Ftagn! 
Cthulhu Idol Build
- Thread starter nick daring
- Start date
vfxhamilton
New Member
Really nice interpretation of Cthulhu. Nice to see you gave him 6 eyes, like the original description.
C0mmand3rC0dy
Sr Member
Love it! The base is a cool touch too.
I had the flu for a few days but I'll be starting on the mold shortly.
In addition to the Idol, the other major object in the story is the "Wilcox Bas-Relief". It goes that an Rhode Island artist in a fit maddening dreams awakes and sculpts a bas-relief with no knowledge of the subject.
Here's the text from the story describing the sculpture-
The bas-relief was a rough rectangle less than an inch thick and about five by six inches in area; obviously of modern origin. Its designs, however, were far from modern in atmosphere and suggestion; for, although the vagaries of cubism and futurism are many and wild, they do not often reproduce that cryptic regularity which lurks in prehistoric writing. And writing of some kind the bulk of these designs seemed certainly to be; though my memory, despite much the papers and collections of my uncle, failed in any way to identify this particular species, or even hint at its remotest affiliations.
Above these apparent hieroglyphics was a figure of evident pictorial intent, though its impressionistic execution forbade a very clear idea of its nature. It seemed to be a sort of monster, or symbol representing a monster, of a form which only a diseased fancy could conceive. If I say that my somewhat extravagant imagination yielded simultaneous pictures of an octopus, a dragon, and a human caricature, I shall not be unfaithful to the spirit of the thing. A pulpy, tentacled head surmounted a grotesque and scaly body with rudimentary wings; but it was the general outline of the whole which made it most shockingly frightful. Behind the figure was a vague suggestions of a Cyclopean architectural background.
Amazingly the hieroglyphics happen to match up perfectly with the characters found around the base of the Cthulhu Idol of ancient origin from later in the story and sends our characters on a quest to figure out whats going on.
Here's my interpretation of this artifact-
I sculpted it out of pink Super Sculpey in a fairly rough style to give the idea that it made in a madman's feverish haste while still tight enough to look cool on a shelf.
Nick
In addition to the Idol, the other major object in the story is the "Wilcox Bas-Relief". It goes that an Rhode Island artist in a fit maddening dreams awakes and sculpts a bas-relief with no knowledge of the subject.
Here's the text from the story describing the sculpture-
The bas-relief was a rough rectangle less than an inch thick and about five by six inches in area; obviously of modern origin. Its designs, however, were far from modern in atmosphere and suggestion; for, although the vagaries of cubism and futurism are many and wild, they do not often reproduce that cryptic regularity which lurks in prehistoric writing. And writing of some kind the bulk of these designs seemed certainly to be; though my memory, despite much the papers and collections of my uncle, failed in any way to identify this particular species, or even hint at its remotest affiliations.
Above these apparent hieroglyphics was a figure of evident pictorial intent, though its impressionistic execution forbade a very clear idea of its nature. It seemed to be a sort of monster, or symbol representing a monster, of a form which only a diseased fancy could conceive. If I say that my somewhat extravagant imagination yielded simultaneous pictures of an octopus, a dragon, and a human caricature, I shall not be unfaithful to the spirit of the thing. A pulpy, tentacled head surmounted a grotesque and scaly body with rudimentary wings; but it was the general outline of the whole which made it most shockingly frightful. Behind the figure was a vague suggestions of a Cyclopean architectural background.
Amazingly the hieroglyphics happen to match up perfectly with the characters found around the base of the Cthulhu Idol of ancient origin from later in the story and sends our characters on a quest to figure out whats going on.
Here's my interpretation of this artifact-
I sculpted it out of pink Super Sculpey in a fairly rough style to give the idea that it made in a madman's feverish haste while still tight enough to look cool on a shelf.
Nick
Last edited:
Also, if anybody reading this thread is curious as to "what the fuss is all about" I highly recommend reading the original story which is in the public domain and easily found all over the internet.
If you aren't much of a reader I highly recommend the live story readings by the folks at HP Podcraft- HPPodcraft.com - The H.P. Lovecraft Literary Podcast
Here's the link to the Call of Cthulhu audiobook they made-
ftp://carcosa.barrucadu.co.uk/hppodcraft/TheCallofCthulhu-hppodcraft.mp3
Give it a listen while working on a project and learn about the origins of 20th century horror fiction. Influential stuff that Lovecraft.
Nick
If you aren't much of a reader I highly recommend the live story readings by the folks at HP Podcraft- HPPodcraft.com - The H.P. Lovecraft Literary Podcast
Here's the link to the Call of Cthulhu audiobook they made-
ftp://carcosa.barrucadu.co.uk/hppodcraft/TheCallofCthulhu-hppodcraft.mp3
Give it a listen while working on a project and learn about the origins of 20th century horror fiction. Influential stuff that Lovecraft.
Nick
Mike J.
Master Member
I love you and I want to have your babies :lol
Awesome work. Clearly professional stuff, if there ever was a doubt.
I've been on a Lovecraft kick for the past few years ... my skills are limited to paper props and whatever I can crudely execute via TinkerCad & Shapeways. I haven't actually tried to sculpt anything with my own two hands...
MJ
Awesome work. Clearly professional stuff, if there ever was a doubt.
I've been on a Lovecraft kick for the past few years ... my skills are limited to paper props and whatever I can crudely execute via TinkerCad & Shapeways. I haven't actually tried to sculpt anything with my own two hands...
MJ
I was getting to mold the beast last night and of course I instead decided to fix a few things before.
When set onto a flat surface the sculpture feels like it tilted to the right slighty. After checking the "squareness" of the base the bottom face proved to be off on the right side by a 1/16 of an inch or so which caused the small but noticeable tilt.
To fix this a made a puddle of body filler the size of the base right next to a 1/16 thick piece of styrene which the right edge of the base would rest on. The filler would harden and give me my newly corrected and level base.
I then smeared on some more filler to fill out the edges so I could then sand it back to it's proper edge shape.
Here's all the excess filler sliced of while the glop is in it's midway "rubbery" phase.
I then sanded it it out and filled in any little holes or hard edges with red glazing putty to create a seamless fix.
Nick
When set onto a flat surface the sculpture feels like it tilted to the right slighty. After checking the "squareness" of the base the bottom face proved to be off on the right side by a 1/16 of an inch or so which caused the small but noticeable tilt.
To fix this a made a puddle of body filler the size of the base right next to a 1/16 thick piece of styrene which the right edge of the base would rest on. The filler would harden and give me my newly corrected and level base.
I then smeared on some more filler to fill out the edges so I could then sand it back to it's proper edge shape.
Here's all the excess filler sliced of while the glop is in it's midway "rubbery" phase.
I then sanded it it out and filled in any little holes or hard edges with red glazing putty to create a seamless fix.
Nick
Last edited:
Much Better.
Nick
Nick
Last edited:
Getting back into the Cthulhu project.
Here's a couple of sketches made for the tablet/ bas relief-
Here's a couple of sketches made for the tablet/ bas relief-
Last edited:
My first silicon mold is finished!
I love the way it looks at this stage!
Cthulhu has claimed his first victim!
Peeling off the hot glue blob that held it down to the board.
It was stuck down firmly enough that a part of the original sculpt started to pop off when pried off. Not bad though.
Building the mother mold with plasti-paste.
Mold porn!
Nick
I love the way it looks at this stage!
Cthulhu has claimed his first victim!
Peeling off the hot glue blob that held it down to the board.
It was stuck down firmly enough that a part of the original sculpt started to pop off when pried off. Not bad though.
Building the mother mold with plasti-paste.
Mold porn!
Nick
Last edited:
Sorry for the wait. Got sidetracked with a costume project last month. I'm now officially back in Lovecraft country for a while.
Poured up my first resin castings tonight with much success.
Learning a lot going through this process. The casts are pretty clean over all. I used Steve Neill's baby powder trick on the first casting and I think it definitely reduced the bubbles compared to the other two. The are a couple bubbles in the silicon mold in a couple deep wrinkles but the result resin balls pop off pretty easily with an exacto.
These castings will be mainly be used for paint tests.
Next I'll try tinting some resin and see if I can get a green/black swirl effect in the actual material and might even try some translucent material. Also want to try casting in cement to get the weight and cold feel of a real stone statue.
Also want to try casting with marble dust in the resin to make it colder to the touch as well. I remember reading something about that a while back when first researching the project.
I'm looking forward to making a new mold as well. There are two areas in the tips of elbows where air bubbles are getting trapped when they try to rise to the top. Tilting the mold a little bit reduces them a good amount but it's still annoying. I desire perfect castings! After I wear out the mold with these tests, the next one will be two part with proper vent tubes in those spots.
More soon!
Nick
Poured up my first resin castings tonight with much success.
Learning a lot going through this process. The casts are pretty clean over all. I used Steve Neill's baby powder trick on the first casting and I think it definitely reduced the bubbles compared to the other two. The are a couple bubbles in the silicon mold in a couple deep wrinkles but the result resin balls pop off pretty easily with an exacto.
These castings will be mainly be used for paint tests.
Next I'll try tinting some resin and see if I can get a green/black swirl effect in the actual material and might even try some translucent material. Also want to try casting in cement to get the weight and cold feel of a real stone statue.
Also want to try casting with marble dust in the resin to make it colder to the touch as well. I remember reading something about that a while back when first researching the project.
I'm looking forward to making a new mold as well. There are two areas in the tips of elbows where air bubbles are getting trapped when they try to rise to the top. Tilting the mold a little bit reduces them a good amount but it's still annoying. I desire perfect castings! After I wear out the mold with these tests, the next one will be two part with proper vent tubes in those spots.
More soon!
Nick
Last edited:
They look awesome! I would love to get my hands on one of the finished products.I'm a huge fan of the Lovecraftian.
Thanks guys!
I'm just as excited to finally get this project out my brain and into reality. A few years in the making really.
Again it's cool to see that my vision of this classic character (can you call Cthulhu a character?) is connecting with others.
Nick
I'm just as excited to finally get this project out my brain and into reality. A few years in the making really.
Again it's cool to see that my vision of this classic character (can you call Cthulhu a character?) is connecting with others.
Nick
Amish Trooper
Sr Member
Awwww they are so cute and snugly I want one....
duke nukem
Active Member
Aw man sweet! Go all out and fill your house with these things. Maybe put them in a basement shrine thing so when you die one day long in the future and people start to clean out the house you'll freak them out!
Well, that's what I'd do... :lol
Well, that's what I'd do... :lol
Similar threads
