Horrors That Were Always There
Paul Carrick interviewedby Venger Satanis
One of my favorite Cthulhu Mythos artists of all time has to be Paul Carrick. I first saw his work grace the cover of a Call of Cthulhu roleplaying game supplement; it was the reason I bought that particular book. Just recently, I purchased one of his new Cthulhu idols. Paul's drawings and paintings evoke the subtle vibrations that come from Outside. He has a passion for all that is Lovecraft...
As a fellow artist, I enjoyed Paul's answers. I believe that you will as well. The world should have more artists, and more artists should be as genuine and talented as Paul Carrick. Please visit his website at: http://www.nightserpent.com/
1. When did you first start making art and showing artistic signs?
That would reach back earlier than most of my memories, I'd guess. I don't remember not drawing, painting or sculpting. My father was an artist, my mother had an art degree (though she became a writer), and my brother drew as a hobby, too. Art was omnipresent, and it seemed to be something that everyone did (at least in my small context of the world), so I don't think there was ever any question about whether it was something I should do. Combine this with the fairly isolated environments (a small island in the winter and remote Vermont woods in the summer), I had to learn to entertain myself.
2. What's your preferred medium and why?
Acrylic paint. Though I've felt strong lures towards oils and watercolors (and, let's face it, nearly ever medium appeals), I seemed to integrate the quickest with acrylics. I was able to control it the most, and that helped me get my ideas out on the paper without too much struggling with the medium. Though I feel a great draw towards other media, this would involve taking considerable time off to master it. I have dabbled in a variety of drawing and painting media, as well as farther out media like stained glass, blacksmithing and wood carving among others.
3. What implements do you use?
Starting with the ground... depending on my mood and the requirements of the job, I'll generally use a smooth illustration board, masonite or thick watercolor paper. My father left me several packages of beautiful paper which I have been using for nearly two decades, that was a great gift to be able to use quality materials, especially when finances were tight. I might have been using copy paper without that source, which would have made the process rather frustrating.
I generally pencil in the shapes on the paper, and sometimes lock them in with permanent ink. Then I often darken the page with thinned black acrylic, and slowly work back to lighter values with acrylic and sometimes grey and white colored pencil. I'm terribly abusive with my brushes; I've been known to leave them, bristles down, sitting in water for weeks. This can make the bristles make some odd shapes, and I often manage to take advantage of those odd shapes and integrate them into the art. Once in a great while I will break out the airbrush, I love the effect but I find them to be rather cumbersome and tedious, so I'll avoid it if I can.
Now and then, depending on time and needs, I will use photoshop and a Wacom tablet to illustrate. On one side I see the extreme convenience and expedited process of the digital, and on the other I see the tactile romance of traditional art. I don't like that there is no original afterwards, and the lack of human touch makes it seem a little remote. I think I have issues with technology in general, so I have struggles embracing it with my art, despite my awareness of its usefulness.
4. Are you afraid of being pigeon-holed into a particular style or theme, and when did you start making Mythos art for games such as Chaosium's Call of Cthulhu RPG?
In short: no. I realize that the general public likes to label and limit, out of convenience despite its constraining effect. So, I've been trying to create separate outlets for me to express the different facets of myself. So, I can channel a darker side of myself into the mythos, and a lighter gentler facet of myself comes through in things like children's books. In just a hand full of months, my first written and illustrated children's book will be in stores. The art is all relief sculpture. I seem to thrive on variety and challenges.
As I was getting close to graduating from art school, I wanted to get my feet wet with illustration. I figured why not make some mistakes early when it was less important. I was inspired by RPG art my whole life, so it seemed the natural decision to seek work from the source. Chaosium turned me down at first, though that came in a very friendly phone call. Evidently my work was too colorful at that time. It wasn't until about two years later that I met some of the staff at a convention and then things really started moving. I think my first mythos illustration was for the Unspeakable Oath, actually.
5. When did you first read H.P. Lovecraft and what did you take away from that experience?
My friend Tim used to run some excellent games of Call of Cthulhu in high school. I hadn't read any Lovecraft at that time, but he did such a great job at capturing the essence of the Mythos, they were very faithful. That made me curious, so I read a few stories. I was surprised at how familiar they were, partly from Tim's games, but also because Lovecraft's ideas have slowly seeped into pop culture over the last seventy years or so. But, it was that dense style that really struck me. It made me really slow down and savor the text, and that vocabulary was so evocative. It made the word infinitely more vast than I had imagined, even my sense of how ancient the universe is had expanded. Humanity suddenly seemed far less significant.
When I got to art school (in Providence), I started reading more of his work. There was an added level of interest because he wrote them within mere blocks from where I read, and many stories took place just as close.
6. What element(s) of the Mythos do you enjoy the most?
Some might guess it's the horror element, but I think it's more the sense of alien wonder. I think as people we get a sort of tunnel vision in regard to the larger picture, as if we're just tuned into one singular channel our whole lives. Yet, there is an infinite number of other perspectives in the universe, and Lovecraft's mythos is a portal to the concept of other realities. It fascinates me to imagine what it might be like in another plane of existence, one where things like physics are completely different and consciousness is perhaps too alien to even comprehend. Even though many of the Mythos' denizens appear evil or horrible to our culture, I'm reminded that it's just our limiting subjective culture and scope that makes us feel that way. Pushing that to the side, I can see a real beauty to many of the beings.
7. Are there certain colors you prefer working with?
Though I enjoy color, I think I'm currently stronger working in monochrome. I think this is a result of experience, most publications may have one color piece on the cover and then perhaps fifty interior monochromatic images. So, due to the ratio, I am more practiced in greyscale. If it weren't for the financial element (that being color tends to pay better), I might not even care at all. But, I do have an increasing interest in color. For the longest time, I've had this draw towards what I've dubbed "magic green". Pthalo Yellow is what it's called, generally, but it looks like the classic toxic green that's so useful to depict anything but the mundane. More recently, I have been profoundly drawn to some of the more intense magentas, a color I never expected to compel me. I think it's inevitable that it will find its way into some future works.
8. When creating a piece, do you enter into a particular mindset or use certain inspirations?
Not always, though I have. I love music, and I feel that it can subliminally affect one's thoughts. So, from time to time I have deliberately selected music to alter my mood. Not too long ago, Jason Wallach of the Unquiet Void sent me some dark ambient Lovecraftian music that he told me was in part inspired by my Mythos art. Once I was over the intensely flattering concept, I really got into the music. I'd turn the shades down, put on Jason's music and just let the pencil move where it wanted. For some pieces, like Yog Sothoth and Sothoth's Realm, it's all I listened to, and I consider those to be breakthrough pieces. I felt less constrained to mimic others' previous depictions and allowed my own version to emerge via my artistic license, it was very liberating. I painted more of what I felt than what seemed expected of me.
9. What effect do you try to capture with your artwork that you hope will carry over to the viewer?
I can't say I am consciously trying to coax anyone's thoughts, and I ultimately think that art is just a portal to allow the viewer to bring more of himself to the surface. If they are paying attention to their thoughts, it might tell them a lot about how they perceive the world. But, I wouldn't be upset to hear that it is opening up more of that wondrous beauty that I find in Lovecraft's creations.
10. Is there a clear line between commercial and fine art, in your opinion? Do galleries ever knock on your door asking to hang your work?
I don't see a clear line, it seems a bit fuzzy to me. Even my own work varies, and that can depend on how controlling the requirements are. Sometimes I am just told to make some sort of mythos-like creature. In these cases I can bring in a lot more of myself, and I think the results are always better. Other times, there are a lot of constraints and I feel a bit more like a hired hand that merely echoes someone else's idea. This is when it feels a lot more like illustration to me. Over the years I have been feeling more like an artist whose art happens to find its way into the published world. So, if I had to forge some kind of definition, I think it comes down to how pure the image is in regard to the artist's own vision versus how much compromising was made.
When I moved from Providence to Boston, I had the ill-informed idea that a bigger city meant a bigger and broader art scene. I couldn't have been more wrong! Boston has retained a lot of its Puritanical roots, so I have yet to find a venue that isn't afraid or uncomfortable to take the risk and show my darker imagery. This frustrates me, as I would love to experience sharing my art with the public and seeing how it feels.
Last fall, I had the extreme honor of having four of my paintings shown at the Maison d'Ailleurs ('House of Elsewhere') in Yverdon-les-Bains, Switzerland. It is the world's greatest science fiction museum, and they had a show on Lovecraft involving mythos artists from all over the planet. If that wasn't enough, my art hung right next to H.R. Giger, an all time favorite! If I have to go to another continent to find a place to share my art, then so be it.
11. What recommendations would you give someone just starting to draw, paint, or create art digitally?
Learn to draw, well. A lot of people skip this part and jump right into the more glamorous parts, like painting, sculpting or CGI. But, I promise, if you haven't trained your eye the work will suffer. I think in regard to digital media especially, people may have the technical computer skills but lack design sense and understanding of how light and form really works. I'd extend this even into the realm of abstract work. Abstract art should be a choice and not a default because one never learned to work in a representational manner.
12. Where do you see your work, and yourself as an artist, in ten years from now?
My hope is that I've built enough of a momentum to live more as a fine artist, even if my work continues to appear in printed form (though I really would love to experience more galleries). I'd like to see more of the "pure me" come out onto the page. I sure that if I keep chipping away and persevere, the universe will yield and create a space for me to do my thing. Sadly, Lovecraft gaming is really a semi obscure niche within yet another obscure niche, so I will need to extend beyond that forum if I am to grow into a less financially restrictive position.
13. Are there any Lovecraftian entities that constantly stump you? Conversely, what are the easiest things to re-create, aside from Cthulhu?
I don't find Cthulhu easy at all, in fact I find it to be one of the more weighty Mythos subjects. Perhaps because there are more expectations than any other "character". He/It is the poster child of the Mythos, so he has to be done right. Fans of Lovecraft are far more discriminating than the garden variety fantasy fan base, they are highly intelligent and very thoughtful. That really keeps me on my toes, and sometimes I feel like I am just constantly making the right accidents on the page.
Cthulhu aside, I think the hardest aspect for me is often the historical reference. Though there are photos out there of 20's garb, cars, fashion, etc, it really isn't a great interest of mine. Even with photo reference, one is still very limited to the angle, resolution and lighting. I find this to be very inhibiting and restrictive, suddenly the art is being dictated by reference and not my own vision.
The easier work (and often more enjoyable) is the more undefined and nebulous entities. The Sothoths, Nigguraths and random masses of tentacles, watery eyes and gaping mouths. These allow myself to cut loose and really enjoy the experience. There's really no wrong approach, and that free feeling allows me to invest end explore more of myself in the process.
14. What do you do when not creating art?
I could be planning other projects; I always seem to be tinkering with one idea of another. Outside that, I am very fond of being outdoors. I escape the city for northern Vermont whenever I find the chance, not only is it very relaxing but I seem to do some of my best thinking when I am gazing out at the trees. I've been meditating for the last two years, and that's had a profound impact on the way I experience life. I'm very fond of music, especially guitar oriented work, and I enjoy seeing as much of it live as I can.
15. Do your fans have certain expectations of you? What are they and do you live up to them?
I don't know, thankfully they haven't told me. Though it is impossible for me to match each and every mind's eye of the Mythos, I seem to be getting more kudos than complaints. This surprises me, as Lovecraft's creations are particularly elusive and are difficult to carry over from the written word to another format. The best I can do is to show just enough for the viewers' minds to attach to, but leave plenty of room for their imaginations to run with it.
16. What does artistic success mean to you?
Minimizing the amount of compromise and getting as close to one's pure vision as one can. Easier said than done, but I feel like I am chipping away at it.
17. If something in a piece just isn't working, then do you go re-work sections until you feel better about it or just start over?
One of the strengths of acrylic is that it can be re-worked indefinitely. So, more often than not I can just paint over a difficult area and re-work it until it feels right. I think of the art historians that x-ray old paintings to discover the revisions, I wonder if anyone but me will know of the previous incarnations of my art. Once in a great while, I'll just ditch a piece and start over, this is usually because there is just too many wrong things going on. Sometimes I am asked to work within unusually proportioned spaces, like extremely tall or wide, but then the subject is a contradicting shape. These can make for challenging puzzles.
18. How many "bad" pieces, if any, do you create on average before hitting something really good...a keeper?
That's a difficult one for me to answer. Not that I am saying I only create masterpieces, but it's such a subjective thing which can alter over time. I might create a piece that I am happy with only to see it the next day and cringe. I think this means that I am growing and improving, so some work might not hold up for me over time. I'd take a wild guess and say that maybe one out of three pieces will make it to my website. There was a time earlier in my career when I had to crank out up to five or six pieces a day, so that was a bit hit or miss. Now I am able to slow down and be more careful with my choices, and the quality seems to have improved.
19. Do you have any favorite pieces that others can't stand? What about pieces you don't care for that others love?
Fortunately, no one has expressed high levels of disdain for any particular piece. I think there are some favorites, though I am often surprised to hear which pieces attract others' eyes. It seems fairly across the board, which is kind of nice.
There's one piece, currently residing in the non-Lovecraft color section of my sire called 'Secrets'. It was my first cover for Chaosium, though it's not especially Lovecraftian. Even though it is perhaps twelve or more years old, I still love it. Not only was it fun to set up a live model in an unusual way, there's something about the general concept that continues to intrigue me. I can see myself doing a number of pieces along this vein; I think there's something in the concept that I would enjoy exploring.
20. Do you think the way we see reality influences reality itself...put another way, does our subjective views create objective results? And what relation would this have on your Mythos artwork?
This is something I contemplate often, actually. Two people can experience the same event together, yet their attitude and awareness can dramatically color their interpretation of what happened. What I take from an experience will motivate my future actions and I think life just builds momentum, guided by that attitude. So, if I allow myself to be open to certain possibilities, I increase my chances of experiencing them. But, if I am cemented in my thoughts and closed off to the possibilities, I will surely walk right by them. We set our limits, consciously or not.
In regard to my art...I haven't contemplated it from this angle, so I am glad you asked. I can say that I have toyed with the question of where imagination truly comes from. Are they just random ideas, or is there a feed of information coming from somewhere else. The idea of the visionary artist appeals to me immensely. Can art be used another medium, like an Ouija board? If so, then I assume the challenge is to get a more pure feed and learn to push one's filtering ego off to the side. Some argue that Lovecraft was receiving information from somewhere as well, so perhaps we're picking up on similar things through our chosen media. The idea certainly brings in a lot more meaning and value to art.
So, to tie it all together, I could say that my openness to humoring these thoughts enough to explore them has taken me down paths that I wouldn't have if I had shut the door on the newly sprouting ideas. That slowly changes my version of reality.
Good answer, I frequently think about such things too. Although, I was getting at something a little different. Some say that life imitates art, but do you think that drawings or paintings could shape individual human behavior to a degree that an entire culture or society is influenced? Given the visionary or prophetic nature of Lovecraft's Mythos, could an artist of cosmic alien horror give life to certain entities... even if it's only in a handful of human minds?
I think there's no doubt that art has affected the outlook and direction of cultures, one only needs to crack open an art history book to see how art has influenced man over the millennia. I think this was especially the case when the majority of the world could not read, so things like illustrations were a way that the masses could be enlightened or swayed. But, a lot more people can read now.... though most still don't, so I think it's happening more often in newer media. This is most likely television, the internet, new technology, fashion and music. It's all, consciously or not, sculpting the mass outlook on the world.
To address your specific question at the end...would painting a mythos entity create it? I'll admit that I haven't contemplated this before to any conclusion, so I can only ponder and conceptualize out loud. I think reality in itself is very individual and subjective, so I suppose there is the possibility that if one invested enough energy and belief into an idea it could become a very real factor in their life. Does that mean these entities are tangible and physical? I honestly can't say with any authority. However, I have been told that our brain takes in millions to billions of bits of sensory input every second, though our conscious mind only acknowledges a small number of thousands from that greater number. Some of the stuff we filter out is considered useless and extraneous in regard to survival, so it is blocked out. Though, I've wondered, are there other things that we subconsciously blocking out for other reasons, such as preservation our sanity? Going along with your question, I can see one having the idea that immersing themselves into a concept (brought to them via art, literature, ritual or other media) for long enough might make them more sensitive and accepting to something they may have been blocking out up to that point. So, perhaps that might awaken them to something that was always there?
21. What if the Great Old Ones awoke...what then?
Well, we might not have to worry for long, as they might erase humankind from existence as we know it. Or, they may Google mythos artists and keep me alive as their official portrait artist. I hope for the latter.