For this Module we will need to create an Illustration Project and an essay. We get to choose our own topic but the 2 outcomes need to be linked. The topic I’ve chosen is Norse Mythology as it’s something I’m interested in but don’t know too much so it will be interesting to research and learn. Before starting the research I had a very basic understanding of the topic, most of which came from modern pop culture adaptations such as Marvels interpretation of Thor and other characters. This is where I was first introduced to the topic and what sparked my interest. With this research I wanted to find out more about this topic and specifically its history. The comparison of the traditional descriptions/ depictions to modern version could be an interesting avenue to explore.
Here are a range of artworks about the topic of Norse Mythology. They’re a starting point for my ideas about the Illustration Project. At this stage I haven’t looked into any specific artists, I just did a broad search on Google and Pinterest to collect visual media that interested me. I immediately noticed that there will be big range of style ranging from, fine black line work to highly detailed colour images. This gives me lots of ideas to take inspiration from.
This is the Runic alphabet which would have been used at the time of the creation of Norse Mythology. It’s interesting to know and could be used as another element in my illustrations.
In order to get a good foundational knowledge of the topic I did lots of research into the history, the different gods/goddesses, the 9 realms, the creatures and the creation story. Notes on this research is below:
Image I found on Pinterest explaining the family tree of the Norse gods:
The Norse interpretation of the structure of the universe:
I made a list of some of the key stories in Norse Mythology (below), from this list I’ll research some in detail. I started to look into ways that Norse Mythology has been used in pop culture, such as in Marvel movies/ comics and Neil Gaiman’s ‘American Gods’. Also I began to explore some specific artists who have created work surrounding the topic of Norse Mythology including William Gershom Collingwood, Martin Eskil Winge, Johan Egerkrans and Milivoj Ceran.
William Gershom Collingwood (1854-1932): an English author, artist, antiquary and professor of Fine Arts at the University of Reading. I was drawn to his illustrations because of the traditional shading style and detail in the mark making that he uses to create shape and tone.
Marten Eskil Winge (1825–1896): was a Swedish artist and professor at the Royal Swedish Academy of Arts. Winge’s paintings are beautifully detailed with really striking use of colour. I really like the energy and drama he is able to create in his dynamic and chaotic compositions.
Johan Egerkrans (born 1978): a Swedish illustrator and author, mainly of Fantasy, folklore and Palaeontology, working as a children’s book illustrator since 2005. He has a modern, digital illustrative style with stylised characters. My favourite part of his work is the strong use of limited colour palettes used to create a mood and atmosphere.
Milivoj Ceran: a Croatian illustrator working in traditional media. He is well known for his Magic the Gathering art and other fantasy based work. He has 2 distinct styles, colour and black and white shading, both are intricately detailed. I like his compositional style and way of incorporating traditional Norse symbols and patterns into his illustrations.
Here are some initial ideas I had for the illustration project and essay after some initial research about Norse Mythology:
Samuel Green Illustration 