Windrunner he/him Posted April 16, 2013 Posted April 16, 2013 I know we're all waiting eagerly for Michael Whelan to reveal the cover for Words of Radiance. But while we're waiting, he touched up an old cover study of Kaladin. What do you guys think?
Morsk he/him Posted April 16, 2013 Posted April 16, 2013 (edited) I like the interpretation of the slave brand. I never knew how to picture it. I have to wear blue-blocking glasses at night or I'll never fall asleep on time. So all the colors look like various smears of gray and yellow... I can't wait to actually see it tomorrow. Edited April 16, 2013 by Morsk
Joe ST he/him Posted April 16, 2013 Posted April 16, 2013 Kal's looking a bit feral these days. He's a slave hauling bridges around, not exactly suposed to be looking healthy
Arran Posted April 16, 2013 Posted April 16, 2013 Somehow it looks too... aggressive for Kaladin, especially with that lightning bolt overhead. And he looks older than I'd imagined him, too. I think this picture would be better suited for an antagonist instead of a protagonist. 1
Yados Posted April 16, 2013 Posted April 16, 2013 Seeing this, I'm pretty glad he went with the widescreen landscape. Hope he does that again next book.
dj26792 he/him Posted April 16, 2013 Posted April 16, 2013 It irks me slightly that he is holding the spear backwards... he cant strike from that angle effectively with that grip... I think its probably a little sad that thats what I notice in the picture
auri she/her Posted April 16, 2013 Posted April 16, 2013 I’m sorry but I don’t like it. It’s not Michael Whelan’s art especially…but for my taste most of the fantasy book covers are extremely cheesy (I don’t know if it’s the right word… I’m not a native speaker). I can’t imagine why the aesthetic appeal of fantasy reader has to be like this. Maybe I’m prejudiced because I studied art…but I think that they try too hard to get the details right…and it gets cheesy. I’m sorry. I don’t want to offend anyone. It’s just the way I feel and I wondered for some time if anybody feels the same way… 1
dj26792 he/him Posted April 17, 2013 Posted April 17, 2013 I definitely prefer the UK editions of most fantasy books that generally have simple graphics rather than pictures of characters
hoser he/him Posted April 17, 2013 Posted April 17, 2013 Intense! Only a pedantic fool would complain about the hair not being black.
Dros Posted April 19, 2013 Posted April 19, 2013 This pedantic fool thought the hair would be blacker on a younger dude. But that's just my foolish pendantishnessdicity.
Joe ST he/him Posted April 19, 2013 Posted April 19, 2013 There were some good critiques over on tumblr, I forget where though
Yados Posted April 19, 2013 Posted April 19, 2013 (edited) http://kogiopsis.tumblr.com/post/47483528014/do-you-know-how-pissed-i-am-that-people-draw That's the original post. All the ensuing stuff is in the notes. It did lead to this piece of fanart. http://swamp-spirit.tumblr.com/post/47519867833/since-i-was-complaining-about-other-peoples As well as my question in the AMA, which confirmed that everyone on Roshar except for the Shin (and presumably Hoid and Demoux) has an epicanthic fold on their eyes, which would make them look non-European to any of us for reasons beyond their skin-tone and whether or not parts of them are made of rocks/metal/wool. Edit: It occurs to me now that Dros commented that Kaladin's hair might be blacker. I read Dros' post as "This pedanic fool thought that he was a blacker and younger dude." Which means Joe and I could be talking about a completely different series of posts. The above ones are just about how Kaladin isn't white and it's weird that he's usually drawn that way. Which definitely applies to this painting. Edited April 19, 2013 by Yados
Morsk he/him Posted April 19, 2013 Posted April 19, 2013 I wonder if Brandon made this bit of worldbuilding going off the theory that epicanthic fold is an adaptation to high winds? The modern understanding is that it's an adaptation to cold, but back in the days before Wikipedia I heard a few times people say it was an adaptation to wind. Brandon first started on Roshar a while back, so maybe he made the decision then, and on Roshar it's an adaptation to wind. The Shin are the only people living without high wind. That Tumblr criticism .. is way too judgmental, and ignorant of Michael Whelan. He drew an anti-stereotype cover way back in the 1970s, with Elric. Elric was written in contrast to buff white guy protagonists; he's skinny, feminine, and chronically ill, and Whelan drew him that way. Of course he's albino so he's still white (sort of) but one can only break so many stereotypes at the same time. Whelan was perfectly willing and able to paint non-stereotypical heroes 35 years ago. If he failed in a sketch of Kaladin, it's only because he didn't know what Kaladin looks like. It's not easy to figure out from the book; "tan" is probably the least-descriptive word in English for skin color. Fandom didn't figure out the eyes for over a year.
Yados Posted April 19, 2013 Posted April 19, 2013 I wonder if Brandon made this bit of worldbuilding going off the theory that epicanthic fold is an adaptation to high winds? The modern understanding is that it's an adaptation to cold, but back in the days before Wikipedia I heard a few times people say it was an adaptation to wind. Brandon first started on Roshar a while back, so maybe he made the decision then, and on Roshar it's an adaptation to wind. The Shin are the only people living without high wind. That Tumblr criticism .. is way too judgmental, and ignorant of Michael Whelan. He drew an anti-stereotype cover way back in the 1970s, with Elric. Elric was written in contrast to buff white guy protagonists; he's skinny, feminine, and chronically ill, and Whelan drew him that way. Of course he's albino so he's still white (sort of) but one can only break so many stereotypes at the same time. Whelan was perfectly willing and able to paint non-stereotypical heroes 35 years ago. If he failed in a sketch of Kaladin, it's only because he didn't know what Kaladin looks like. It's not easy to figure out from the book; "tan" is probably the least-descriptive word in English for skin color. Fandom didn't figure out the eyes for over a year. the discussion isn't about whelan cover, though. it was started a week or so before. it's just weird timing on tor's part for them to release a three year old painting with the exact problem we were talking about. sure, the kaladin thing was probably done before the way of kings was even finished, but it is pretty disheartening to one of the biggest fantasy artists draws one of the epic genre's least conventional heroes so conventionally. that's valid and that whalen painted a skinny albino guy in 1970s doesn't mean he didn't mess it up here.
Dros Posted April 23, 2013 Posted April 23, 2013 http://kogiopsis.tumblr.com/post/47483528014/do-you-know-how-pissed-i-am-that-people-draw That's the original post. All the ensuing stuff is in the notes. It did lead to this piece of fanart. http://swamp-spirit.tumblr.com/post/47519867833/since-i-was-complaining-about-other-peoples As well as my question in the AMA, which confirmed that everyone on Roshar except for the Shin (and presumably Hoid and Demoux) has an epicanthic fold on their eyes, which would make them look non-European to any of us for reasons beyond their skin-tone and whether or not parts of them are made of rocks/metal/wool. Edit: It occurs to me now that Dros commented that Kaladin's hair might be blacker. I read Dros' post as "This pedanic fool thought that he was a blacker and younger dude." Which means Joe and I could be talking about a completely different series of posts. The above ones are just about how Kaladin isn't white and it's weird that he's usually drawn that way. Which definitely applies to this painting. Oh yeah, I was just commenting on the hair. I could have sworn he was described with black hair.
Observer Posted April 23, 2013 Posted April 23, 2013 Never been a big fan of character portraits for the front covers, and I'd much rather have a cover like the first book. That Highstorm looked...so...AWESOME!
BlairJ he/him Posted April 24, 2013 Posted April 24, 2013 I absolutely love it. Cannot wait until the prints become available.
Phantom Monstrosity Posted April 24, 2013 Posted April 24, 2013 (edited) I will shortly have corrected the issues people have had with Whelan's painting. I hope my replacement will satisfy everyone. EDIT: Here you guys go. This is a fully satisfactory edit to the painting that maintains the feel and spirit of Stormlight Archive in all respects. Indeed, no human could hope for better cover art. Edited April 24, 2013 by Phantom Monstrosity 3
Dros Posted April 24, 2013 Posted April 24, 2013 (edited) Kaladin's a Super-sayan? Whattayaknow Edited April 24, 2013 by Dros
Phantom Monstrosity Posted April 24, 2013 Posted April 24, 2013 He's halfway to Vegeta hair already. I just needed to finish it.
The Rooster he/him Posted May 31, 2013 Posted May 31, 2013 (edited) I'm assuming everyone has seen this beauty. This is a sketch Whelan made for Brandon in one of his artbooks. I take way more comfort in this image than the abandoned painting. It shows his understanding of what makes Kaladin "Da Man" in expanding and hinting at the awesomness to come in Words of Radience. Edited June 6, 2013 by agrooster 3
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