Another show, and surface detail started
When it rains, it pours! From no show to one.. and now two in the same month! I will be displaying five paintings at the Mystical Art and Talent Show on October 13 at the Cambridge Swedenborg Chapel in Cambridge (Harvard Square area), Mass. Four of the five paintings will be from my Lovecraft collection (not the pieces for the Swiss show, but my Call of Cthulhu illustrations). Though my art isn't often considered spiritual in the classical sense, there will be an interesting connection because of Lovecraft's 'Dreamlands'. I suspect that my art will serve as an interesting contrast to the rest of the work displayed, as it will likely have a darker tone in general. Unfortunately, I will not be able to attend. I am a bit bummed about this, I was very much looking forward to seeing how people interpreted the paintings, especially in that context. I know a few of you are in the Mass area, perhaps some of you can check it out.
I have started working on the surface detail of the Cthulhu portion of the sculpture, and it's a lot of fun. The trick, I find, is to work the surface to suggest bone and muscle under the rubbery flesh as well as give a sense of how squishy the octopoid skin is. I first start by carving off (via x-acto and dremel) approx 1/8" of the surface clay, and cover it with a similarly thick sheet of new clay. Then, I started working in the folds and forms (muscle and bone). Part of the challenge has been to pick which areas to work on, first. I tend to want to work the deepest recesses first and work outwards, though a lot of these limbs and tentacles overlap one another, so it's not as cut and dry a choice as I'd like.
Then, once the shape is to my liking, I started dragging various tools over the surface to suggest the creases and wrinkles, which also aid as a way to help describe the form and movement. Then, for variety, I used some lighter tools to hint at even finer creases.
A side effect of this technique is little ridges and tiny fuzzy bits, these can be eliminated (prior to baking) by lightly brushing on some turpenoid (a less toxic turpentine), it sort of melts the clay. It's really tricky, I might add, I am still struggling with the technique, but it can really work out well when it does.
Here are some photos in order of the process. I have applied the turpenoid on the second grouping, second shot, and you'll likely note the difference.
You'll note that some of the little balls still remain, I have been picking these off after the bake. Though multiple bakings can start to cause cracks and other damage, I prefer to 'lock' in detail with bakings so I don't absent mindedly ruin it later while working on another section. Cracks can be glued and filled later.
~Paul
I have started working on the surface detail of the Cthulhu portion of the sculpture, and it's a lot of fun. The trick, I find, is to work the surface to suggest bone and muscle under the rubbery flesh as well as give a sense of how squishy the octopoid skin is. I first start by carving off (via x-acto and dremel) approx 1/8" of the surface clay, and cover it with a similarly thick sheet of new clay. Then, I started working in the folds and forms (muscle and bone). Part of the challenge has been to pick which areas to work on, first. I tend to want to work the deepest recesses first and work outwards, though a lot of these limbs and tentacles overlap one another, so it's not as cut and dry a choice as I'd like.
Then, once the shape is to my liking, I started dragging various tools over the surface to suggest the creases and wrinkles, which also aid as a way to help describe the form and movement. Then, for variety, I used some lighter tools to hint at even finer creases.
A side effect of this technique is little ridges and tiny fuzzy bits, these can be eliminated (prior to baking) by lightly brushing on some turpenoid (a less toxic turpentine), it sort of melts the clay. It's really tricky, I might add, I am still struggling with the technique, but it can really work out well when it does.
Here are some photos in order of the process. I have applied the turpenoid on the second grouping, second shot, and you'll likely note the difference.
You'll note that some of the little balls still remain, I have been picking these off after the bake. Though multiple bakings can start to cause cracks and other damage, I prefer to 'lock' in detail with bakings so I don't absent mindedly ruin it later while working on another section. Cracks can be glued and filled later.
~Paul
Congrats on the second show!
Maybe it's just me, but I think the skin texture right now looks to be more like an elephant's then a squid. Of course, I have seen more elephants then squids. But the definition of muscle is there for sure, and the details are very cool.
Keep up the good work!
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From what I gather and have observed, Octopus skin can be rather wrinkly depending on how expanded or contracted it is. But, it also seems to be very delicate, too, as if it could tear easily. However, I don't think Cthulhu should look terribly vulnerable, and might a giant octopus have considerably thicker skin? Hard to say, but that's where my imagination takes me. Even in previous depictions I had leaned towards a more elephantine surface. I think it's the use of the descriptor "rubbery" that tipped me in that direction.
As a semi-related side.. I try to not always take Lovecraft's descriptions too literally, and allow a little artistic license in, in hopes that it captures the emotion behind the words. Here are some of the descriptions from the short story:
"represented a monster of vaguely anthropoid outline, but with an octopus-like head whose face was a mass of feelers, a scaly, rubbery-looking body, prodigious claws on hind and fore feet, and long, narrow wings behind."
"thing cannot be described"
"the green, sticky spawn of the stars", with "flabby claws" and an "awful squid-head with writhing feelers"
So, what I take from this is that there is some room for interpretation. Cthulhu probably doesn't have a head (nor flesh) exactly like an octopus, it's just that it is the closest earthly thing to compare it to. Would he have eight tentacles? Not necessarily. Also, there seems to be some variance in the description, so I feel that allows artists to use what works best for their vision.
~Paul
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You've certainly done your research on skin and the descriptors do leave appear to leave some wiggle room. I do like what you have done and don't disagree with your interpetations, in case that point was lost in my initial post.
I find the term "flabby claws" amusing. It looks like someone needs to get to a gym.
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Heh, well, I've painted Cthulhu a few times now, so I have been down this road before.
Though it's absolutely fine if you didn't agree with my interpretation, your comments at the very least opened an opportunity for me to explain my approach. At some pint, I would like to approach the 'mountain' like aspect of Cthulhu, really focusing on the magnatude.
I don't really get the 'flabby claws', either. Maybe the hands are pudgy?
~Paul
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Wikipedia is a wonderful thing. O the hours I have whiled away there. It like when I was a kid I would read encyclopedias, just more modern.
I guess if nothing else I'm good practice for the Swiss trip.
Maybe the flabby claws was used to stick with the flesh-ness of this fellow and not confuse him with a crab-like critter. Fish are flabby too, and isn't sea/fish life a theme of sorts for Lovecraft? (I think you shared that fact in one of your blogs)
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Oh, he/it's big alright! Probably Godzilla tall, but perhaps fuller (despite what my slender sculpture might have one believe). The only real sense of scale I recall in the story is when he/it is disrupted by the heroes when they run their boat into it's head. In that part of the story, it almost makes it seem like Cthulhu is gelatinous.
Are fish flabby? I often though of flabby as fatty or un-toned, whereas fish are often fairly sleek. Lovecraft was afraid of fish and the sea.. and practically anything from other places.
~Paul
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I too think of fish as fairly trim and sleek, but if someone had a phobia of something then perhaps a negative adjective would come to mind before a more neutral or positive one when describing it?
A Godzilla-sized gelatin dessert? Hmmm... it wouldn't be turning everyone in to Scotsman so it could win Wimbledon, would it?
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Good point, if he's that phobic he well may have used a rather irrational term to describe it. Much like someone with a fear of snakes calling them "slimy", which clearly illustrates their ignorance of what they fear. Interesting, because Lovecraft has written at length about fear, especially the fear of the unknown.
You completely lost me on the Wimbledon comment!
~Paul
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There was a Monty Python Flying Circus skit, (atcually most of an episode) where blancmanges (a gelatin dessert) from outer space came to Earth and turned everyone in to Scotsman in attempt to win Wimbledon. It was in the first series I believe. Don't feel bad about not getting it; I find most folks have no idea what the hell I'm talking about most of the time. lol
Snakes aren't slimy? Since when?
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Ahh, I should have guessed! I watched a lot of M.P. as a kid on PBS, but I haven't seen it in many years. I'm sure that episode when over my head when I was eight.
The subject of interpreting the image of Cthulhu reminds me of the last time I was at GenCon (a large role playing game convention in the midwest). I rented a table in the art show and was selling shirts and prints, I even had a 6 foot Cthulhu banner hanging behind me. For the most part it was a pleasant experience to interact with the convention attendees. But, this one guy came up to me, looking very put off, and said, "You know, you got Cthulhu wrong, he doesn't have any eyes!". This was news to me, I couldn't recall one depiction of Cthulhu without eyes. "Besides, the boat kills him, anyway." This guy was not impressed!
Confused by all of this, I proceed to both the president and sales guys of Chaosium and asked them about the 'eyes' issue. Well, they pulled out a copy of the story, and were equally perplexed. Now, it doesn't mention eyes per se, but it doesn't mention the lack of eyes, either. With his logic, if one of you were to tell me that you saw a pretty girl on the street, but hadn't mentioned her eyes, I should not jump to the conclusion that she had eyes. Lesson learned!
Below you will find a sketch that Lovecraft made of the famous statue as seen in the Call of Cthulhu short story. Granted, it's of the statue and not Cthulhu itself, but I think it tells us something. I see at least one eye on this side, if not three.
Oh, as a side, I will be away from my computer for the next ten days (though I may be able to check in from a local library). My family has a small cabin (my father built it by himself in the 60's) in northern Vermont that I frequent as often as possible. This is a particularly nice time to visit because of the foliage. When asked to "think of my happy place", the cabin is it, it does me a world of good to decompress and put the universe back into a healthy perspective.
~Paul
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Definitely one if not three.
Of course this will sit for a week or so now. lol
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As a Waaagh! member, let me congratulate you on the progress.
The new wrinkly skin looks awesome!
Though i have to say, he is a muscly bugger for having been stuck in a bit of rock for aeons
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Thanks for joining us, Fester! You may soon discover that you're in the company of many Waaagh members.
It felt important to me to have Cthulhu still look powerful despite his aeon-long dormancy. I liken it to a giant python that sits still for weeks or months on end, but it still extremely strong despite a lifestyle that would seemingly leave it quite weak.
~Paul
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Us Waaagh-ers are coming out of the woodwork!
I like the fact that it doesn't look precisely like a squid's flesh- Cthulhu's not just a giant squid, he's something otherworldly, as you say.
And as to the fact that it looks too muscly for something lying dormant, this quote (thanks to Wikipedia!) from the Mecromnicon sums it up for me:
" That is not dead which can eternal lie.
And with strange aeons even death may die."
Fantastic stuff, Paul, as always, and congratulations on the SECOND show!
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That's an interesting take, James! It sort of suggests Cthulhu is perhaps not even alive in the classic sense, which would suggest it is not subject to decay or other natural effects of dormancy.
~Paul
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Sorry for the long delay in replying, Paul. I think the sculpt looks good, and you are already way ahead of any comments of mine on the textures. My only thought would be something completely unexpected for one of the components.
Anyways, congrats on the SECOND show. Well-deserved!
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Though I look forward to and value your input, Chuck, don't feel bad about late replies. I'm like a headless chicken these days with all my activity, so I sure know what it's like to be busy!
Out of curiosity, what unexpected components did you have in mind? It's not too late for some changes, depending what they are.
~Paul
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