Considering the amazing things @akroan-acolyte did with my Bant icon concept, I decided I would post

Considering the amazing things @akroan-acolyte did with my Bant icon concept, I decided I would post my VERY rough concepts for the other four Alara shards here and see if he (or anyone else) can do similarly amazing things with them. OK, so here’s what I was going for with the overall theme of the icons… Each icon starting from simple geometric shapes with sequentially increasing sides clockwise around the color wheel Incorporating defining characteristics from each shard, particularly around the iconic creature type of the shard Use negative space in the design to allude to the central color of the shard (The strongest example of this is where the black mana skull could “fit” between the horns on the Grixis icon) Incorporate some design elements from the other two mana symbols for the shard Keep fairly simple, but still distinct from any existing icons and watermarks Having said that, here’s what I was attempting to do with the design for each icon: Esper Geometric shape - Triange Use negative space on the left to allude to the “tail” of Blue’s mana symbol Resemble Etherium Originally I wanted to put a stoic face in the middle of the triangle to allude to the distinct face/collar of Esper sphinxes, but that was beyond my limited ability (and maybe it’s too complicated for so small an icon)Grixis Geometric shape - Square (warped) Use negative space on the top between the “horns” to allude to the bottom portion of the black mana skull Prominently feature the distinctive huge horns that set Grixis demons apart from other demons in the Multiverse Incorporate elements of the blue mana symbol in the shape of the eyes, and elements of the red symbol jagged flames between bottom flames Jund Geometric shape - Pentagon Use negative space at the top within the flame breath to allude to the red mana fireball Focus on open jaws and fangs of a dragon (not the whole head) in reference to Jund’s devour mechanic Incorporate elements of green’s mana symbol in the way the fire is “growing” out of the mouth, and elements of the black symbol by keeping the mouth tightly built around jaw bone Naya Geometric shape - Hexagon Use negative space on the right to allude to the canopy of green’s mana symbol Instead of focusing on the iconic creature type for Naya (beasts never really were iconic) I tried to focus more on the distinctive lush rain forest landscape of the shard by creating a tree with deep roots, very thick trunk, and wide asymmetrical canopy at the top Incorporate elements of white’s mana symbol with the sun coming over the horizon, and elements of the red symbol in the fiery rays coming from that sunSo that is what I was trying to accomplish with the sketches above. I’m not saying I actually achieved all of those objectives (or even that all of those elements are really necessary) but hopefully it helps convey the concept I had in mind. If nothing else, I wanted to show that I really have been putting a lot of thought into the design elements that could make these icons strong, even if my limited artistic skills don’t clearly show it. So what do you think, @akroan-acolyte? Enough potential here to do anything cool? Any thoughts you want to add @exerting-complete-control @island-delver-go @mercurythe19th @indymagic @mtghaiku or @prismcoyote @magus-of-the-color-pie @faultyschematic @random-dude2409? Anybody else?  -- source link

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