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In February 1928, the magazine Weird Tales published the story "The Call of Cthulhu" by H. P. Lovecraft. In it, he described the Cthulhu as "a monster of vaguely anthropoid outline, but with an octopus-like head whose face was a mass of feelers, a scaly, rubbery-looking body, prodigious claws on hind and fore feet, and long, narrow wings behind." The amoral alien creature was hundreds of feet tall with a head like an octopus, a body similar to a man's, and the wings of a dragon.
The stories of Cthulhu describe him as a deity sleeping beneath a Pacific island. Mankind lives in a subconscious fear of his destructiveness, and some worship him. This literature has even sparked a parody religion in the United States and the United Kingdom.
In popular culture, the Cthulhu was once a part of the role-playing game Dungeons and Dragons. He has also been used as a parody candidate in U.S. and Polish presidential elections. His depiction satirizes those who claim to vote for a "lesser evil," urging them to "Choose the greater evil. Vote Cthulhu. The character has appeared in theatrical performances, made appearances on series such as South Park, and in other media.
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Would you like to draw the dread Cthulhu? This easy, step-by-step monster drawing tutorial is designed to show you how. All you will need is a pen, pencil, or marker and a sheet of paper.
If you liked this tutorial, see also the following drawing guides: Werewolf, Zombie, and Ghost Rider.
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- Sharpie marker to draw clean, black lines.
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- Bright, easy to blend colored pencils or cheaper oil pastels.
- Pencil set to practice drawing and shading together with a vinyl or kneaded eraser, and a sharpener. If you draw a lot with pencils, you could even get yourself an electric sharpener.
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Step-by-Step Instructions for Drawing Cthulhu
1. Begin by drawing a lumpy, wavy curved line. This outlines the Cthulhu's head.
2. Extend a long, curved line from the side of the head, and double it back upon itself to form a tentacle. Then, draw a second tentacle.
3. Continue drawing tentacles, extending long, curved lines and doubling them back upon themselves. Note how some of the tentacles overlap.
4. Extend another long curved line and double it back upon itself, forming a tentacle. Notice how the central tentacles curl at the end, forming a spiral shape.
OTHER EASY DRAWING GUIDES:
5. Continue drawing tentacles, noting how some double back upon themselves.
6. Continue drawing tentacles until the entire head is enclosed. Then, draw tentacles emerging from behind the others.
7. Draw additional tentacles, emerging from behind the others and hanging down.
8. Draw the Cthulhu's dragon-like wing. Use curved lines to outline the wing and its finger-like extremities. Draw a triangular claw at the tip of each "finger." Fill in any bare spots with additional tentacles.
OTHER EASY DRAWING GUIDES:
9. Draw the remaining wing. Again, use overlapping curved lines to draw the finger-like segments, and complete each with a triangular claw at the tip. Then, detail the face. Draw two almond-shaped eyes, and shade a triangular pupil within each. Enclose an irregular shape for the nose, and detail the furrowed brow and beneath the eyes with short, curved lines.
Color Cthulhu.
Scroll down for a downloadable PDF of this tutorial.
The Complete Cthulhu Drawing Tutorial in One Image
Printable PDF of the Drawing Guide
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