Design help asked

[ott]

For the 5th edition, I plan to use a different design than before, inspired by some of the Frisian classics of the 1950s. Example:

imprint.jpg (71.89 KiB) Viewed 14389 times

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[ott]

Instead of the two lions from one of the Frisian coat of arms/flag and inspired by this line,

Formidable Frya! Under the force of her gaze, the lion would lie down at her feet

I would like to use an image of Frya with two lions at her feet. Various goddesses (who may have been 'copies' of Frya/Freya) were depicted with lions or cats, either sitting by their side/at their feet or pulling their chariot.
I found this one of Rhea or Cybele which could be a template, but it needs to be more stylized:

cybele-rhea-phrygian-greek2.jpg (115.46 KiB) Viewed 14388 times

It is easy to make it black and white only (without the greys), but her skin for example should become gold on the book, thus black on the image. Similarly, the folds of her robe should be white (prussian blue on the book), etc.

Who can help create this (or a better) image?

Completely new design could also be great.

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[ott]

Text design will be something like this:

col5 design test.png (192.19 KiB) Viewed 14387 times

[Helgiteut]

I shall say that after thinking about it, I would rather steer away from having an image of a Goddess on the cover. There is symbolism in these images, such as the scepter, the mural crown, and the Tambourine. Unless we truly have our own meaning for the symbols, I say it is better to do without them. There are many who know what the Finda's of today do in their own worship of Isis and such, and for those who are ware of these thing, to see this cover as the face of the OLB may be "off-putting". I think having a lions at Frya's feet would not be taken badly though.

[ott]

Yes, I agree about the symbols that do not specifically belong to Frya.
Also therefore, I would prefer a brand new design.

[Colin Alexander777]

Some sketches along the lines of what you were talking about

[Cú Chulainn]

I second the changing of the front cover featuring two lions or even a female figure herself.

Instead, the wheel seems to be the most prominent symbol to feature without diluting the overarching symbolism founded within the cultural gnosis itself.

Attached is a Grok image generation of the 6 spoke wheel on the cover.

However, to keep the female essence engaged, with the two lions as the tamed yet powerful male energy, an illustration embedded within the textual interface so it is the first imagery the reader is drawn toward would work.

Both in ebook format, and physical copies, this should bring focus to the ancient symbolism and visceral intent of the designs for all readers.

Then, the wheel, the spear, the female, the lions, are all associated without declining Ott’s intuition regarding the initial drafting.

A final point of note, I feel the book needs to be marketed as an Epic of the Frisians.

The term “Epic” always draws in more literary appeal, and the work is most certainly due of such moniker, if there is no greater one available.