Introducing Mister Nutt of Terry Pratchett's "Unseen Academicals"
This week I've illustrated the magnificent Mr. Nutt from Sir Terry Pratchett's latest Discworld novel "Unseen Academicals." If you aren't familiar with Pratchett's work noooo that is so tragic but I will tell you anyway that he is a sharp-as-a-knife hysterically funny an disarmingly touching satirist who works mostly in fantasy. He is SO right on I can't even auuuugh if I could write anywhere near as well as him glurk glurrk I grew up on his books and they still impress me with their sheer breadth and depth and wit now. RIGHT ON TERRY PRATCHETT!
Pratchett isn't big on straight-up descriptions - he likes the reader to fill in the blanks through hints in dialogue and action - which sometimes makes depicting his characters accurately a challenge. I brainstormed my design of Nutt similarly to my Steppenwolf drawings: after reading the entire book, I sketched a bunch trying to capture the image the author had left in my mind. THEN I went back and checked the actually passages that introduce/describe the characters, refining my design and correcting any inaccuracies. I think this balance represents how the character lives on in each reader's head outside of the work.
Paul Kidby" has already done an incredible job capturing Pratchett's characters with his own skill and humor, so I took the cowardly way out and drew a new character he hasn't got his paws on yet: the sad and strange Mister Nutt!
As for Pratchett's own words, these are the passages that most strongly influenced my design:
“The Candle Knave stared at the grey, round, guileless face. There was an unshakably amiable look about it that was very disconcerting, especially when you knew what it was you were looking at. And he knew what it was, oh yes, but not what it was called.
‘What’s your name again? I can’t remember everybody’s name.’
‘Nutt, Mister Smeems. With two t’s.’
‘Do you think the second one helps matters, Nutt?’
‘Not really, sir.’” (13)
Round face! Rooound face! :D As you can see I went very literal there. I spent a lot of time paring down his facial features as much as I could while making them still have a level of 'realness', so he'd be kind of off-putting even while pitiful. He's also described as having "long muscles, long bones," and wears old hand-me-downs, and I went for a general Medieval-ish design for those as per the Pratchett universe.
This next scene is basically the moment I tried to capture in the illustration: Nutt's first visit to the Night Kitchens, where the cook Glenda starts yelling at his boss and then him.
“The boy laughed, and [Glenda] glared at his companion, who backed away quickly as though from armour-piercing eyes.
‘And you boys ought to wash before you come up here,’ she went on, glad of a target that didn’t grin and blow kisses at her. ‘This is a food preparation area!’
Nutt swallowed. This was the longest conversation he’d ever had with a female apart from Ladyship and Miss Healstether and he hadn’t even said anything.
‘I assure you, I bathe regularly,” he protested.
‘But you’re grey!’
‘Well, some people are black and some people are white,’ said Nutt, almost in tears. Oh, why had he, why had he left the vats? It was nice and uncomplicated down there, and quiet, too, when Concrete hadn’t been on the ferris oxide.
‘It doesn’t work like that. You’re not a zombie, are you? I know they do their best, and none of us can help how we die, but I’m not having all that trouble again. Anyone might get their finger in the soup, but rolling around in the bottom of the bowl? That’s not right.’
‘I am alive, miss,’ said Nutt helplessly.
‘Yes, but a live what, that’s what I’d like to know.’
‘I’m a goblin, miss.’ He hesitated as he said it. It sounded like a lie. (37-87)
Poor Mister Nutt. I identify with his constant inner mantra: “ Smile at people. Like them. Be helpful. Accumulate worth.” (36)
And as for treats:
Delicious Golden Age Wonder Woman crack. Not bad advice either.
Happy Picard Day everybody!
Click to viewWell, it was yesterday but a single day is nowhere near enough to give tribute to that marvelous man. Clever, compassionate, and classy. Best Captain! Hands doooowwwwn!
Oh, and since I forgot last time I posted a book report, here's the lovely site that inspired me to do these illustrations: Picture Book Report. They got all kinds a books and all kindsa artists. IT'S A WONDERLAND. GOooooooooo nowwwwwww.