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IRONCLAW: "Book of Mysteries" Cover Designs (process)
I'm working on a cover for an upcoming Ironclaw supplementary book on magic. Here are four ideas to show different things.
Top Left: Showing a conjuration/summoning/invoking scene. Gorilla
magician because apes on covers is a proven draw :) Also, fan service
feline spirit/ghost/etc. A noble feline shown to the side, perhaps
wanting to contact the spirit of a lost love - suggests narrative.
Background to show magician's sanctum, etc.
Top Right: A kind of "Magus Rex" image showing an iconic wizardish
type (clever fox) compositionally towering over an army of melee
opponents. Suggests the power of magic vs. brute strength. Also,
evokes sorcerer's apprentice imagery of mickey directing primal forces
from the cliff.
Bottom Left: Straightforward display of magic without context.
Pulling a rabbit out of a hat, here is a rabbit pulling magic out of a
hat. Iconic and simple, a large clear image that you can decipher
from across the room, or bookstore, etc. And gives a readymade
"mascot" for the book. bunny can be male or female, or ambiguous.
Bottom Right: magical combat to show the different kinds and styles,
etc. the tigress is very self-contained and disciplined, fancy dress,
etc. but her magic is wild, organic, and surrounds her protectively.
The bear is the opposite: he should look scrappy and rough by
contrast, but his magic is constructed like tinker toys from symbols
and orderly glyphs, language, lattice work that should seem like it
unfolds mechanically/smartly.
now before you get too attached to any of these, i should say that i've already submitted the sketches and have been told some practical realities that nix things already. namely there's no summoning in the game. so idea Top Left is out. also, there's no levitation spell in the game. so idea Bottom Right is out. ultimately the final image will be some sort of combination, along with new ideas. so this is just some "what you see what you get" initial thinking on the subject.
i'd love to illustrate the whole book, since i enjoy making stuff for the game, but a nice cover image is fun, too.
P.S. I'm not sure why there's no summon-spirit/speak-to-dead spell, nor a levitation spell. These things would seem like Basic Magic 101 to me :B
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Top Left: Showing a conjuration/summoning/invoking scene. Gorilla
magician because apes on covers is a proven draw :) Also, fan service
feline spirit/ghost/etc. A noble feline shown to the side, perhaps
wanting to contact the spirit of a lost love - suggests narrative.
Background to show magician's sanctum, etc.
Top Right: A kind of "Magus Rex" image showing an iconic wizardish
type (clever fox) compositionally towering over an army of melee
opponents. Suggests the power of magic vs. brute strength. Also,
evokes sorcerer's apprentice imagery of mickey directing primal forces
from the cliff.
Bottom Left: Straightforward display of magic without context.
Pulling a rabbit out of a hat, here is a rabbit pulling magic out of a
hat. Iconic and simple, a large clear image that you can decipher
from across the room, or bookstore, etc. And gives a readymade
"mascot" for the book. bunny can be male or female, or ambiguous.
Bottom Right: magical combat to show the different kinds and styles,
etc. the tigress is very self-contained and disciplined, fancy dress,
etc. but her magic is wild, organic, and surrounds her protectively.
The bear is the opposite: he should look scrappy and rough by
contrast, but his magic is constructed like tinker toys from symbols
and orderly glyphs, language, lattice work that should seem like it
unfolds mechanically/smartly.
now before you get too attached to any of these, i should say that i've already submitted the sketches and have been told some practical realities that nix things already. namely there's no summoning in the game. so idea Top Left is out. also, there's no levitation spell in the game. so idea Bottom Right is out. ultimately the final image will be some sort of combination, along with new ideas. so this is just some "what you see what you get" initial thinking on the subject.
i'd love to illustrate the whole book, since i enjoy making stuff for the game, but a nice cover image is fun, too.
P.S. I'm not sure why there's no summon-spirit/speak-to-dead spell, nor a levitation spell. These things would seem like Basic Magic 101 to me :B
<<< PREV | FIRST | NEXT >>>
Category All / All
Species Unspecified / Any
Size 1005 x 1280px
File Size 387.9 kB
Lol. Your comment made me think of the last few lines from this comic strip.
http://babeinthewoods.comicgenesis....../20090605.html
http://babeinthewoods.comicgenesis....../20090605.html
My personal votes would be either 2 or 3. One seems a bit... awkward in a way (neckbeard gorilla in robe and wizard hat, anyone?), but otherwise the composition is quite good. Four just feels cluttered and difficult to focus on (and perhaps reminds me of the original cover). Number two is pretty nice for that whole "mages are flashy bastards" bag and all, while I greatly enjoy the possibilities for the third, what with the focus being entirely on the character and the magic.
You definitely nailed it for the "what you see is what you get" approach. Nice to see your work in Ironclaw once more!
As for the Ironclaw guys? I find it funny they've claimed it as "no levitation" when at least one (maybe two?) of their images shows a character using magic to be anywhere but the ground. Though really, it would work for Thaumaturgy, so perhaps that might appear later (if it hasn't already been house ruled by fans).
Also yes... summoning seems to only exist for the Elementals. But there IS (yes, IS) a "Speak with Dead" spell. It's part of the Black Magic school, and technically "sealed away" in the back of the Game Host's guide.
I am not a rules lawyer, I swear.
(p.s.: I suddenly remember what cover one reminds me of! D&D 3rd Edition, Forgotten Realms: "Magic of Faerûn")
You definitely nailed it for the "what you see is what you get" approach. Nice to see your work in Ironclaw once more!
As for the Ironclaw guys? I find it funny they've claimed it as "no levitation" when at least one (maybe two?) of their images shows a character using magic to be anywhere but the ground. Though really, it would work for Thaumaturgy, so perhaps that might appear later (if it hasn't already been house ruled by fans).
Also yes... summoning seems to only exist for the Elementals. But there IS (yes, IS) a "Speak with Dead" spell. It's part of the Black Magic school, and technically "sealed away" in the back of the Game Host's guide.
I am not a rules lawyer, I swear.
(p.s.: I suddenly remember what cover one reminds me of! D&D 3rd Edition, Forgotten Realms: "Magic of Faerûn")
These are all cool designs, though I think for a sort of mystical/magical feel, though it could use only one of the two characters -- or have them in conflict.
The third one is the plainest but also the most direct -- I agree on the unambiguous front -- if you were looking to catch eyes from across the room, this would be the cover.
I'm curious to see these art- and content-wise because, as I recall, the magic in the last version of Ironclaw I played was a little lackluster.
The third one is the plainest but also the most direct -- I agree on the unambiguous front -- if you were looking to catch eyes from across the room, this would be the cover.
I'm curious to see these art- and content-wise because, as I recall, the magic in the last version of Ironclaw I played was a little lackluster.
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