Canonfire!

Wed Oct 29, 2008 8:02 pm Illustration Question

So I'm working on an article I'd like to submit to OJ about the runes included in the various guides to GH and would like to have images of the runes in the article. I have two issues related to it.

1) Does this sound too image heavy for an OJ article? It could complicate layout so if you guys don't want to deal with something like that I should write it so as to not include the images.

2) Reproducing the images themselves. I've found that most of the runes are traditional symbols. In fact most are in THE BOOK OF SIGNS by Rudolph Koch which has been reprinted by Dover. So except for a few that I haven't verified the symbols themselves are not anybody's IP. However even though Koch's book is in the public domain Dover's statement they don't give permission for reproduction of images other than in "... graphics and craft applications" and then no more than 10 in the same publication or project. So how do you guys read this? Do I need to just reproduce the runes on my own to avoid any legal hassles? As an aside whoever did the runes in the '83 Guide exactly mimicked Rudolph Koch's style for the rune illustrations.

Thu Oct 30, 2008 3:13 am

It doesn't sound too image heavy to me at all, if there even is such a thing for an article like this.

I expect you will be including an explanation of some kind for each rune, and maybe some Greyhawk-themed background for them as well?

As to any images themselves, don't just scan stuff form the source. It would be best if you did new images of your own. They can mimic those images but shouldn't be literal copies(i.e. scans) of them. Simple black and white images work the best, similar to how they appear in the Folio/83' Boxed Set.

However, maybe we can get somebody to give those runes some additional artistic treatment before they see print. If this proves to be the case, then we could work from original scans as we would be fully altering the images to be unique.

Thu Oct 30, 2008 5:16 am

just in case you whant to know, theres a good runes article in dragon magazine 69 ;)

Thu Oct 30, 2008 12:46 pm

Thanks Ceb. I didn't plan on speculating too much about the background in relation to WoG other than their sources in which they appear or are referred to, such as the sealed doors in ToEE. That is a good idea though. The focus so far in the writing has been the real world source for the runes and their meaning. They should be pretty easy to reproduce myself. Good excuse to break out the old calligraphy pens and brushes.

Rossik, thanks for the tip on Dragon # 69. I'll have to see if I can track that one down. I'll probably be including a section on the glyphs from the orginal DMG.