Sunday, July 27, 2014

Vegvísir

The Vegvísir magical stave, for the Viking Mythos project. I was going for something clearly Norse in origin, but slightly twisted in interpretation.  As we all know, evil is spiky so...yeah.  You can download the full sized version by right clicking on the image and opening the link in a new tab.

This is a clean version since I was too lazy to roughen it up in Illustrator.  For some reason the program determines the level of distortion based on the size of an element, which means long lines and large symbols get jagged while smaller details are barely touched.  When I have time I'll go through and give it the appropriate level of distressing.

The staves, or runic sigils, are the most visually striking elements of Norse magical practice.  I plan on working up a small library of re-interpreted versions for use on items and documents.






6 comments:

Anonymous said...

So what is this going to be on? A manuscript? Are you going to be doing some runic inscriptions?

Propnomicon said...

@ gndn

I'm planning on using this design for a spirit compass. The Vegvisir will be engraved on an ivory plate inside a wooden protective case.

Clint said...

I actually prefer the clean version. People can roughen them up as they see fit, but its hard to find a good clean version.

CoastConFan said...

I recall you do indeed like these kinds of involved graphics from one of your older posts:
http://propnomicon.blogspot.com/2012/04/hurt.html

I was really surprised to see how much interest there is on the web with this design and had not idea it was well known. Previously I had been working around a bit about doing a post about the Huld Manuscript trying to gather up verifiable information, but have been hampered by a lack of decent scholarly articles and English translations.

A sterling version pendant: http://whirlingsun.com/?product=vegvisir-icelandic-rune-stave-silver-pendant

A box on Deviant Art: http://luthiensecrets.deviantart.com/art/Vegvisir-little-wood-box-353939648

A magnificent piece of art http://brentberryarts.com/bjork_art/knotwork_vegvisir_.htm

http://brentberryarts.com/bjork_art/vegvisir_.htm

Propnomicon said...

@ Zero Mostel

I agree. Plus, you know, I'm lazy.

@ CoastConFan

One of the symptoms of my OCD is a love of orderly, geometric patterns. I suspect that a lot of ancient "magicians" had the same condition.

CoastConFan said...

217
@ Propnomicon: I think we are drawn to symmetry and order as a species. I don’t mean mirror symmetry, but to completeness and to rationality and a belief in processes. Maybe that’s why we find the Golden Mean or the Fibonacci Spiral is so pleasing to the eye. What may initially appear as chaos, might just indicate you only see a section of a fractal picture.

As far as human perception and experience goes, disorder itself can be seen in only within our framework of reference. Besides, nihilism is really just too easy, isn’t it – lazy and easy. Then again, to quote Frank Zappa, “Without deviation, progress is not possible.” Or to quote General Patton, “If everybody is thinking alike, then somebody isn’t thinking. Funny that two completely different persons and personalities can have the same thought. You just keep doing what you do best and stay true to yourself.