It has a face!
Hello Everyone,
Well, We've eaten out vegetables (all those tentacles) and now it's time for the dessert... the face! As Sculpey has a strange semi-translucence to it, I am trying a black and white photo for better readability. As I understand it, some professionals mix in some grey sculpey to make it more opaque and easier to read when sculpting. I might try that myself next time.
I'm still playing around with the shapes, so I would very much love input from all of you. Even the folks who don't speak up often. I am looking at you, you know who you are.
In other quasi related news.... my art will be hitting the silver... er, well, some sort of screen! What I mean is, my art will be featured in the upcoming documentary Lovecraft: Fear Of the Unknown. It features interviews with Neil Gaiman, John Carpenter, Ramsey Campbell, Guillermo del Toro and a whole bunch more. I am quite honored, to say the least, and it's cool to have my work branch out to yet another medium.
cheers!
~Paul
Well, We've eaten out vegetables (all those tentacles) and now it's time for the dessert... the face! As Sculpey has a strange semi-translucence to it, I am trying a black and white photo for better readability. As I understand it, some professionals mix in some grey sculpey to make it more opaque and easier to read when sculpting. I might try that myself next time.
I'm still playing around with the shapes, so I would very much love input from all of you. Even the folks who don't speak up often. I am looking at you, you know who you are.
In other quasi related news.... my art will be hitting the silver... er, well, some sort of screen! What I mean is, my art will be featured in the upcoming documentary Lovecraft: Fear Of the Unknown. It features interviews with Neil Gaiman, John Carpenter, Ramsey Campbell, Guillermo del Toro and a whole bunch more. I am quite honored, to say the least, and it's cool to have my work branch out to yet another medium.
cheers!
~Paul
The current design of the face has an air of inteligence. If that makes sense... I'm not sure how bright these beasts were supposed to be, but this figure feels smart. I love it (though my liking or disliking is not helpful in making changes).
The things that really stick out to me are the shape around the eyes (specifically the wrinkles which is part of what gives it that "wise/inteligent" look) and the ridge splitting the forehead. Those stike me as very dynamic and pull me into the face. It almost seems like it is looking back.
Last thought, the black and white photos really seem to be more clear.
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Hello Jack!
Intelligent? Yes, I'd say Cthulhu would be extremely intelligent, godlike and ancient even. He/it is to enslave the planet. I think part of this is conveyed by the widely set eyes, that commonly conveys wisdom.
thanks for the comments,
~Paul
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Congrats on the film exposure.
Speaking as a talentless hack, I think the tentacle work is looking good. The placement reminds me a bit of how long, wet, hair would lay on a person: close in and curly. Of course its a bit upside for it to be exactly the same.
The eyes and head definitely do look wizened.
Also I read 'The Dunwich Horror' on my lunch break the other day. It was my first foray in that authors work and it was a nice read. Its been sitting in my head pleasently enough so I may tackle another story as a piece o lunchtime literature. Any suggestions?
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I'll be sure to give everyone a heads up when the movie is available. From what I understand, it might hit some various film festivals and then have a DVD release.
I'm glad to hear you liked the Dunwich Horror, that's a favorite of mine. That story has Lavinia Whateley, which my Lavinia painting from the Switzerland show as based on. Another goodie is the Shadow over Innsmouth, more creepy New England-ness with just as much in-breeding but much more water.
thanks!
~Paul
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The fact that you did a painting of/inspired by it was why I picked it out of the dozens I found by Lovecraft.
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I'm very flattered that I inspired you to check out Lovecraft's writing. If you like Innsmouth, you might want to try a longer one: at the Mountains of Madness. I think it has a very strong sense of intrigue and dread. One of his best, IMO.
~Paul
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Just don't let it go to you head.
I just finished reading Innsmouth and enjoyed that too. I got in the company car to do a information pickup/delivery and what song comes on the hi-fi? Radiohead's "Weird Fishes" AIEEEEEE!!! It looks like Moutain of Madness is readable so I will give it a go. Maybe it will help to get the Fish Head song out of my head. lol
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Hey Duffy,
Glad you liked Innsmouth as well, I am certain that you like Mountains of Madness if you liked the first two. I'd also recommend the 'Shadow out of Time', I always loved that concept. You might like to check out the various collections of his short stories, they're usually a good source.
I'm sure some of the other people here are more well read than I and could come up with god suggestions, too.
~Paul
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Ohhh...he's starting to scare me now! Very expressive face, can't wait to see the eyes completed. xxx
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Good to hear that some scaryness is perceived, as earlier incarnations seemed to have a more benevolent vibe. I'm trying to figure out how I want the bone structure to sit before I tackle the final eye details. But, that's the point where everything should snap together.
~Paul
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I am not a Cthulu expert so I can't speak for the details. I think the head is a good mix of recognizable human features and alien concepts, but maybe a push more "alien" might work. I also think the head is a bit TOO pointed, but only by a smidge. The brow is fantastic, as are the eyes.
And the ridge down the center is awesome.
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Hey Chuck,
Heh, that's fine, I don't think anyone really is an expert. There's only a handful of descriptions, so the rest is up to our imaginations and personal tastes.
I've been debating the pointy head and it's degree of "pointatude", I appreciate your weighing in on that.
thanks,
~Paul
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Wow, loving the face! It definitely has that "malevolent old one" look to it. The only thing is that when you're looking at it from the left hand side (your bottom left photo) the face doesn't quite look symmetrical. Might just be a perspective thing though, as it looks alright from the other angles.
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Hey James,
Though it's definitely not perfectly symmetrical, I think it's mostly that one angle. As you say, it's fairly even in the other shots, especially the straight-on ones. Although, the idea of some irregularities did come to mind, might it make it look more ancient?
While I'm typing.... what do people think of very basic hints of ears? Not human-like, but rudimentary holes. I'm thinking the added detail would give it more interest. Thoughts?
I'm very much enjoying all this feedback, thanks guys!
~Paul
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I think ears may be a good thing. A little hole could work. I also think a simple slit or groove could be interesting subsitute and maybe a skosh more characterful. Sort recognizable but still alien.
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Yeah, a subtle oval-like slit might do the job. It might be vague enough... it could also be a gill? That unclarity might help it be alien as well.
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Paul,
this is turning out beautifully. I like the main tentacle with the others spilling out from behind it. I am anxious to see this piece finished! Good work!
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Thanks, Jason!
A central one seemed to make the most sense when connecting it to a head. Kinda like an elephant's trunk, I guess.
~Paul
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I've been lurking on this blog since the beginning, and your guilt trip has finally stirred me into writing.
Cthulhu is coming along nicely (in an eldritch sort of way, of course). I'd be interested to see a sketch of what you imagine his skull would look like. I sort of like the idea of him having a half formed skull without a scalp or brain cavity, with his brain just spilling out into an octopus brain sack thing which sits around his shoulders - a bit like a really voluminous, fishy scrotum. His skull could be just a thin, really advanced/alien looking plate thing (thin and intricately shaped to form his face, a bit like a bird skull), with the octo-flesh formed in folds around it with organs and squishy mouths.
I dunno how you would incorporate this into your sculpture, but i imagine the nasal area to have nostril slits which sit within the folds of drippy octpus flesh.
I'm left with a sudden urge to dissect an octopus :/
I shall definitely be ordering one of these when it's finished
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Welcome, Ross!
Glad my evil plan worked, and from your writing I am sorry you hadn't joined us much earlier.
I hadn't really considered the skull design other than the brow and cheekbones which are already fairly human like in appearance. Perhaps it would be a cross between a human and an elephant (for it's bukiness and large nasal cavity where the trunk connects). The nostril idea is excellent, I gotta mull over the possibilities.
Wow... I just had a really strange case of Deja Vu. I swear I've had this discussion before (I even just had a visual flash of my working on the design of the skull), but I can't imagine where. Anyway, I love the visual you've just given me. I think it's worthy of it's own painting.
Along a similar vein, a friend asked me about Cthulhu's mouth, which is something I hadn't ever contemplated before. I'd assume mush of Cthulhu's communication is psychic in nature, so it wouldn't need a mouth that is conducive to oral language. So, it would probably be more geared towards eating and/or destruction.
Thanks for the inspiring comments!
~Paul
'Voluminous fishy scrotum' for the win!!
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Cool - thanks. I had never seen an elephant skull before - they're really interesting. I drew a sketch (annotated :0) to show what i think Cthulhu's skull would look like. It's a weird blend of the elephant skull/human skull/cuttlefish crest/octopus brain scrotum thing. I wish i was better at drawing so i could show you exactly what i think it would look like, but this will have to do:
I've also compiled a small amount of pictures showing the selected animal parts here:
http://s195.photobucket.com/albums/z287/TheMallinMan/Cthulhu/
A really cool picture would be a sort of anatomical study of Cthulhu's head - a bit like a dissection sketch. Like this:
http://santharia.com/pictures/bard_judith/bard_judith_pics/mermaid_dissection.jpg
I don't think my sanity could handle imagining what his mouth would be like
anyway, good luck with the sculpture
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Hi Ross,
A little fun-fact for everyone: according to historians, it was elephant skeletons that created the myth of the cyclops. The large central trunk/nasal cavity was interpreted as an eye socket, and the skeleton could vaguely be imagined bipedal, especially to one less familiar with internal anatomy. I buy it!
I'm giving you a check plus for your homework! Your sketch is plenty clear to me. The shield idea is interesting, though I would consider shortening it a little. The high crest is rather regal, and I can see how that is conceptually fitting (and perhaps more practical for defense), there is something very disturbing about the idea of the top of his skull missing and exposing his brain pan. In the story, a boat is run into his head, disrupting him, which somewhat suggests to me that his head is somewhat vulnerable. I think that fits in well with this budding design and concept.
thanks again,
~Paul
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The statue is looking quite good! I particularly enjoy the inhuman bent to his neck and the texture of his skin.
As for the previous comments, I think it's the arched brows that give him the intelligent look. It definitely works. And I like the pointitude of the head, as it gives him that squid-like look. The degree of pointiness may be a little different from what many others have done with Cthulhu, but a unique vision is priceless. So I say, if you like the point, keep it. It definitely says Squid more than Octopus.
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Welcome, Alex!
Good point, it certainly is more squidly than octopoid. I can't say it was fully intentional to make it look more squidly, but the pointed head seems more menacing to me. The softer, droopier head that's typical of an octopus seems more passive and far less threatening.
~Paul
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Oi Paul,
I'm back, wandered off for a bit there, but I'm still loving what you're doing. I can't find anything to even niggle about.
About the head ridge and pointiness... I like it. It does give him a touch of squidiness and that's a good thing. It keeps him vaguely octopoidal instead of looking like an octupus stuck on top a body. Actually it sums up the whole piece: everything is vaguely familiar but nothing looks like a part stolen from any existing creature. The skin texture really plays to that as do the hands.
Now here's my take on the face... oddly enough, without the eyes he's looking rather merry. I can picture him chuckling under that mass of tentacles. Especially when I look at the lower left picture. It's the lack of eyes. Right now it looks like his eyes are scrunched in laughter. I'm quite sure when you've got the eyes done this is going to be menacing as hell. It may even have an element of evil chortle to it. I dunno, but it certainly struck me as an odd impression to get off something that is, on the whole, quite creepy.
Cheers
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Rich, my long-lost son, good to see you back!
I appreciate the comment about the 'vague familiarity', it reminds me of the early D&D 'make your own demons', where they had these random mix-and-match anatomies. Similar to some ancient mythical monsters, like griffons and the chimera. As Cthulhu isn't meant to be a mish-mash of exact earthly features, he shouldn't come too close to them in appearance.
I think the 'merry quality' (I saw it too) is perhaps from the appearance of laugh wrinkles or crow's feet. I imagine (I hope) that when the eyelids are defined and more angled, that friendly quality will dissipate.
~Paul
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This looks great
when is the documentery on and on what channel
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Thank you, David!
I am not aware of any television/cable/broadcast releases as of yet. To my knowledge, it will perhaps debut in film festivals (horror ones, I'd imagine) and then be released in DVD format. I'll be sure to notify everyone as I get news.
~Paul
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The stautue creeps me out i think it's creepy i keep imagininging it coming to
life and eating me
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Heh, thanks! Well, I guess I'll take that as a high compliment if it evokes those visions for you.
~Paul
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I think it should be more creepy leaning to wards the insanity that is the cthulhe mythos
ps do you read lovecraft
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I have read a fair share of Lovecraft's work, yes, though it's been a couple of years since I have actively been immersed in it. I do a fair bit of research whenever I approach a new Mythos painting (or sculpture) to brush up on the details. Sometimes that requires my reading a number of passages.
~Paul
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INTERESTING ARE YOU PLANNING ON DOING ANY MORE LOVECRAFT ART
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Yes, I am. My next update will include a new Mythos painting, and I have just received another commission for a Lovecraftian painting. I see no end in site for the Mythos, and I am fine with that.
~Paul
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