Comment on Deep Ones in the Sanitarium by nightserpent
You're welcome! I think you're right: Allowing the reader to exercise his/her imagination is one of Lovecraft's strengths as a storyteller. He offers suggestions about how a entity or place looked, but does not create a set in stone "correct" version. The fact we see so many versions of Cthulhu despite having a fairly complete description of one idol in "The Call of Cthulhu" is evidence of Lovecraft's technique. Each reader brings different life experiences along when a story is read, so we end up with many interpretations. I've seen a few eyeless Cthulhu idols, but they seem to lack personality to me; so many of our emotions are presented by the eyes.
I see how you based the Deep One's hands and feet on snapping turtles: I've seen those in the wild and at zoos. And adding the hybrid does suggest a story: it's certainly no chance encounter! That Deep One certainly looks like it could rip that guy apart, so what could it be doing with that fellow? Yes, probably an attack, but could it actually be helping him, too? There are so many ways you could read this picture.
I see how you based the Deep One's hands and feet on snapping turtles: I've seen those in the wild and at zoos. And adding the hybrid does suggest a story: it's certainly no chance encounter! That Deep One certainly looks like it could rip that guy apart, so what could it be doing with that fellow? Yes, probably an attack, but could it actually be helping him, too? There are so many ways you could read this picture.
I can also appreciate that some of Lovecraft's fans prefer some lack of definition in the artistic depiction of his characters, creatures and entities rather than depicting them in full and even light. I think they may feel it robs them of their own imagination if there is nothing left to imagine. I find some vagueness to be a powerful aspect of some of Lovecraft's descriptions, as the unknown remains and the unknown is what we often fear. The movie Jaws was so effective because you don't see a lot of the shark, and this was by accident because the shark 'puppet' wasn't working well. Neil Gaiman once said (in a documentary where my art also appeared) that he disliked any artistic representation of the Mythos, because it would permanently affect his imagination of this. I was a bit saddened to hear this as I am a great admirer of his stories. For me, personally, I enjoy both the vague and the clearly depicted on their own merits, and no one's depiction has ever set my imagination in stone.
The Cthulhu eye comment was just so strange to me, just because eyes weren't mentioned doesn't mean they didn't exist. It's like saying I saw a pretty brunette the other day, and if I don't describe her nose it must imply that she didn't have one? Lovecraft's own sketch of the idol has three eyes to a side, interestingly enough.
This painting is an illustration for the Call of Cthulhu role playing game, according to that book deep ones have some psychic ability, as do some insane people. In this scene, the Deep one is actually reading the human's mind.
The Cthulhu eye comment was just so strange to me, just because eyes weren't mentioned doesn't mean they didn't exist. It's like saying I saw a pretty brunette the other day, and if I don't describe her nose it must imply that she didn't have one? Lovecraft's own sketch of the idol has three eyes to a side, interestingly enough.
This painting is an illustration for the Call of Cthulhu role playing game, according to that book deep ones have some psychic ability, as do some insane people. In this scene, the Deep one is actually reading the human's mind.
I also like seeing renditions of the beings and places in Lovecraft's work, and I will admit they influence my own interpretations somewhat, but that's fine. In a way, I get a slightly different "picture" of a Lovecraft story or other literature every time I read it. Sometimes I incorporate things I've seen throughout my life into my interpretations. For instance, I've visited plenty of declining communities in the course of my work. The things I've seen, smelled, and heard combine with my few experiences of the seashore and become Lovecraft's town of Innsmouth. If you or another artist created an Innsmouth cityscape, I'd probably incorporate it into my vision of place, but it wouldn't replace my vision entirely.
I agree vagueness is a powerful tool. The late H.R. Giger's creature for "Alien" was at its most powerful when you couldn't see all of it, I believe.
And I've got to admit I find that Cthulhu eye comment odd, too. A writer shouldn't have to spell out every little detail. I mean, I could describe a car, but if I don't mention the tires, it didn't have any? I've seen that Lovecraft Cthulhu sketch and models inspired by it, and it definitely has eyes. I'd have to day that Lovecraft credited his readers with having an imagination.
Your Deep One is a little heavier than I had imagined, but it's also much more formidable looking. Mind reading? That's a new facet to me.
I agree vagueness is a powerful tool. The late H.R. Giger's creature for "Alien" was at its most powerful when you couldn't see all of it, I believe.
And I've got to admit I find that Cthulhu eye comment odd, too. A writer shouldn't have to spell out every little detail. I mean, I could describe a car, but if I don't mention the tires, it didn't have any? I've seen that Lovecraft Cthulhu sketch and models inspired by it, and it definitely has eyes. I'd have to day that Lovecraft credited his readers with having an imagination.
Your Deep One is a little heavier than I had imagined, but it's also much more formidable looking. Mind reading? That's a new facet to me.
(been busy for a bit, sorry for the late reply).
I thoroughly enjoy seeing other people's take on the Mythos, though I guess I must call myself fortunate for being able to edit out or forget the renditions which don't feel right to me while the ones I like I can add to my personal collective. I appreciate how you can enjoy a different take each time, it makes sense to enjoy it from as many angles as one can.
I guess we still don't know for sure if Cthulhu just has three eyes on one side and none on the other, though, right?
The psychic abilities was for an expansion booklet, I think it touched on a number of races which may have some ability. Kind of like Cthulhu's eyes, even though psychic ability wasn't mentioned in the story there could be some potential for it. Lovecraft mentions very little about Deep Ones at all, really, though people who use them in games may want a fuller idea of them for use in various scenarios. Otherwise, the way we can use these ideas is very limited (to just the brief sections of the stories). It seems that after Lovecraft there was a circle of writers who expanded on his ideas for a while (Derleth, Howard, etc), but to me it seems like the gaming community is now the most active in exploring and expanding upon his ideas. But, just like the visual interpretations, we're thankfully free to adopt and ignore as we see fit.
I thoroughly enjoy seeing other people's take on the Mythos, though I guess I must call myself fortunate for being able to edit out or forget the renditions which don't feel right to me while the ones I like I can add to my personal collective. I appreciate how you can enjoy a different take each time, it makes sense to enjoy it from as many angles as one can.
I guess we still don't know for sure if Cthulhu just has three eyes on one side and none on the other, though, right?
The psychic abilities was for an expansion booklet, I think it touched on a number of races which may have some ability. Kind of like Cthulhu's eyes, even though psychic ability wasn't mentioned in the story there could be some potential for it. Lovecraft mentions very little about Deep Ones at all, really, though people who use them in games may want a fuller idea of them for use in various scenarios. Otherwise, the way we can use these ideas is very limited (to just the brief sections of the stories). It seems that after Lovecraft there was a circle of writers who expanded on his ideas for a while (Derleth, Howard, etc), but to me it seems like the gaming community is now the most active in exploring and expanding upon his ideas. But, just like the visual interpretations, we're thankfully free to adopt and ignore as we see fit.
{I've been very busy, too, so I definitely understand.}
From everything I've read about Lovecraft, he encouraged other writers to borrow from his stories and build upon his ideas. I think this encouragement is one of the reasons why his work has endured. I'm writing my own steampunk/Cthulhu Mythos tales, a sort of alternate history, really. There are a few of what I call "test beds" in my page. Just click on the scorpion pictures: I'm still learning to present these properly. Your rendition of the "temporal" communication device has planted a seed for a story idea.
I've even read comedy that borrows from the Cthulhu Mythos. Have you ever read "Scream for Jeeves" by P.H. Cannon? In it, Cannon takes P.G. Wodehouse's Bertie Wooster and Jeeves and thrusts them into Lovecraftian adventures. The resulting pastiche is a lot of fun.
He also wrote "Pulptime" in which Lovecraft meets Sherlock Holmes.
And I agree : gamers do seem to be the circle that is expanding Lovecraft's universe the most. You do end up with a lot of versions you can accept or ignore as you see fit.
I'll have to go through your collection again, but I can't recall any artist that has done an interpretation of the "Outer Ones" Lovecraft described somewhat in "The Whisper in Darkness." I've always imaged an insectoid being of sorts. The containers they used for conveying disembodied human brains, and the devices that could be connected to the brains to give the senses and speech always sounded interesting, too. I don't think anybody's done an interpretation of those, either.
From everything I've read about Lovecraft, he encouraged other writers to borrow from his stories and build upon his ideas. I think this encouragement is one of the reasons why his work has endured. I'm writing my own steampunk/Cthulhu Mythos tales, a sort of alternate history, really. There are a few of what I call "test beds" in my page. Just click on the scorpion pictures: I'm still learning to present these properly. Your rendition of the "temporal" communication device has planted a seed for a story idea.
I've even read comedy that borrows from the Cthulhu Mythos. Have you ever read "Scream for Jeeves" by P.H. Cannon? In it, Cannon takes P.G. Wodehouse's Bertie Wooster and Jeeves and thrusts them into Lovecraftian adventures. The resulting pastiche is a lot of fun.
He also wrote "Pulptime" in which Lovecraft meets Sherlock Holmes.
And I agree : gamers do seem to be the circle that is expanding Lovecraft's universe the most. You do end up with a lot of versions you can accept or ignore as you see fit.
I'll have to go through your collection again, but I can't recall any artist that has done an interpretation of the "Outer Ones" Lovecraft described somewhat in "The Whisper in Darkness." I've always imaged an insectoid being of sorts. The containers they used for conveying disembodied human brains, and the devices that could be connected to the brains to give the senses and speech always sounded interesting, too. I don't think anybody's done an interpretation of those, either.
By chance are you referring to the 'Mi-Go' from the Whisperer in Darkness? They are the fungoid/insectoid race from Yuggoth, also know for their brain canisters. I've illustrated them a few times (one instance is the Cthulhu by Gaslight cover), and an upcoming release of mine also has Mi-Go/Canister/Yuggoth prominently featured.
Yes, I think it was the Mi-Go. I couldn't remember that name. I look forward to the upcoming release.