The Return of Eldritch Terrors Galore!

[Curt Chiarelli]

Greetings My Fellow Cthooligans!

A few years back I posted a thread of Lovecraftian character designs entitled, Eldritch Terrors Galore (Now With 25% More Eeriness For Your Viewing Satisfaction). Well, I was pondering why Hollywood should have all the fun languishing in the throes of sequel-itis.

So, pursuant to that line of twisted thinking, here is my latest offering of Lovecraftian goodies of a visual nature. When time (and Fate) permits, I am planning out a whole portfolio series of oil paintings and sculptures along this line with an eye towards a gallery show devoted towards H.P.L.

In the meantime, be on the lookout for further, future encroachments upon your peace of mind with The Son of the Return of Eldritch Terrors Galore, The Mark of Eldritch Terrors Galore and Eldritch Terrors Galore Part 13: A New Beginning. Until then, enjoy!

All images and designs are copyrighted 2010 by Curt C. Chiarelli

 

[J-WO]

Astounding! I've at least taken a D10 sanity loss, here. You've incredible talent, Sir.

I recognise three of them, but what's the Octopoid with the treasure chest (or is it just Lovecraftian in a general sense?)

The dwarfed outhouse is a touch of genius, BTW. If there's anyone inside it then they are probably in the best place, all things considered.

 

[J Riff]

These are excellent!

 

[Curt Chiarelli]

J-WO:

Thank you!

Yes, the octopoid creature is Lovecraftian in a general sense without direct reference to any specific character. As I imagined him, he was one of the background denizens of H.P.L.'s early Dunsanian fantasies. The treasure chest and skeletal remains are a none-too subtle commentary on human greed and folly, a very Dunsanian theme.

Yes, Seth Bishop's place is indeed toast. I was a little worried about the reaction of other diehard Lovecraftians to the outhouse's scatological reference, but they all received a good chuckle out of it! My imp of the perverse got the better of me, I just couldn't help myself . . . . I just had to do it!

J Riff:

Many thanks for the good word!

 

[HoopyFrood]

Said it last time and I'll say it again, I do like your version of the watery Great One. Nice to see him full-length!

Oh, and the rest are awesome too, of course!

 

[Curt Chiarelli]

Said it last time and I'll say it again, I do like your version of the watery Great One. Nice to see him full-length!

Oh, and the rest are awesome too, of course!

Hi Hoopy! Old Squidface and I warmly thank you for your kind comments! It's good to hear from you again!

 

[Curt Chiarelli]

Here's another one for the pot, Pickman's Model.

 

[j d worthington]

Curt: Though "Pickman's Model" certainly takes some departures from HPL's vision as described in the story, you rwork, as always is exceptional, and deserves praise by those interested in truly creative approaches to Lovecraft in art. Stunning stuff....

 

[HoopyFrood]

A rare Curt sighting! Hope you're doing OK, Curt. And always awesome to see more of your amazing artwork.

 

[Curt Chiarelli]

Curt: Though "Pickman's Model" certainly takes some departures from HPL's vision as described in the story, you rwork, as always is exceptional, and deserves praise by those interested in truly creative approaches to Lovecraft in art. Stunning stuff....

Thank you very much. I always strive to avoid the calcified or the hackneyed in my work. I believe the fans deserve no less than the very best I have to give.

Here's a veritable institution in-and-of itself - the old, tried-and-true depiction by Hannes Bok:

Following the trail of influence further towards the present time, here we have John Chamber's Emmy-winning make-up for the 1972 Night Gallery adaption:

And the superb, moody artwork of Tom Wright featured in that same episode:

The brilliance of Lovecraft's storytelling is not only the terror it inspires in the reader, but the flexibility with which it allows for a variety of different interpretations. Here's the passage I drew inspiration from when I did my version:

The madness and monstrosity lay in the figures in the foreground - for Pickman's morbid art was pre-eminently one of daemoniac portraiture. These figures were seldom completely human, but often approached humanity in varying degree. Most of the bodies, while roughly bipedal, had a forward slumping, and a vaguely canine cast. The texture of the majority was a kind of unpleasant rubberiness. Ugh! I can see them now! Their occupations - well, don't ask me to be too precise. They were usually feeding - I won't say on what. They were sometimes shown in groups in cemeteries or underground passages, and often appeared to be in battle over their prey - or rather, their treasure-trove.

 

[Curt Chiarelli]

A rare Curt sighting! Hope you're doing OK, Curt. And always awesome to see more of your amazing artwork.

Thank you again Hoopy! It's always great to hear from you! Take care.

 

[j d worthington]

Odd... the Bok illustration isn't coming up when I go to your post. Don't know if anyone else is having this trouble or not, but there are plenty of reproductions of it on the 'net, should they be interested.... (Thanks also for the reminders that it was Chambers and Wright who did the work for that episode.)

 

[Curt Chiarelli]

Odd... the Bok illustration isn't coming up when I go to your post. Don't know if anyone else is having this trouble or not, but there are plenty of reproductions of it on the 'net, should they be interested.... (Thanks also for the reminders that it was Chambers and Wright who did the work for that episode.)

That's odd - it's showing up fine on my monitor. I checked my Photobucket account and everything seems in order. I'm sorry you're having difficulties with that. I always try to make sure people can enjoy my posts trouble-free.

 

[j d worthington]

That's odd - it's showing up fine on my monitor. I checked my Photobucket account and everything seems in order. I'm sorry you're having difficulties with that. I always try to make sure people can enjoy my posts trouble-free.

'salright, Curt. I was just concerned others might also be having such trouble. It may be something in the software, perhaps; or it may just be me. If the latter, I've no problem, as I've at least three or four reproductions of that Bok piece in various books (including one which used it as cover art), so can see it quite easily. But thank you for your efforts....

 

[Randy M.]

Just saw this thread for the first time. Very nice illustrations, Curt. As I scrolled I was about to reply that a couple of them reminded me of Bok, and then I came to the Bok.

Once upon a time, I had that Bok illustration on a T-shirt. (Which I think I bought at the same time I bought the T-shirt with the silhouettes of Steed and Mrs. Peel. Sometimes I forget what a geek I was.)


Randy M.

 

[Curt Chiarelli]

Just saw this thread for the first time. Very nice illustrations, Curt. As I scrolled I was about to reply that a couple of them reminded me of Bok, and then I came to the Bok.

Once upon a time, I had that Bok illustration on a T-shirt. (Which I think I bought at the same time I bought the T-shirt with the silhouettes of Steed and Mrs. Peel. Sometimes I forget what a geek I was.)


Randy M.

Hi Randy:

Thank you for sharing your kind thoughts! Although I'm a Virgil Finlay man myself, there's no denying that Bok's stuff is iconic. It just screams Golden Age!

A Mrs. Peel T-shirt? That's not "geeky", that's an appreciation of natural beauty!

 

[Curt Chiarelli]

I suppose this is as good a place as any to post this announcement.

My memoir about my career in the arts/entertainment business, Fiddling Whilst Rome Burns: An Artist's Odyssey Through America is now available on Smashwords. https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/321443

For those of you who don't know about my background, I've been a commercial artist specializing in the science fiction, fantasy and horror genres for over 25 years. Some of the many projects I've been involved with are the creation of the character, Goro from the video game, Mortal Kombat, the ad campaign poster for The Age of Empires III: The War Chiefs, the sculpture and re-design of several of the Halo action figures and fabrication of the stop-motion puppets on the animated feature, James and the Giant Peach, amongst many others.

Fiddling Whilst Rome Burns is not only a chronicle of my search to understand the forces that shaped me, but also an epic snapshot of the American Century in its twilight years. Full of insights, anecdotes and twisted tales from the frontlines of show biz, it is a wickedly scathing tale of the American Dream - one part Catch 22 and another The Gentle Art of Making Enemies - a voyage of personal discovery that reveals some larger truths about how America came to be as it is today . . . . and what the future may hold for it tomorrow.

 

[Curt Chiarelli]

Anatomist and paleontologist Matt Wedel recently posted an insightful and entertaining review of my take on Cthulhu: Collect Call of Cthulhu, Part 7: Curt Chiarelli’s Cthulhu rampant | Echo Station 5-7

 

[Toby Frost]

I just thought I'd say that I haven't seen these before and I think they're terrific. Is that the Dunwich Horror flattening the house? Excellent pictures, anyway.

 

[Curt Chiarelli]

I just thought I'd say that I haven't seen these before and I think they're terrific. Is that the Dunwich Horror flattening the house? Excellent pictures, anyway.

Hi Toby:

Thank you very much for the kind word. Yes, that's Wilbur's twin brother having a leisurely stroll through Seth Bishop's place. As one wag put it, he was expecting a picture of nothing with a burning ruin in the background! I hope my take was an improvement over the expectations of most fans, even though I undoubtedly fudged The Horror's invisibility!