THE CROWNED GROWTH, HOW IT BECAME

In the run-up to the Cultist Simulator launch on 31st May, we’re posting all of Sarah Gordon’s lovely Hours Tarot, including several that haven’t been seen before, on the Weather Factory Twitter account.
Here’s some behind-the-scenes on how we got to the Crowned Growth, one of the two horriblest ones to date.
Sarah: This one is a very early look as I’m not sure if I am on the right track or not. Drew this several times yesterday, and most of the time ended up with something that looked a bit like Lumpy Space Princess and Krang started a family together. This version, which I prefer, but am not certain of, would see a fleshy, polypy lump sitting on a throne (modelled somewhat on The Coronation Chair from Westminster Abbey… Stone of Scone left out though)… a ‘crown‘ of spiky protuberances is sticking out of the flesh (every time I’ve tried drawing an actual crown it’s ended up looking more comical than anything… maybe that’s okay?) along with the odd tuft of hair. John Isaac’s sculpture ‘I Can’t Help The Way I feel’ is sort of on my mind with this. The throne + lump are currently situated in quite a dour-looking throne room, with some silhouetted dignitaries bowing/curtsying in the foreground.
I suspect the concept needs work, so happy to hear more mythos/feedback from you.

Alexis:Actually, this is very much on the right track!

I reckon you’re right – an actual crown would look daft. The throne and the other regalia make it plenty royal. Tufts of hairs are great, the top spikes are great. Anything that makes it look like a teratological curiosity is good. I just googled the John Isaac piece, and yes, I like the reference. I like the nasty but also tragic effect – the throne goes a long way to balance its basic lumpiness.
What I would love to see is more impression of it overflowing and expanding. The drips down the front of the throne are exactly that sort of thing; tendrils or sploshes over the sides and across the floor would work great.
Further; all the gods-from-Nowhere, like the Growth, are especially menacing out-of-context things. So I would like to mess with the format of the card fruitfully. Can we have it overflowing the frame of the card? Perhaps even creeping into the card title? I’d like to do similar things with other from-Nowheres. Ideally, if this ends up a physical card, I’d like it to be one that makes people feel they should wash their hands after they’ve picked it up.

ak [2:06 PM] This is bang on. +1 too for the hair growing out of the puddled growth on the floor. @lottie check this bad boy out

ak [2:07 PM]
yeah, really creepy. YOU’RE SITTING IN IT PEOPLE WHY AREN’T YOU MOVING is a virtuous consequence

Sarah [2:07 PM]
Yasss!
Still feels like it might need something more in the space behind the throne. That might reslove itself once I start to play around with lighting and detailing on the panelling though.

ak [2:10 PM]
yeah; the foreground is so arresting that I didn’t register, but it’s like the wall behind the Malachite; it’s a shame not to use it and an opportunity for a second look

lottie [2:10 PM]
woahhh that’s amazing

Sarah [2:10 PM]
Yep, I will have a ponder, but if you have anything you’d particularly like to see then give me a shout.

ak [2:11 PM]
anything that suggests infection or rulership would be ideal. Conceivably some sort of warped Christian imagery, like icons or an altar retable?

Sarah [2:11 PM]
I can manage that I am sure.

ak [2:11 PM]
if a saint is offering people their own hands, or if Jesus on the cross is consumed by fungus, or something

4 comments on THE CROWNED GROWTH, HOW IT BECAME
  1. I added some additional functionality to the Bird/Worm slider this week, but I can unambiguously confirm that all its core functionality was present from Day 1, and that it has always been able to serve its intended purpose. It’s all about the animals.

  2. That thing right there, it’s bloody disgusting. I don’t quite feel like it has my best interests at heart.

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