IOW #2 - Ragnarok Book Cover

[Andrew Sonea]

Illustration of the Week #2: Ragnarok Book Cover


Topic
This week imagine you are approached by a company which wants to produce a book on Norse mythology. They seem to think that a depiction of Ragnarok would be perfect for an eye catching cover. Here are the specifics of what they want:
-You must make it a vertical composition to fit a book
-You must leave the top third or so a bit plainer to allow for the title (don't put the focal point near the top)
-You must include multiple figures in a battle...choose an event involving one or more of the major gods
-Since it is a book cover, it must be eye-catching and easy to read from far away

Rules
Here's the rules you have to list in your entry:
- The entry has to be a full-fledged Illustration. Not simple concepts or designs.
- No rushed entries, WIPs or sketches.
- At least 2 WIPs must be shown.
- Finished piece and WIPs must be posted in the finals thread before the deadline.
- Colour or black and white, both are allowed.
- Both traditional and digital mediums are allowed.
- A border containing entrants username, the topic and challenge number must be added.
- Image size cannot be too big, nor too small.


Deadline
The deadline is Sunday 21st of August, 23:59 GMT
It's a tight turnaround for a full and complex book cover, but in the real world you have to work fast sometimes...so get working!

[Rob Powell]

Ragnarok! F*ck yeah Im in!

[grenogs]

Oooooooooooo!! interesting , and pretty open to interpretation

[ismo]

Greeaat topic!

I'm in for sure if I can just squeeze the time.

[(lark]

Cool topic. Just a quick question...

During my quick bit of research there doesn't seem to be a central battle. More like a series of events that make up ragnarok. I guess what I'm asking is if we can center our illustration around a particular event in ragnarok?

For example... odin fighting the wolf fenrir, thor fighting the serpent jormungandr, or loki facing off with heimdallr.

Just asking because the brief states we should include a battle scene that includes the major gods involved in ragnarok, and that doesn't seem to mesh with the source material. Let me know if I'm being way too literal in this (probably the case)

[Kuroyue]

Wait, so we only illustrate the front face of the book cover? Not the whole jacket (spine, back cover, and flaps)? Typically we would be asked to create a full jacket, though, I'd think...Though I'm not sure if that amount of work would be reasonable for this deadline...

[danlambert]

Wait, so we only illustrate the front face of the book cover? Not the whole jacket (spine, back cover, and flaps)? Typically we would be asked to create a full jacket, though, I'd think...Though I'm not sure if that amount of work would be reasonable for this deadline...

I don't think there is a 'typically' for book covers, but from what I've seen I'd say it's more normal for an artist just to illustrate the front cover as oppose to the full jacket.
You may be right about the deadline being short, but the idea is to push yourself, you might not get a bookcover deadline as short as a week, but you damn well would for an editorial one.

[grenogs]

kuroyue: As a professional illustrator you would only be commissioned to produce the illustration side of things, all other things you mention would be the job of type setters, graphic designers, etc... but to be able to produce roughs and final artwork for a book cover within a week overall is reasonable.

[Gadbury]

Wow, excellent topic, going to be fun (and hard) doing this!

[Andrew Sonea]

Cool topic. Just a quick question...

During my quick bit of research there doesn't seem to be a central battle. More like a series of events that make up ragnarok. I guess what I'm asking is if we can center our illustration around a particular event in ragnarok?

For example... odin fighting the wolf fenrir, thor fighting the serpent jormungandr, or loki facing off with heimdallr.

Just asking because the brief states we should include a battle scene that includes the major gods involved in ragnarok, and that doesn't seem to mesh with the source material. Let me know if I'm being way too literal in this (probably the case)

Oops ! My knowledge of Norse mythology is a bit rusty. I'll edit the original post to be an event from Ragnarok rather than a big battle involving everything! Thanks for catching this. So yes, you will be allowed to do any of those individual examples you gave.

Wait, so we only illustrate the front face of the book cover? Not the whole jacket (spine, back cover, and flaps)? Typically we would be asked to create a full jacket, though, I'd think...Though I'm not sure if that amount of work would be reasonable for this deadline...

Yes, for this round just illustrate the front face of the book cover. And I am aware that the deadline is short, but as others said, this is meant to push you with a short deadline. It is plausible that you had lots of other commissions to do and couldn't get around to this until the last minute. Or they just gave you very little time. Doesn't matter what the scenario is, just try to get it done before the deadline!

[danlambert]

Oops ! My knowledge of Norse mythology is a bit rusty. I'll edit the original post to be an event from Ragnarok rather than a big battle involving everything! Thanks for catching this. So yes, you will be allowed to do any of those individual examples you gave.





Yes, for this round just illustrate the front face of the book cover. And I am aware that the deadline is short, but as others said, this is meant to push you with a short deadline. It is plausible that you had lots of other commissions to do and couldn't get around to this until the last minute. Or they just gave you very little time. Doesn't matter what the scenario is, just try to get it done before the deadline!

In the wikipedia link you gave in the 1st post, it does mention several events, but it does also mention a big battle involving all the big names.

[ryansumo]

Cool topic. Just a quick question...

During my quick bit of research there doesn't seem to be a central battle. More like a series of events that make up ragnarok. I guess what I'm asking is if we can center our illustration around a particular event in ragnarok?

For example... odin fighting the wolf fenrir, thor fighting the serpent jormungandr, or loki facing off with heimdallr.

Just asking because the brief states we should include a battle scene that includes the major gods involved in ragnarok, and that doesn't seem to mesh with the source material. Let me know if I'm being way too literal in this (probably the case)

The brief said "choose an event involving one or more of the major gods" which I took to mean pick a particular scene that you think works foryou, or if you want to go hogwild, figure out a way to fit everyone on the book cover. So I think you're perfectly fine just choosing the one scene (which is what I plan on doing).

[Andrew Sonea]

The brief said "choose an event involving one or more of the major gods" which I took to mean pick a particular scene that you think works foryou, or if you want to go hogwild, figure out a way to fit everyone on the book cover. So I think you're perfectly fine just choosing the one scene (which is what I plan on doing).

It makes sense because I changed it now haha. Before it was worded so that it sounded like it was only possible to do one huge battle with all the gods together.

[ryansumo]

It makes sense because I changed it now haha. Before it was worded so that it sounded like it was only possible to do one huge battle with all the gods together.

Oh, haha, my bad then. Shoot. I'm doing both the CHoW and the CoW this week, dunno if I can squeeze this one in.

[LA-Fairy]

Hmmmmmmm..
Does it have to be male? Mabe a female spin would be nice. Though I haven't drawn guys in a while.

[grenogs]

la-fairy: there is no mention in the rules that it has to be a male god, so i guess the choice is yours. And there are many norse goddesses to choose, one important one is Freyja, who would often ride in a chariot pulled by big blue cats, or on a golden battle boar.

[dierat]

LA-Fairy - There's also Frigg, Odin's wife. You could use her as kind of viewpoint and discuss the events that take place around her, mainly the death of both her son and husband.


Some slightly off-topic inspiration: this is a compilation of all the legends in Brütal Legend, the backstory of which is largely inspired by Norse mythos. Very epic.

[Dreoilin]

Awwwww man... you guys come up with the most amazing, awesome, impossible to resist topic ever on a week when I have a million things I have to get done pld: I've been wanting to do some Norse mythology stuff for a while... I guess I'll just have to go without sleep again and try to get it all done!

Here's some scribbly sketches to start out with... I can't decide if I want to do Thor vs. Midgard Serpent, or Odin vs. Fenrir!

[Pat Thompson]

If I remember correctly, the various events that take place during Ragnarok (such as the individual duels) are just key event markers of one single event, a major battle. They are just storytelling elements to depict a single point of time. So although they don't all happen at exactly the same time in during the course of the battle, the events could be portrayed as such for the purpose of the cover. Illustrated book covers for Fantasy and Sci-Fi (and any genre for that matter) typically don't depict a true scene from the book, but try to capture the essence of what's inside. So I might suggest trying to capture the essence of Ragnarok instead of one particular element.

I've always been a fan of Loki sailing a ship made from zombie toenails and laden with the army of Hel and the Frost Giants into the final battle. But Fiery Fenrir and the lashing worm Jörmungandr are too tempting not to illustrate.

Thinking of doing a version laid out like the old Dinosaucers theme song ending (except it will have Fenrir, Loki, Thor, Odin, etc)

[dustin53545]

Sweet I love Norse Mythos!!! I'm in!!!!!

[Artfix]

LA-Fairy - There's also Frigg, Odin's wife. You could use her as kind of viewpoint and discuss the events that take place around her, mainly the death of both her son and husband.


Some slightly off-topic inspiration: this is a compilation of all the legends in Brütal Legend, the backstory of which is largely inspired by Norse mythos. Very epic.

Is there anything like this for Ragnarok? I would love to not have to READ all about it frankly lol.

[dierat]

Is there anything like this for Ragnarok? I would love to not have to READ all about it frankly lol.

lol I know, it's a bit much to digest. I started by reading this page (http://www.thorshof.org/ragnar.htm), which summarizes each step in ultra-simple format. You can pick out some events that sound interesting and read about them in further detail on the wiki page.


Last night I came up with an idea that I really liked which is to have the image focus on Heimdallr blowing Gjallarhorn to wake the gods, and the negative space around him would portray the various events of Ragnarok, like Fenrir eating the sun and Yggdrassil burning, as carvings in a runestone. But now that I'm looking at it again, I'm not sure if I like this idea enough to continue with it. Hmm..

[Rob Powell]

Dreoilin: looking epic so far, will be interesting to see these rendered

Dierat: neat idea, some of the best norse artwork comes from stone and wood carvings, will be interesting to see how you execute this idea

I seem to be having some problems drawing a muscular dude with a big hammer fighting a giant serpent, this calls for some Frazetta referencing!!! The arms still look very weird, but you get the idea of what's happening...this illustration stuff is harder than it looks
I originally wanted to have thor hold the serpent by his throat, but thought that would be too easy for thor, so I made the serpent bigger with thor holding his mouth open, as mentioned his arms look a bit small, I may even make thor smaller to give the midgard serpent an even bigger scale.
crits welcome

[Misplacedhippos]

Not sure if I will attempt the finished piece, but here is a character sketch.

[jpacer]

Hopefully I can find time to finish this as I was upset I couldn't finish the last one. Anyway, here are some initial thoughts. A little generic so far. Heh, and although i wasn't looking directly at Frazetta it's a little too obvious I was thinking of him!

The first one is supposed to be Loki after he breaks out of his chains.

[grenogs]

Quick rough, still got a lot of working out on this, so many different ideas. But most likely going with this one, scene of thor's death after killing the midgard serpent. Valkyries over head, with war still raging on in background, and what ever else i can do if i get time. Also hoping to add some sort of norse style border, probably an old metal look, depicting certain characters and objects from the story, that is if i get time, and dont sleep this week. lol

[Rob Powell]

update...

[jpacer]

dierat: That sounds like a really cool idea. I can't wait to see it!

I tried combining some things... BTW, that's Vioarr trying to snap Fenrir's jaws.

[jagder]

My first rough. Jötunn vs Heimdallr.

[Whiskey Sour]

Jadger: Nice work! I like the composition.

Jpacer: I think I like the tighter composition with the snake. The snake's body provides a nice flow with it running in and out of the frame.

Here's what I've got so far!