New progress on the "Old One", and something for the young ones...
Posted by Paul Carrick at 1/10/2008 11:27 PM and is filed under Painting,children's books,H.P. Lovecraft,Sculpture 
Hello Everyone, time for another update...
For starters, I have a bit of good news. As some of you may know, I occasionally illustrate children's books (which is often a rather amusing detail for those only familiar with my darker work). Somewhere around 2004 I got the idea to write one as well, that way I could have more control over what I was illustrating. It's a long process, let me tell you. The manuscript was
picked up by a publisher, and the artwork was just finished this fall. It's slated for a fall '08 release, which means it might hit shelves some time early/mid summer. Tentatively entitled Watch Out For Wolfgang! Here's a sample page:
It may look like a painting, but it is actually a flat layered sculpture. A hobby of mine is to convert and scratchbuild models for table top miniature wargames (see some here), at some point I found myself being more interested in the 3-d work than the 2d. I realized that if I didn't incorporate this interest into my "real work", I'd be living out on the street because I'd never get any work done. So, using the same materials and techniques (styrene plastic sheets, super glue and acrylic paint), I developed a bas relief style of illustration. This is actually the second book I've illustrated in this medium, Wired, a book about electricity was released last fall. But, Wolfgang is fiction, which allows for much more drama and artistic license. Those familiar with Warhammer 40,000 will discover numerous visual inspiration in this upcoming book.
OK, enough kid's book stuff, I know you're all here for the tentacular horror. I just made that word up.
The sculpture is chugging along. I have completed the second hand, rearranged some tentacles and so forth, focusing mostly on the left arm area. This was a big hurdle, as hands are probably one of the tougher areas next to faces.
a detail shot of the most recent work:
When in doubt, if it's a fleshy area and smooth, I haven't finished that area yet. Next up is a lot of the straggling tentacles, and then finally the head. After that, I may tweak some shapes to help it in the casting process, as long as it doesn't compromise the forms too much.
Though I knew my computer's monitor was a bit on the old side, I hadn't realized how faded it was. I recently heard that they are good (as far as for those who need color and levels to be properly calibrated) for four years. Looking at the back of mine, I learned that mine was nearly ten years old! That would explain why I have been having such a hard time reading various favorite sites. Last week I sold a painting, so I decided I should reinvest that money into a new monitor. Wow, what an amazing difference, the resolution and vividness is a hundredfold better! However, when viewing some recent files of my art, adjusted to look best on my ancient monitor, I have come to discover how awful the scans look on good monitors. If you look on my site, you can see as my monitor ages the more recent scans look odder and odder. So, I am going to have to "re master" a lot of images. I have my work cut out for me.
Between this and getting used to a new camera, I have a lot of learning, experimenting and adjusting to do. How do the new images of the Cthulhu statue look to everyone? How do they compare to previous WIP images? Input would be most useful.
~Paul
For starters, I have a bit of good news. As some of you may know, I occasionally illustrate children's books (which is often a rather amusing detail for those only familiar with my darker work). Somewhere around 2004 I got the idea to write one as well, that way I could have more control over what I was illustrating. It's a long process, let me tell you. The manuscript was
picked up by a publisher, and the artwork was just finished this fall. It's slated for a fall '08 release, which means it might hit shelves some time early/mid summer. Tentatively entitled Watch Out For Wolfgang! Here's a sample page:
It may look like a painting, but it is actually a flat layered sculpture. A hobby of mine is to convert and scratchbuild models for table top miniature wargames (see some here), at some point I found myself being more interested in the 3-d work than the 2d. I realized that if I didn't incorporate this interest into my "real work", I'd be living out on the street because I'd never get any work done. So, using the same materials and techniques (styrene plastic sheets, super glue and acrylic paint), I developed a bas relief style of illustration. This is actually the second book I've illustrated in this medium, Wired, a book about electricity was released last fall. But, Wolfgang is fiction, which allows for much more drama and artistic license. Those familiar with Warhammer 40,000 will discover numerous visual inspiration in this upcoming book.
OK, enough kid's book stuff, I know you're all here for the tentacular horror. I just made that word up.
The sculpture is chugging along. I have completed the second hand, rearranged some tentacles and so forth, focusing mostly on the left arm area. This was a big hurdle, as hands are probably one of the tougher areas next to faces.
a detail shot of the most recent work:
When in doubt, if it's a fleshy area and smooth, I haven't finished that area yet. Next up is a lot of the straggling tentacles, and then finally the head. After that, I may tweak some shapes to help it in the casting process, as long as it doesn't compromise the forms too much.
Though I knew my computer's monitor was a bit on the old side, I hadn't realized how faded it was. I recently heard that they are good (as far as for those who need color and levels to be properly calibrated) for four years. Looking at the back of mine, I learned that mine was nearly ten years old! That would explain why I have been having such a hard time reading various favorite sites. Last week I sold a painting, so I decided I should reinvest that money into a new monitor. Wow, what an amazing difference, the resolution and vividness is a hundredfold better! However, when viewing some recent files of my art, adjusted to look best on my ancient monitor, I have come to discover how awful the scans look on good monitors. If you look on my site, you can see as my monitor ages the more recent scans look odder and odder. So, I am going to have to "re master" a lot of images. I have my work cut out for me.
Between this and getting used to a new camera, I have a lot of learning, experimenting and adjusting to do. How do the new images of the Cthulhu statue look to everyone? How do they compare to previous WIP images? Input would be most useful.
~Paul
Greetings Paul. The statue keeps getting better. The skin's surface looks awesome (looks to me like a cross between serpent skin and wrinkled human skin!)
Keep up the good work.
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Thanks for the encouragement, Brutalis!
When drawing out the design, I hadn't really realized that there were only two objects in this sculpture: flesh and rock. So, with that in mind, I have been trying to make the most out of the different types of shapes and textures of flesh. Without a focus on how the flesh changes over bone, muscle and fat, and how if flattens and extends, it could end up being quite tedious and monotonous. So, I am trying to make it as interesting as possible.
~Paul
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It's interesting seeing the contrast between your kids book work and your darker work. Have you used that "flat sculpture" style in any of your more Lovecraftian works? It seems like an interesting technique.
On the subject of the hands, I have a feeling that they're slightly too humanoid at the minute. Apart from the fact that is has three fingers, the anatomy is very familiar.
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Hello James,
Though a did get a few good natured jokes from friends when I started doing kid's books, I think it's a healthy practice to be able to express different facets of oneself. If someone puts all their artistic eggs in one basket (all dark or all light), I think it creates a bit of an unhealthy imbalance. With that in mind, I consider myself fortunate to have such a variety of outlets. Some of the previous children's books I have done are even lighter in tone, mostly dealing with young animals for a younger audience. Both of those were written by my mother.
I haven't tried the style for any other projects than the two children's books, though it would be interesting. Baby's first Mythos Guidebook, perhaps? I wonder how well it would work with the Lovecraftian subject matter, as the cutout nature of the sculptures really help define shapes and I have been leaning to more obscure and undefined (or under-defined)renderings with my mythos art.
In regard to the hands, I think it is Lovecraft's usage of the word anthropoid and human that led me to this design, removing a finger to make it just a little non-human. Below are a couple of descriptions from the story:
The most detailed descriptions of Cthulhu in "The Call of Cthulhu" are based on statues of the creature. One, constructed by an artist after a series of baleful octopus, a dragon, and a human caricature.... A pulpy, tentacled head surmounted a grotesque and scaly body with rudimentary wings." Another, recovered by police from a raid on a murderous cult, "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."
The claws aren't fully addressed on the sculpture, and they might make it look less human, though I don't think they should be too alien in nature. I had considered more webbing between the fingers to go in like with the aquatic theme. Do you have any other suggestions?
thanks,
~Paul
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I definitely agree about needing a balance of light and dark- I have your Cthulhu print pinned up on my wall right next to a poster for Mario Galaxy, which should give you some indication about my tastes.
Now I think about it I suppose that the almost-human is definitely a part of Cthulhu, the not-quite-right, but the hands aren't quite there yet. I think it's the claws that do it for me- they seem a bit too much like just long and pointed fingernails at the minute. I can't quite say why, but they don't quite strike me as right yet. It could be that the fingers are a bit too long and delicate looking at the minute- they seem too slender to be truly vicious.
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Don't get me started about Mario... there was a time where night turned into day turned into night without any sleep back when I discovered Super Mario 64. Even when I did sleep, I was playing the game in my dreams. I'm not sure I could handle the new version, I might explode.
Thanks for your comments about the claws, I guess I'll need to mull it over a bit. Perhaps it's just entirely inappropriate for the context of Cthulhu, but I suppose I was going for longer and somewhat graceful fingers as a part of a way to convey movement (in a similar fashion to the tentacles). His claws are described as "prodigious", though I guess it is debatable whether that means in proportion to his body or in relation to a human. I keep thinking about adding webbing which may satisfy both elements, it would keep the gestural quality of the thin fingers yet add the suggestion of mass.
~Paul
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Hey there - the new lens makes a huge difference! (If I do say so myself
XXX
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That's a relief to hear, as there's a bit of a learning curve with the new gear!
Anyone want to hazard a guess as to what Miss X got me for Christmas??
~Paul
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Wow, I haven't checked in for a while and look at all the goings on...
The sculpture looks amazing. The texture of the skin and tentacles blows my mind.
A children's book you say. I teach in Newton - I can't wait to get my hands on this book and share it with studens.
Jack
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Hey Jack!
It's coming along, slowly but surely, glad you like how it's developed.
If the book's released schedule is anything like the last one, Wired, it should be available in the summer, though it is technically a 'fall release'. You can check out my other kiddy books here
I suddenly have this vision of Jack planting the seeds of Ork and Warhammer 40K appreciation in the children's malleable psyches.
~Paul
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Shame on me for not poping by sooner to see all these updates.
I am happy to hear that your kid book is hitting the stores soon. I remember when you shared some early progress pics and concepts way back when. I've been curious to your progress, so I you wish good luck with it.
Diversity is a good thing. If we didn't have it we would all be carrots or radishs instead of the many kernal'd ears of corn that we are.
Big Lu is progressing nicely. I'm not sure if I see a difference in pic quality with the new monitor and camera; its still high quality pics by me.
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Yes, shame on you indeed. You came within inches of being black-listed from the blog. You're on thin ice, Duffy, thin ice I say!!
Slight update on the book, looks like spring of '09 now, which might put sales to about new year's or X-mas. 2009 sounds like the inconceivably distant future to me... some time after the apocalypse, I presume. Well, perhaps the post apocalyptic world will be fairly dull, and we'll need something to read. Just trying to be optimistic.
More pics are imminent, I just did another bake and re-worked the hands and finished a fistful of tentacles.
~Paul
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Yipes!
Of course its a post Apocalypse release; that was released back in the fall.
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I bet that joke went over a few heads. 'Apocalypse' was a supplement for a game that Duffy and I play, and it did come out last fall. 30 was a few years before that.
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