The new Wesnoth logo and the Loyalist sigil

[LordBob]

As Groovy mentionned a while ago, heraldry is subject to variations even within a kingdom. Rather than a single image, I'd vectorize the best four of the set. My present selection would be #2, 5, revised 7, 8

For the wesnoth logo, definitely #8 provided that we're aiming for royalty

[doofus-01]

#'s 4,5, and 6 do look a bit like gas burners, as was mentioned earlier. 2,7, and 8 look nice though.

[Sgt. Groovy]

Thanks, kitty, it is really helpful to see them all at once. My favourites are probably 8, once the hook is replaced with the more recent one, and 7, once the inner edge of the flame is expanded so that the ruby gets more room. 6 is pretty OK too.

Meanwhile, here's a most recent version of the wood texture, with dents and cracks. It's made with a bump-map sort of filter, where the configuration of the wood stripes and the dents is defined by simple paths, so it's very easy to change.

[Skizzaltix]

The wood itself looks much better IMO, but I still don't feel like there's any connection between the metal parts and the wood parts

Edit: Thank you, JW, and sorry, Groovy--that should teach me to stop posting while doing other stuff at the same time...

[JW]

The wood itself looks much better IMO, but I still don't feel like there's any connection between the metal parts and the wood parts

Meanwhile, here's a most recent version of the wood texture, with dents and cracks.

As for the designs....I guess 8 is the best. What would it look like with a smaller hook?

[musketaquid]

... I still don't feel like there's any connection between the metal parts and the wood parts

The middle plate should look like, it has been either riveted or nailed on to the wood.

[Sgt. Groovy]

Patience, grasshoppers, the metal parts will be done in their time.

[Simons Mith]

By the way, does the original sigil from the Wesnoth shield actually exist anywhere at a discernible size? Zooming in massively, I see it has six rays coming out from the gem and a smaller hook than the new proposed version - so maybe it too might be usable variant. But mostly I'm just curious to see a bigger version, if one's available.

[Jetrel]

By the way, does the original sigil from the Wesnoth shield actually exist anywhere at a discernible size? Zooming in massively, I see it has six rays coming out from the gem and a smaller hook than the new proposed version - so maybe it too might be usable variant. But mostly I'm just curious to see a bigger version, if one's available.

Nope, what I drew is the biggest there is. The idea of using the six simple rays might work well, though. I don't know - I'm gonna stay out of the sigil discussion.


Groovy - your new wood texture looks fantastic! As a brainstorm thought, when you get around to later parts of the work, a small amount of light reflection from the raised metal rim and boss, onto the presumably lacquered wood, could add a really cool effect to it. Good luck with the rest - this is really looking promising!

[Rocket Slug]

Really, really cool, Groovy! I hope you'll put up a tutorial on this, too, for the rest of us inkscape enthusiasts.

T...and 7, once the inner edge of the flame is expanded so that the ruby gets more room...

May I also suggest deepening the "valleys" of the flame as well? When it's scaled down, the "tongues" of the flame start to get lost.

[Bad_Dog]

I also prefer #7 and #8.

#8 has a certain grandeur about it even though the flames look a bit like rays. #7 would be good, but I agree the ruby needs more room in the middle, and (to me IMHO) the tips of the flames tending horizontal looks funny; it seems to me they should tend upwards.

[Sgt. Groovy]

I hope you'll put up a tutorial on this, too, for the rest of us inkscape enthusiasts.

Better yet, I'm thinking about starting a vector art blog, I've been learning all kinds of tricks recently that are just too neat not to share.

As a brainstorm thought, when you get around to later parts of the work, a small amount of light reflection from the raised metal rim and boss, onto the presumably lacquered wood, could add a really cool effect to it.

That's a great idea, it'll probably help with the disconnect problem too.

Here's a bit more, I've started working on the swords. The hilt and crossguard design are very preliminary and subject to change. I've been working mostly on quite large size (can't trace shapes only few pixels in size) and the original design is pretty hard to make out, so I've been just making things up as I go. But now that I put this together, I noticed that I should have studied the original more in real size, for example the end of the pommel has always looked concave to me, but now I see it's clearly supposed to be an oval stud. The original also has less colour and more contrast.

The swords are clones (mirror images) at the moment, so I get identical shapes for them. Once the shapes are set, I'll break the linkage and change the shading according to the different light directions.

The insets are the original icon, and the current version in the same resolution.

[Rocket Slug]

Very nice so far! Though I'd like to comment on the crossguards/quillons of the swords. Right now, they turn up a little abruptly, looking like horns. The ones in Jet's original image seem more swept, with a spatulated tip. I've included a few references to what I'm seeing, anyway.

Ref 1 (closest I could find)
Ref 2 & Ref 3 are mostly for the swept shape of the guard, though I'm debating whether or not most of it is due to the flaring of the spatulate ends.

EDIT: Oh, and I took the liberty of screwing around with the fire on sceptre number 7. It's not nearly as thick, anymore, and there's some more negative space around the ruby. I think it works pretty well.

[Sgt. Groovy]

Thanks for the refs, they will be most useful!

[Sgt. Groovy]

Changed the pommel and crossguard design. The shading doesn't make much sense yet, so far I've following the original, and it has very strong speculars, that are going to be difficult to look good in larger size.

Also added some brushmetal texture to the blades, as per Rocket Slug's reference.