's perceptions? The current working title is 'A Welcome Visitor', acrylic 13x13":
I'd enjoy hearing people's impressions on this one. Oh, by the way, for some reason my blog software took it's sweet time letting me know there were some comments waiting to be approved from my last entry. I only just discovered them a couple days back but I did appreciate and reply to them. Thanks!
Some might recall a portrait painting I did of Lovecraft for Miskatonic River Press, it's now in print and ready for orders:
cheers!
~Paul
I guess one could call it a New Year's resolution, I've told myself that I will create more art for myself this year. Don't get me wrong, illustration can be rewarding and interesting, but it can also involve a deal of compromise that can leave an artist wondering what his or her art might look like if it were wholly self guided. No doubt, much of my voice often seeps through any assignment, but I am still trying to please someone more than myself. So, what would I want to paint? To tell you the truth, I found that a bit of an overwhelming question. Too many different directions come to mind, it's hard to know which way to go and when to pause and further explore any given idea. I've become so accustomed to being given the dimensions, subject matter and a time frame to work within, it's sort of strange for there to be no pre-set parameters. I started sketching and sketching, revising and changing both the subject and environment, presumably it could have gone on forever but I was eager to paint. I decided to settle on one idea with the idea in mind that I would simply observe what I liked about it and what I'd like to see more of, and with the next piece I could refine my direction. It's a little less overwhelming to think of it more a journey and exploration. A recent experience spawned a concept...
Last Halloween I went to a steampunk themed event, though I didn't happen to have a steampunk costume in my closet I wore something vaguely related. A little too high-tech I suppose, but it was the closest thing I had on hand:
Someone came up to me and commented about how she never sees steampunk villains, and judged me to be one. For some reason, that judgement struck me as funny- who said I was a villain? Yes, there's a skull in there, but I think it's more of a cultural conditioning of ours to equate skulls with evil. Snakes are the devil in some religions, and worshipped as gods in others. I'm told in Japan the color white is correlated with death, so it's all quite subjective depending on one's vantage point.
That experience reminded me of reoccurring themes in the interviews I've given over the years, where I'll often comment that my Lovecraftian creatures don't really seem evil to me and that I see more of an alien sense of wonder in them. Perhaps it's the lighting or inhuman anatomy and textures in the paintings that are commonly associated with 'bad guys' that makes the sense of wonder harder for others to perceive? This question sparked the inspiration for my latest painting, what if some of the context were to change- would that change people's perceptions? The current working title is 'A Welcome Visitor', acrylic 13x13":
I'd enjoy hearing people's impressions on this one. Oh, by the way, for some reason my blog software took it's sweet time letting me know there were some comments waiting to be approved from my last entry. I only just discovered them a couple days back but I did appreciate and reply to them. Thanks!
Some might recall a portrait painting I did of Lovecraft for Miskatonic River Press, it's now in print and ready for orders:
cheers!
~Paul
Another warped mind...
Hello!
If you recall two blog entries ago I did an illustration for the band Cruxiter's upcoming self-titled CD release. Well, now I am happy to unveil the front cover! It features the Cruxiter itself, an alien artifact full of strange and bizarre knowledge that is far too powerful for human minds to comprehend. However, as dangerous as it is, the temptation to resist that knowledge is too strong to resist. Here on the cover we see yet another who has tried and failed to unlock it:
Acrylic 13x13" Once again my illustration experiences with musicians continue to be very enjoyable ones, I think it's because they are sympathetic to the creative process and are willing to let me run wild with my imagination and what excites me. I guess the comparison would be if I were to commission a band to make me a soundtrack- I could hang over their shoulders and micro-manage every single note, or I could trust them to run with what drives and excites them. I'm very happy with the outcome and so are they! I am enjoying this new direction in my art and am looking to see where it takes me. I wish the best for the band, their upcoming CD and tour.
In other news, I've been interviewed for the artvenue.com blog- please check it out:
http://blog.artvenue.com/2011/11/artist-spotlight-paul-carrick/ Thanks to Lex for the great opportunity! If you have a site, blog, zine, etc., and are looking for content (an interview or artist's spotlight) please feel free to contact me!
Last but not least, I wish to thank all the people who shared their interpretations (publicly and privately) of my last painting from my last blog entry It was fun and enlightening, and I would love to do it again.
cheers!
~Paul
If you recall two blog entries ago I did an illustration for the band Cruxiter's upcoming self-titled CD release. Well, now I am happy to unveil the front cover! It features the Cruxiter itself, an alien artifact full of strange and bizarre knowledge that is far too powerful for human minds to comprehend. However, as dangerous as it is, the temptation to resist that knowledge is too strong to resist. Here on the cover we see yet another who has tried and failed to unlock it:
Acrylic 13x13" Once again my illustration experiences with musicians continue to be very enjoyable ones, I think it's because they are sympathetic to the creative process and are willing to let me run wild with my imagination and what excites me. I guess the comparison would be if I were to commission a band to make me a soundtrack- I could hang over their shoulders and micro-manage every single note, or I could trust them to run with what drives and excites them. I'm very happy with the outcome and so are they! I am enjoying this new direction in my art and am looking to see where it takes me. I wish the best for the band, their upcoming CD and tour.
In other news, I've been interviewed for the artvenue.com blog- please check it out:
http://blog.artvenue.com/2011/11/artist-spotlight-paul-carrick/ Thanks to Lex for the great opportunity! If you have a site, blog, zine, etc., and are looking for content (an interview or artist's spotlight) please feel free to contact me!
Last but not least, I wish to thank all the people who shared their interpretations (publicly and privately) of my last painting from my last blog entry It was fun and enlightening, and I would love to do it again.
cheers!
~Paul
Perhaps you can explain this one...
Much of being an artist-slash-illustrator involves stuff that has very little to do with painting, but they are means to allow the painting part to happen. But, when the ratio of creating to chores becomes a little out of proportion, I can get the urge to make something in whatever time I can scrounge. I did this one a few weeks back, I had no plan but just attacked the surface with some abstract shapes and color. At some point I started seeing some forms in there and began fleshing them out and trying to apply some sense of logic to make them more believable. I used acrylic because I didn't have a big window of time to work around some of casein's slower-paced qualities, and that actually made me more appreciative of the medium I had used exclusively for years.
Ports 8.5x11" acrylic on illustration board
I can't tell you what this one is about, in fact when I was painting it I wasn't even certain which side of the painting should be up or down because they all worked. I'd be curious to hear what people think is depicted in the painting.
~Paul
~Paul
In search of the Necronomicon...
Hello!
I recently had two commissions that dovetail nicely together in theme, that being the Wilbur Whateley character from H.P. Lovecraft's famous 'the Dunwich Horror'. For those unfamiliar (and shame on you, by the way), Wilbur is the hybrid offspring of a human mother and a father which is an alien entity from some other dimension. He grew and developed quite rapidly into a very formidable being (he's not all human, so I'm not quite certain what to call him), and soon started looking for a way to bring his father into our world, which would most certainly spell doom for the rest of us.
The first commission is the cover for Chaosium's upcoming Miskatonic University sourcebook. This painting depicts the point in time when Wilbur breaks into the Orne Library at M.U. in order to steal a copy of the dreaded Necronomicon- a necessary tool for his quest. Warning, there are spoilers ahead if you have not yet read the story.....
Wilbur does manage to break into the library, but unfortunately (for him) he is taken down by a guard dog and then we get to witness how inhuman his anatomy truly is...
"Their arrangement was odd, and seemed to follow the symmetries of
some cosmic geometry unknown to earth or the solar system. On each of
the hips, deep set in a kind of pinkish, ciliated orbit, was what seemed
to be a rudimentary eye; whilst in lieu of a tail there depended a kind
of trunk or feeler with purple annular markings, and with many
evidences of being an undeveloped mouth or throat. The limbs, save for
their black fur, roughly resembled the hind legs of prehistoric earth's
giant saurians, and terminated in ridgy-veined pads that were neither hooves nor claws"
It confuses me how he would suffer such a simple fate, so the concept of the painting emerged out of my attempt to make sense of it. I imagined that if someone were to find this book, especially one so desperate to acquire it, may be tempted to take a quick look out of burning curiosity. This cursed tome is infamous for driving it's readers over the brink of sanity, and I can certainly imagine it having an hypnotic effect to any who view it. From his rather unique perspective, he might be witnessing the highest form of alien beauty. This would certainly put Wilbur in a far more vulnerable state, it may even prevent him from even being aware of any impending threat. That said, here is how I imagined his last moment....
Next up, an interior illustration for the upcoming release from metal band CRUXITER whose new music will contain Lovecraftian themes. I don't want to give too much away, but it involves an alternate storyline in which Wilbur gives up on Miskatonic University and instead travels to Innsmouth (of the famed "Shadow over Innsmouth" story by Lovecraft) in search of an alternate copy of the Necronomicon...
The synchronicity of these two commissions was quite nice, as is imagining alternate interpretations and explanations.
cheers!
~Paul
I recently had two commissions that dovetail nicely together in theme, that being the Wilbur Whateley character from H.P. Lovecraft's famous 'the Dunwich Horror'. For those unfamiliar (and shame on you, by the way), Wilbur is the hybrid offspring of a human mother and a father which is an alien entity from some other dimension. He grew and developed quite rapidly into a very formidable being (he's not all human, so I'm not quite certain what to call him), and soon started looking for a way to bring his father into our world, which would most certainly spell doom for the rest of us.
The first commission is the cover for Chaosium's upcoming Miskatonic University sourcebook. This painting depicts the point in time when Wilbur breaks into the Orne Library at M.U. in order to steal a copy of the dreaded Necronomicon- a necessary tool for his quest. Warning, there are spoilers ahead if you have not yet read the story.....
Wilbur does manage to break into the library, but unfortunately (for him) he is taken down by a guard dog and then we get to witness how inhuman his anatomy truly is...
- "The thing that lay half-bent on its side in a foetid pool of greenish-yellow ichor
and tarry stickiness was almost nine feet tall, and the dog had torn
off all the clothing and some of the skin.... It was partly human,
beyond a doubt, with very manlike hands and head, and the goatish,
chinless face had the stamp of the Whateleys upon it. But the torso and
lower parts of the body were teratologically fabulous, so that only
generous clothing could ever have enabled it to walk on earth
unchallenged or uneradicated.
It confuses me how he would suffer such a simple fate, so the concept of the painting emerged out of my attempt to make sense of it. I imagined that if someone were to find this book, especially one so desperate to acquire it, may be tempted to take a quick look out of burning curiosity. This cursed tome is infamous for driving it's readers over the brink of sanity, and I can certainly imagine it having an hypnotic effect to any who view it. From his rather unique perspective, he might be witnessing the highest form of alien beauty. This would certainly put Wilbur in a far more vulnerable state, it may even prevent him from even being aware of any impending threat. That said, here is how I imagined his last moment....
Next up, an interior illustration for the upcoming release from metal band CRUXITER whose new music will contain Lovecraftian themes. I don't want to give too much away, but it involves an alternate storyline in which Wilbur gives up on Miskatonic University and instead travels to Innsmouth (of the famed "Shadow over Innsmouth" story by Lovecraft) in search of an alternate copy of the Necronomicon...
The synchronicity of these two commissions was quite nice, as is imagining alternate interpretations and explanations.
cheers!
~Paul
Axis Mundi
Hello!
It's not too common that I get to do personal work, so I jumped on this chance. It's inspired by a CD/booklet by artist Alex Grey, "the Visionary Artist". I've been illustrating since about '93, and so my focus has been mostly pleasing art directors and publishers' customers, which doesn't always leave room for my own explorations. Of course I try to cram in as much of my interests into any assignment, there's often a lot of compromise due to the assignments requirements. This is casein on illustration board, 11x16". The exercise is to envision your own person access point of exploring the subconscious and "super-conscious".
Cheers!
~Paul
It's not too common that I get to do personal work, so I jumped on this chance. It's inspired by a CD/booklet by artist Alex Grey, "the Visionary Artist". I've been illustrating since about '93, and so my focus has been mostly pleasing art directors and publishers' customers, which doesn't always leave room for my own explorations. Of course I try to cram in as much of my interests into any assignment, there's often a lot of compromise due to the assignments requirements. This is casein on illustration board, 11x16". The exercise is to envision your own person access point of exploring the subconscious and "super-conscious".
Cheers!
~Paul
Two 'nomicons in one blog!
Greetings!
Slated for the summer is the release of the Aklonomicon:
Slated for the summer is the release of the Aklonomicon:
"The AKLONOMICON is an anthology of Lovecraftian weird fiction prose, poetry, comics and art that will be published in summer 2011 by Ivan McCann’s AKLO PRESS.
The volume is co edited by Ivan McCann and Joe Pulver sr and will comprise material from some of the darkest lights in contemporary weird fiction."
I have illustrated two of the stories, both by writer and Cosmonomicon blogger, Ted Grau: Flutes and In the Cave She Sang. Both of his stories were ripe with good visuals for an artist, cases in point...
Horrific, aren't they?? Blame Ted, I say! If he could only restrain himself and keep to kittens and such, this would be a very different blog entry 
Both are roughly 8-1/2x11", casein on illustration board. I'll be sure to post links when the book is for sale.
cheers!
~Paul
Supernatural!
Hello All!
For those of you who watched the season finale episodes of the CW network's 'Supernatural' show last Friday evening, you may have noticed some familiar elements lurking on the sets- and those elements would be a whole pile of my Lovecraftian art! It was a rather surreal feeling to think that my artwork had been turned into a digital signal and broadcast throughout the continent's airspace. You can watch the episode at the CW site here. If you'd like to catch the scene with my art, fast forward to 9:47. Some of it is quite easily recognizable, some took some searching- like a bizarre Easter egg hunt or "Where's Whateley".
So, let's have a look at that set!
The set creates the apartment of a Lovecraft enthusiast who boasts the largest collection of his letters. His place is thoroughly decorated with all sorts of Mythos imagery, including posters from the H.P. Lovecraft Historical Society and fellow mythos artist Earl Geier. In the above photo you'll see the most recognizable painting of mine in the scene, it's the HUGE Lovecraft portrait. To the left and below are a number of Earl's pieces. Next slide, please ....
Above you'll see a specially painted Cthulhu statue next to the laptop. Next, please...
Above on the left is my R'lyeh painting (limited prints still available!!) beep...
Above is my Azathoth painting, this guy has great taste!!
To the right of the Miskatonic University pennant is my 'Yithian Commune' illustration. Next up....
And, around the corner from R'lyeh is Cthulhu itself! There's one other image in the set (of a statue of Cthulhu), I'll see if I can get a photo of that as well.
Many many thanks to the kind people at Supernatural 5 films, some of the most friendly and easy to work with people.
cheers!
~Paul
For those of you who watched the season finale episodes of the CW network's 'Supernatural' show last Friday evening, you may have noticed some familiar elements lurking on the sets- and those elements would be a whole pile of my Lovecraftian art! It was a rather surreal feeling to think that my artwork had been turned into a digital signal and broadcast throughout the continent's airspace. You can watch the episode at the CW site here. If you'd like to catch the scene with my art, fast forward to 9:47. Some of it is quite easily recognizable, some took some searching- like a bizarre Easter egg hunt or "Where's Whateley".
So, let's have a look at that set!
The set creates the apartment of a Lovecraft enthusiast who boasts the largest collection of his letters. His place is thoroughly decorated with all sorts of Mythos imagery, including posters from the H.P. Lovecraft Historical Society and fellow mythos artist Earl Geier. In the above photo you'll see the most recognizable painting of mine in the scene, it's the HUGE Lovecraft portrait. To the left and below are a number of Earl's pieces. Next slide, please ....
Above you'll see a specially painted Cthulhu statue next to the laptop. Next, please...
Above on the left is my R'lyeh painting (limited prints still available!!) beep...
Above is my Azathoth painting, this guy has great taste!!
To the right of the Miskatonic University pennant is my 'Yithian Commune' illustration. Next up....
And, around the corner from R'lyeh is Cthulhu itself! There's one other image in the set (of a statue of Cthulhu), I'll see if I can get a photo of that as well.
Many many thanks to the kind people at Supernatural 5 films, some of the most friendly and easy to work with people.
cheers!
~Paul
the Great Race of Yith and more...
Hello!
Might as well jump right into it... here is a new privately commissioned painting of the Great Race of Yith performing a mysterious experiment:
The challenge of this piece was to convey something of an alien nature while there was still some sort of readable logic to it. This was a really fun piece to do and I enjoyed interacting with the client, who is a scientist himself.
Next up... something long overdue: a complete website re-vamp! I'm still tinkering with a few minor details but it is otherwise ready to peruse and enjoy. Plenty of new artwork, a new bio and other stuff. Come take a look: nightserpent.com
Last, but not least, a new experience for me- a live online interview! Here's the episode: The Art of the Red River hosted by artists Mike Dubisch and Carolyn Watson Dubisch I'm usually not interviewed by other artists, especially ones with so many similarities (Lovecraft and children's books), so this was unique for me in a number of ways. In fact, Mike and I have shared a number of exhibits and soon some publications as well. Thanks Mike and Carolyn for the fun experience!
Chocolate still in development!
~Paul
Might as well jump right into it... here is a new privately commissioned painting of the Great Race of Yith performing a mysterious experiment:
The challenge of this piece was to convey something of an alien nature while there was still some sort of readable logic to it. This was a really fun piece to do and I enjoyed interacting with the client, who is a scientist himself.
Next up... something long overdue: a complete website re-vamp! I'm still tinkering with a few minor details but it is otherwise ready to peruse and enjoy. Plenty of new artwork, a new bio and other stuff. Come take a look: nightserpent.com
Last, but not least, a new experience for me- a live online interview! Here's the episode: The Art of the Red River hosted by artists Mike Dubisch and Carolyn Watson Dubisch I'm usually not interviewed by other artists, especially ones with so many similarities (Lovecraft and children's books), so this was unique for me in a number of ways. In fact, Mike and I have shared a number of exhibits and soon some publications as well. Thanks Mike and Carolyn for the fun experience!
Chocolate still in development!
~Paul
New cover art and getting serious about chocolate
Hello!
Looks like my April Fool's joke had it's own surprise in mind for me....
A few weeks back I was painting a custom cthulhu statue for a client, and after priming it I had base-coated it a dark brown in order to give it an aged bronze look. Maybe it was the way the paint was drying, but it looked exactly like dark chocolate- my favorite! I mused about casting them in chocolate- and the prank was born. If you didn't see the blog entry, click here - be sure to click on the fake Paypal button for the reveal. The response to the joke (public and private) was larger and more positive than I had expected. So, now I am seriously working on Chocolate Cthulhus! A new sculpture is being created, and the nightserpent test kitchen will be opening soon. There goes my trim figure for beach season!!
In other news... a brand new casein painting for the cover of Chaosium's new edition of "Cthulhu By Gaslight"!- it's a role playing game supplement for those wishing to have their games set in Victorian era London.
It's 13x17", casein again. I'm still getting the hang of this new (well, ancient) medium, learning what it can do that acrylic cannot- and learning how to differently approach the painting because of the differences. For those of you unfamiliar with Lovecraft's Mythos, the flying creature is a Mi-Go - highly intelligent creatures known for their technology. It is carrying the infamous "Mi-Go brain case", the Mi-Go are happy to take you on a tour of the cosmos but the rest of your body is not invited.
Leave room for impending eldritch dessert!
~Paul
Looks like my April Fool's joke had it's own surprise in mind for me....
A few weeks back I was painting a custom cthulhu statue for a client, and after priming it I had base-coated it a dark brown in order to give it an aged bronze look. Maybe it was the way the paint was drying, but it looked exactly like dark chocolate- my favorite! I mused about casting them in chocolate- and the prank was born. If you didn't see the blog entry, click here - be sure to click on the fake Paypal button for the reveal. The response to the joke (public and private) was larger and more positive than I had expected. So, now I am seriously working on Chocolate Cthulhus! A new sculpture is being created, and the nightserpent test kitchen will be opening soon. There goes my trim figure for beach season!!
In other news... a brand new casein painting for the cover of Chaosium's new edition of "Cthulhu By Gaslight"!- it's a role playing game supplement for those wishing to have their games set in Victorian era London.
Leave room for impending eldritch dessert!
~Paul
A whole bunch of stuff!
Wow... it's been a while since my last entry!
MythosCon (a Lovecraft convention in Arizona last January) was amazing! I would highly recommend it to anyone with strong interests in Lovecraft. It was attended almost entirely by professionals (writers, artists, film makers, publishers, etc), some say it was more like a conference because of this. Big names were everywhere, and everyone was extremely approachable and friendly. I still plan to make a video of the art show.
I've been interviewed for the Lovecraftian 'zine Cyäegha in the spring '11 number 4.
I've also been interviewed for the Slovakian website "Necrosphere", the interview is available in English and Slovak Though I don't consider myself a huge fan of technology, being able to connect with people all over the world has become a very welcome and pleasant surprise.
Easter is just around the corner, and we all need to load up on anti-oxidants, especially the non-euclidean kind. So, I am taking pre-orders on dark chocolate Cthulhus. 8-1/4" high, 3/8" thick. It's the same design as the resin statues, just tastier and not as good for fighting cavities:
Last but not least, a new cover painting for "Dissecting Cthulhu" a collection of essays edited by S.T. Joshi and published by Miskatonic River Press
I wish to thank Donovan Loucks for providing me with a great source image, it was refreshing to have a new view of reference. Up till now there have been very few images artists have had to work with, and those were fairly over-exposed. This makes for a challenge because Lovecraft has unusual facial anatomy (the chin), it can be hard to guess what is accurate. Actually, there are other emerging photos, but the problem is they are so unlike the few vies we're used to that they hardly read like him and might not work well as a recognizable image for a cover.
Alright, until next time!
~Paul
MythosCon (a Lovecraft convention in Arizona last January) was amazing! I would highly recommend it to anyone with strong interests in Lovecraft. It was attended almost entirely by professionals (writers, artists, film makers, publishers, etc), some say it was more like a conference because of this. Big names were everywhere, and everyone was extremely approachable and friendly. I still plan to make a video of the art show.
I've been interviewed for the Lovecraftian 'zine Cyäegha in the spring '11 number 4.
I've also been interviewed for the Slovakian website "Necrosphere", the interview is available in English and Slovak Though I don't consider myself a huge fan of technology, being able to connect with people all over the world has become a very welcome and pleasant surprise.
Easter is just around the corner, and we all need to load up on anti-oxidants, especially the non-euclidean kind. So, I am taking pre-orders on dark chocolate Cthulhus. 8-1/4" high, 3/8" thick. It's the same design as the resin statues, just tastier and not as good for fighting cavities:
Last but not least, a new cover painting for "Dissecting Cthulhu" a collection of essays edited by S.T. Joshi and published by Miskatonic River Press
I wish to thank Donovan Loucks for providing me with a great source image, it was refreshing to have a new view of reference. Up till now there have been very few images artists have had to work with, and those were fairly over-exposed. This makes for a challenge because Lovecraft has unusual facial anatomy (the chin), it can be hard to guess what is accurate. Actually, there are other emerging photos, but the problem is they are so unlike the few vies we're used to that they hardly read like him and might not work well as a recognizable image for a cover.
Alright, until next time!
~Paul