Art Inspired By Ligotti (The Beast With The Ventriloquist Dummy Skeleton For A Hand)

[Aeron]

I could say that all of my digital art is inspired by Tom in one way or another, but what I post here will be directly inspired by his writings. The following is a small cropping from a wrap around cover to the upcoming reprint of Songs Of A Dead Dreamer. The illustration is inspired by the streets from the story "Vastarien" and many of the abominations that pass through them.



I was working on one of the hands when it occured to me that it might be far more interesting were that hand the skeletal remains of a ventriloquist dummy. The version posted here was still in progress and has a variety of textures and lighting effects/contrasts adjusted.

[bendk]

That will make for one memorable edition of Songs. Nice work.

[Aeron]

detail shots from the cover of Songs Of A Dead Dreamer..

[Aeron]

The Last Feast Of Harlequin, the ending worm scene, or In The Shadow Of Another World, the monster house and surrounding landscape as it would appear through its unique windows. Decisions decisions.. One of these is going to be a very detailed artwork, I'm just torn between the two at the moment. I'm interested in creating those worms in Last Feast. Meshing deformed clownish characters into serpentine abominations feasting on human flesh, what fun imagery for an artwork. But the prehistoric beast house and the nightmare world surrounding it as can be seen through its windows from In The Shadow Of Another World.. I love the idea of adapting a building into the vague form of a giant monster while keeping the door, the windows, the basic construction of a building. I think what it comes down to is do I create the straightforward iconic Ligotti scene that anyone vaguely familiar with his writings should instantly recognize, or a more expansive scene of nightmare visions.

[Corman]

Is this for the cover art of Subterranean's revised edition of Grimscribe or an independent project? Congrats if it's the former. Your dust jacket for SOADD is outstanding.

	SOADD Songs of a Dead Dreamer   Songs of a Dead Dreamer was the first book published featuring a collection stories by Thomas Ligotti. Original Printing Revised Printing

[Aeron]

It will be for Grimscribe, thank you for the kind words.

[starrysothoth]

I would love to see the visions from "In the Shadow of Another World." I think it would be truly original. Your excellent techniques applied to "Last Feast" would be great too, though this story has already gained an artistic representation in the first Ligotti graphic novel, and it seems to be the story that gets chosen for reprint in various anthologies as a sample of TL's work. Artwork based on "In the Shadow of Another World" is surprising and almost completely unexplored.

Like others said, kudos on the SOADD cover. It's exquisite.

	SOADD Songs of a Dead Dreamer   Songs of a Dead Dreamer was the first book published featuring a collection stories by Thomas Ligotti. Original Printing Revised Printing

[Aeron]

Thank you, and I've decided on "In The Shadow Of Another World." I discussed it with a few people over the night and it opens itself up to a more varied assortment of imagery. The house made from the remains of an ancient beast concept also has me incredibly inspired. I'm deciding on what manner of Austin Osman Spare reference to put into the artwork. Looking at a collection of his drawings previously owned by Coil - http://www.cadu.demon.co.uk/occultar...pare3text.html One of these Spare abominations might find their way into the scene.. http://www.cadu.demon.co.uk/occultar.../AOSDraw6.html http://www.cadu.demon.co.uk/occultar...AOSDraw19.html What fun it will be now to meditate on the sort of nightmare visions of the landscape outside of the house.

[Aeron]

I've another day or two and the Grimscribe cover will be finished. I considered sharing a sample from it but I'll leave it to Subterranean Press to reveal it at their discretion. It carries the same sort of nightmarish detail as the previous cover. Putting the final touches on a giant hideous worm like tongue with small heads of corpses stuck to it like flies on sticky paper. The tongue is projecting from the gaping mouth of a large grotesque cyclops head partly mummified and encased in an old house with giant black wings at the center of the image.