The Plan:
The cover image should show The Game
(And some 'tasteful' flesh) with a heavy preponderance of the dark structures
around the room. This is 'Coz, like the crystal 'Cradle', it's the central,
linking image through the novel.
I bow to Andy for pointing this out in the very
beginning.
The
first section is a whirlwind of great and varied images but I think we need
to see the sheer panoply of the Celebration, of Mery's manifestation as The
Mother Redoubt (It is, after all, the defining moment of her Myth) and, if poss,
the violent downfall of the 17. That's quite a lot in one
picture!
The second section has many images - though not so
many as the first (I'm sorely tempting by Pallin dressing in his armour) -
but the image to choose must certainly be one from the Land. This narrows it
down a little.
I really do NOT want to draw The Watcher because
however well I might manage it, it'll merely be a 'Monster' which we can stare
at and 'map'. As I understand, the appearance of the Watcher is entirely
subjective and it's not so much its physiognomy that matters so much as its
'Personality'. This might be possible as an abstract painting but not for my
pedestrian graphic style (Unless, of course, you want me to do the whole thing
with a hint of 'Abstract', I suspect not. It seems we want to keep something of
a 'House style' in keeping with 'Eater'). Accordingly, like God, to portray the
Watcher is to lessen it. (Tempting though it is, as always, to rip off
Frantisek Kupka's Black Idol).
Meyr
in a Palaquin is just a Palaquin, so we want her out of it.
If
the Redoubt is in the pic, then it's going to be the whole pic. It's big. That's
either 'Leaving the gates' or just the massive subtly textured walls of the
Redoubt. Neither shows the Land.
The
Redoubt from afar is just a pyramid. More important, it 's presence
trivialises the abyss of the Land.
Images of skulls, sex organs, ghost girls etc
could be a little prosaic.
I
think we're left with the Eater 'Ravishing' Meyr whilst the Quint's attempt to
stave it off and Pallin watches, helpless. This, in itself, has some Symbolist
resonance.
As
to the third section: To quote HAL, 'I'm still collating'.
It's
almost certainly going to be of the Manshonyagger (We can't ignore them
can we!)and Meyr being Joan D'Ark-y, but I haven't identified the
specific incident as yet. As we all know, there are a fair
few.
And,
maybe a small 'title' 'symbolic image' for the beginning of each of the three
sections would be stylish.
All
ok?
Best:
Smuzz
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Monday, February 07, 2011 7:23
PM
Subject: RE: Night land : Sea of
images.
What, no waterslide?! :) Many of the phenomena I think of
being like dust devils passing across a desert. The weird stuff gets
crowded when the party is explicitly within the zone of the Watcher,
effectively its mental penumbra, where they catch its stray thoughts and
equivalents of its self-commentary and under-the-breath mutterings.
From: pinlighter@btconnect.com
To: eira.sms@virgin.net; bidavids@hotmail.com
Subject: Re:
Night land : Sea of images.
Date: Mon, 7 Feb 2011 15:20:14 +0000
You 'da man ;-)
----- Original Message -----
My one disagreement so far is on the
idea of the Land Itself as a cluttered diaroma of illuminated psychic
tourist attractions.
My 'Land' is a darned sight
more bleak.
And, I'm Right..
Ok?