Lovecraft Sketch MWF: The Dark Eidolon
I call it the *Lovecraft* sketch MWF, but today is Clark Ashton Smith week here on mockman.com — ’cause I just love his work so much! Smith’s writing is so imaginative and dark and full of monsters and horrible fates, and yet unlike Lovecraft, his stories also have plenty of action and pulpy adventure. I think of him as the perfect blend of Robert A. Howard and Lovecraft. Also, we both grew up in the hill country of Northern California, where the summers are dry and the oaks grow wild and twisted, so I feel an imaginary kinship with him because of that. Back in 2004 I did a comic adaptation of his short story The Tale of Satampra Zeiros, which was a lot of fun, and an interesting exercise in comicking, since I sort of switched styles midway through.
This drawing depicts a scene from “The Dark Eidolon,” one of my favorite Smith stories. I gave it my best, but looking at it now I have to sadly admit, I’m not even 5% close to capturing the brutality and insanity of this image. Argggh! If you want context you’ll have to read the story yourself. Incidentally, when I was drawing the giant-corpse-dancers, I couldn’t help thinking of dancing pirates from Eiichiro Oda’s “One Piece.” That’s the kind of influences that fight with each other inside me.
If anyone’s interested in seeing more Smith-esque art, I’m always willing to do a commissioned sketch!
Discussion (6) ¬
Jason – fantastic work. This really makes me want to find a CAS collection. Never read much of his work, unfortunately.
BTW, my email to your sonic.net address bounces (from gmail). It was kind of generic-y error, but here it is in case it helps:
Delivery to the following recipient failed permanently:
(email redacted)
Technical details of permanent failure:
Google tried to deliver your message, but it was rejected by the recipient domain. We recommend contacting the other email provider for further information about the cause of this error. The error that the other server returned was: 553 553 5.1.3 … User address required (state 14).
—
I also sent the email using your contact form here, but I don’t know if you ever got it, either.
Hi Jason! I got your email at my mockman address, and just replied now. My old “jason@sonic.net” email is dead, after 15+ years I now have a new account.
No problem with the delay, Jason. Just wanted to make sure you knew it was going on. Thanks for the more detailed email, as well. Will look forward to hearing your kickstarter story when you get the chance.
HAH! “One Piece”. I will never look at that manga the same again.
I am reading the story and I love it. And it does, actually, come half-way to the brutality of the scene.