Second painting started
I'd like to preface todays installment with a huge thank you to everyone that has subscribed, commented and viewed my previous entries, it has been of far more value than I had ever anticipated. Simply knowing that people are taking an interest in the art's development is an enormously encouraging motivator, not to forget the value of people's comments and suggestions. I should have done this a loooong time ago!
I bit the bullet and decided to start scanning the artwork. Though it can be a bit of a task, I was starting to think the quality of the digital photos was getting in the way because of the inaccuracies. I can't say this is exactly how it looks in real life, but it is far closer than the other work-in progress images. Some of the subtleties, both in high and low value ranges, are missing, but this should give you a good idea of where it currently stands:
I'd say it is about 90-95% done, for the most part it just has a bunch of tweaks and adjustments to do. I started doing that on Monday and was starting to feel like I was just doing damage to the painting, so I've decided to take a break from it for a while. Hopefully, when I come back to it I will see it with fresh eyes and have a clearer idea of what needs to be done. I'd be happy to hear what you feel that is!
So, I started the second of four paintings. The second item I chose from Lovecraft's Commonplace Book is #80 from 1919: "Shapeless living thing forming nucleus of ancient building". Again, I started doodling on the illustration board, with little more idea other than I wanted the lines to blur the lines between the flesh of the "thing" and stone of the building. So, in a nutshell, we have a space below the ground, with a collapsed ceiling. A brain-like center of the "thing" resides in an alcove, while some tendril-like appendages stretch towards the opening. I thought that the dark dank area would appeal to a few mushrooms here and there... and that gave me an idea! To show how integrated into the building the "thing" is, I could hint at other parts of it poking through here and there, much like how the mycelium network of a mushroom expands underground where the eye can't see it.
And, with some paint:
Though it is still being fleshed out, I look forward to everyone's comments! Thank you~
~Paul
I bit the bullet and decided to start scanning the artwork. Though it can be a bit of a task, I was starting to think the quality of the digital photos was getting in the way because of the inaccuracies. I can't say this is exactly how it looks in real life, but it is far closer than the other work-in progress images. Some of the subtleties, both in high and low value ranges, are missing, but this should give you a good idea of where it currently stands:
I'd say it is about 90-95% done, for the most part it just has a bunch of tweaks and adjustments to do. I started doing that on Monday and was starting to feel like I was just doing damage to the painting, so I've decided to take a break from it for a while. Hopefully, when I come back to it I will see it with fresh eyes and have a clearer idea of what needs to be done. I'd be happy to hear what you feel that is!
So, I started the second of four paintings. The second item I chose from Lovecraft's Commonplace Book is #80 from 1919: "Shapeless living thing forming nucleus of ancient building". Again, I started doodling on the illustration board, with little more idea other than I wanted the lines to blur the lines between the flesh of the "thing" and stone of the building. So, in a nutshell, we have a space below the ground, with a collapsed ceiling. A brain-like center of the "thing" resides in an alcove, while some tendril-like appendages stretch towards the opening. I thought that the dark dank area would appeal to a few mushrooms here and there... and that gave me an idea! To show how integrated into the building the "thing" is, I could hint at other parts of it poking through here and there, much like how the mycelium network of a mushroom expands underground where the eye can't see it.
And, with some paint:
Though it is still being fleshed out, I look forward to everyone's comments! Thank you~
~Paul
The Azathoth painting has really come together. I like the dank, drippy feel to it that leaves one with the impression that you're in the belly of an immense beast.
Not sure about the second one though. Too early a stage to say, but the beast seems a bit too obvious to me. It should be a subtle thing that has you leaning in to look at the painting before you get creeped out by the sudden realization that the "thing" is all around you. Having seen Azathoth come to life makes me expect you'll pull that off here, so I'll just shutup and wait.
Cheers
Reply to this
Hi Rich,
Thanks for your comments! Glad you like the Azathoth painting, it's come a long way since it's early scribbles and has fermented into something truly awful
The second one is in that 'hard to share' phase, and I mostly posted it for people's curiosity. In many ways there isn't enough information for a viewer to get a full sense of the painting's direction. However, there certainly is enough information there to raise your concern of how much I am giving away, and I understand your point. When I read the description from Lovecraft's list, the words ancient and nucleus struck me the most. To me, that spoke of an entity which has resided in the structure for a very long time, and nucleus strikes me as something fairly significant in magnitude. Perhaps it is still subtle or undetectable from the exterior of the structure, but once at the nucleus it is no longer a secret. To connect with your sentiment, I think the idea of exactly how integrated the thing is with the entire structure seemed the area of the viewers' discovery.
I value your making me question approach!
~Paul
Reply to this
Azathoth looks fantastic. The servitor worked out just perfect, and really gives an idea of the sheer scale of the monstrosity.
I like the concept of your new picture, and it has a hell of a lot of potential. Right now though the lines of the building aren't really defined at all though- it's kind of hard to make out anything. I'm sure you'll remedy that though!
Can't wait to see what you do next, Paul.
Reply to this
Thanks for the kind words! I'll return to ol' Azathoth in a little while and do a final sweep of adjustments.
I agree, at this phase, the Nucleus painting (that's what I've been titling it for convenience) is still in a fairly early stage. It's kind of like posting a work-in-progress model that is just a basic lump. Does the creator list everything they intend to do with it? Do they not post it at all until it has more a more tangible form? Ultimately, I chose to show it as people might like to see how it unfolds. Otherwise, it's too abrupt a step from one to the next.
*fingers crossed*
~Paul
Reply to this
Well, Nightserpent, this drawing was awesome! The way you captured the subtle night light inside the building and the "bioluminescense" of the brainy thing was very nicely done, and the fungal growth was a very good idea too!
Fantastic yet very disturbing!
Reply to this
Thanks! I've felt that light and shadow is one of my real strengths, and this environment is well suited for me to exercise that. That green is officially called 'pthalo yellow', but I much rather prefer calling it 'magic green', as it has made it's way into a lot of my art that requires something supernatural. I've even dreampt of that color!
The brain... sorry to inform you, has been lobotomized! Yes, it's true. I just wasn't liking it, so I am experimenting with other forms as we speak (type??). Maybe a brain was too obvious? I am fiddling with the concept of eyes, as I think having some form of identifiable (external, like facial) elements is more disturbing.
~Paul
Reply to this
Paul, enjoyed the comments by your respondents and your response to them. Even though I am not well-versed in artistic critiques, the comments helped me to understand your work a bit better;your articulation of it illuminated what I was seeing. Looking forward to learning more. Connie
Reply to this
You know, I used to roll my eyes when I first heard about 'blogs' (and the name itself sounded too similar to 'glob'). But, I have to say, I grossly underestimated the idea and I keep discovering new values in it. To now learn that it can also help people unfamiliar with this type of art gain new understanding for it... well, yet another boon to the "boon-pile".
Reply to this