Fore-Edge Painting: Metallic Stars of ‘Pharmakides’
- Alice Abyss
- May 15, 2024
- 2 min read
Updated: Dec 14, 2024
by Alice Abyss
Imagine Greek mythology from the bird's eye view...
In 'Pharmakides,' Alice Abyss twists myths. She creates a world where witches weave stars and herbs are the roots of legends. Each chapter of 'Pharmakides' is narrated by a different bird, making this a truly unique version of a story from ancient times.
Three Constellations
Three is a powerful number in mythology. Think of the three Graeae women, triple-headed Cerberus, and Poseidon’s trident. Three constellations are important to this novel. A different constellation is featured on each edge of this one-of-a-kind book.
1. Scorpius
Recognizable for its long arching shape, Scorpius rests on the zodiac. Scorpius is forever chasing Orion, the hunter who vowed to rid the world of beasts. Gaia rose Scorpius frok the Underworld to punish his hubris. Readers of ‘Pharmakides’ will be familiar with a twist on this narrative.
2. Pegasus
Recognizable for its Great Square, Pegasus springs from the severed head of Medousa. Alpheratz, which is in this constellation, is a very important star in ‘Pharmakides’.
3. Perseus
Perseus comes in ‘Pharmakides’ later in the story, a mirror of Orion. In the stars we see Perseus carrying the head of Medousa. Her head is represented by Algol. Algol seems like one star, but it is really three.
Watercolor & Metallics
The underlying violet on these painted edges was painted with watercolor. The stars are silver metallics. It felt appropriate to use metallics in this art piece, because of the depth in the narrative. Blacksmiths were the first alchemists, for their ability to shape, transform, and change elements. Metal plays an important role in ‘Pharmakides’, you can read more in a blog post here.
Duotone
Purple and silver bring out the best in each other. Contrast allows the artist to please the viewer’s eye. This works best with a plum, violet, or dark purple.
‘Pharmakides’ is available wherever you buy books! This is the beginning of my career, so every book counts! Thank you for taking a chance on a new book!
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💕xoxo Alice Abyss, author of 'Pharmakides'
Wishing you magic-filled days ahead,
Alice Abyss
Author
