When it comes to world building, I think inventing iconography is one of the most important (and fun) things an author can do. I wrote an entire post on the subject as part of my Crafting Kingdom series last year, but I thought I would post some of the icons I’m working on for my new project.
This book revolves around one specific place that has to do with travel. So keys, doorways, and possibility are all important elements of the setting. As usual, I started off with some rough sketches in my note book:
Afterwards, I played around with the design on my computer:
Since I was about to teach a class on iconography, I decided to mock up a “final” version . . . final, because, in my process, nothing is every final until the very end. In this version, I decided to go very simple and employ a turquoise and gold scheme. I’m also not sure about the motto. Actually, I’m not even sure if I want one! Nonetheless, here it is for now . . .
Not that this design will ever end up in the finished book. Really, it’s meant to get me thinking about my world in a different way, and to keep me refreshed for the next round of writing. After all, I need plenty of breaks from writing, and I consider these types of projects to be a lot more helpful than pursuing all those other distractions!
Between the Cracks of Here and There 