Backer Jed (jedo) also gave me several concepts to work from, and one stood out for it’s ACKS specific imagery: a young mage studying her spellbook at the start of the day. In ACKS, mages prepare their spells by making arcane calculations and measurements, so it was a cool idea that allowed me to envision what this might look like. Jed had lots of great input, which I’ll post below.
Jed:
A third idea is more of an illustration of how a MU prepares their spells for the day. Based on the latest description from Alex, a magic user has to make copious calculations everyday, based on the position of the stars, planets, ley lines, etc. to know how to adjust their spell so it works for that day.
I was thinking of a fairly peaceful outdoor scene, where in the background some party members seem to be trying to crowbar their way into a tomb/dungeon entrance, but the focus of the image is on a Magic User who is sitting cross-legged on a rock, and has some-sort of device similar to an astrolabe or a sextant, but with other arcane bits on it, and a plumb-line hanging down below.
Ryan:
What if half of the magic user’s open spellbook contained a mandala-like illustration? I would be really into that. You mentioned it could be sketchbook-like - is there anything else you would want in there? I’m thinking of having the book propped against a rock or something so the viewer can see it fairly clearly.
Jed:
That sounds pretty cool. It would be neat if the mandala also had a little of the time bandits map vibe, or the pirates of the carribean map included in it. I was also thinking of something like the Voynich manuscript, but also I like the idea of scraps of other books pasted into the pages, and sticking out the edges of other pages, like the Grail Diary in Indy 3.
I am not so much into the gandalf type MU, partially because then the scene feels like the scene in the fellowship of the ring where they are trying to get into Moria. Also, it is just so cliched.
I think adventurers are young- those fool hardy enough too go delving for treasure, so the MU should be young too. I like,the idea of them having lots of esoteric tools and charms hanging from their belt, etc. But a female wizard wiith an Indian or Persian style sounds really cool to me.
Also had the thought that the MU has talismans written/tattoed on their arms and any other exposed skin. Sort of taking the style of Henna Tattoos, and mixing it with magical talismans.
Also, I may try a pose with her body facing slightly more toward the book, but her head and arm still directed towards the viewer. I’m thinking now that would be more interesting in terms of composition
Jed:
Looks great, and sounds like a winner. I agree that her body should be a little more toward the book, and she may have just twisted toward the viewer as she swung the plumb line around, for a moment when the image occurred.
