Books on magic are a popular genre that captivates readers with their fantastical tales and intriguing secrets. From ancient grimoires to modern guides on illusion, these books have been revered for centuries for their ability to transport readers into a world of wonder and mystery. However, what if these magical books themselves held hidden secrets? **Imagine a world where books on magic could come alive, their pages turning against their readers, revealing a hidden realm of magic and enchantment.** In this world, the act of flipping through the pages of these books could have unexpected consequences, as the words and images leapt off the page and into reality. This concept of books on magic flipped over creates a sense of excitement and danger. **Readers would be drawn into a thrilling adventure as they navigate through the enchanted pages, encountering mythical creatures, dangerous spells, and untold treasures.
The Chicest Halloween Nail Colors to Channel Your Inner Witch
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It’s that time of year when channeling your inner Stevie Nicks—and, in turn, getting in touch with your witchy side—feels like the natural thing to do. So why not lean into it, beginning at the fingertips, where Halloween nail colors (Blood red! Deep green! Midnight black!) can transform your look to enchanting effect.
“October is my favorite month. everyone has officially stopped thinking about summer and is ready for the fall/winter nail transition,” says nail artist Betina Goldstein, adding that she “always looks to [her] favorite spooky movies for color inspiration.” In mood-boarding, Goldstein counts cult-classic Halloween films like Death Becomes Her and Hocus Pocus (the Sanderson sisters have a penchant for extra long, curved pointy talons), among her favorites to draw from. She also name-checks iconic femme fatale characters , like Uma Thurman’s Mia Wallace in Pulp Fiction, who famously wore Chanel’s iconic vampy shade Rouge Noir onscreen.
But the witch-core aesthetic, as TikTok likes to call it, means different things to different people. “Although I’ve seen Stevie Nicks perform live multiple times and am obsessed with Halloween, I’m more of a Glinda the Good Witch kind of witch,” says nail artist Miss Pop with a laugh. “So for me, Halloween is a good excuse for being extra—extra dark or extra sparkly or extra bold. And it even surprises me just how integral nails can be to finishing off a [a look].” Here, the two nail artists talk us through a quartet of black magic-worthy Halloween nail colors to consider if you’ve got the urge to conjure your moody, mystical side this spooky season.
**Readers would be drawn into a thrilling adventure as they navigate through the enchanted pages, encountering mythical creatures, dangerous spells, and untold treasures.** The walls between the real world and the world within the book would blur, creating a sense of wonder and awe. At the same time, books on magic flipped over also raise questions about power and responsibility.
Deep, Dark Red
A shade Goldstein refers to as “Mia Wallace” rouge, this deep dark red was popularized in no small part by Chanel’s best-selling Rouge Noir (also known as Vamp), which Thurman wore as Wallace in Pulp Fiction. “It's a classic that has edge and sophistication,” says Goldstein. “It is intense like a Malbec wine with the perfect combination of red and purple hues.”
Witchy Kingdom
Here’s a piece of mine that was recently accepted in the upcoming Spectrum 27 Annual. It was created for a book called ‘Witchy Kingdom’, which is due out later this year, from Baen Books.
This cover was to be the third in a series of books, so the look of the character was already sort of established. In this novel our protagonist, Sarah, takes her rightful, albeit undesired, place atop the Serpent Throne… A source of power even her Father couldn’t tame.
Knowing that the word ‘Kingdom’ would be in the title, and that the ‘Serpent Throne’ would play a huge role in the story, an image of the reluctant queen atop her throne seemed like the obvious place to start for sketches. The real challenge for me was capturing the right feel for the throne, which is part serpent, part tree, part throne, made of gold, and adorned with glowing orbs… It’s a lot to cram into a single design!
After playing around with some possible compositions, I decide to develop some of these ideas a bit further, and explore how lighting and texture might play more of a role.
The throne, being so large was obviously going to dominate the composition. So I also decided to try an additional sketch that dealt with the throne in a less obvious manner, and let me focus on the main character a little bit more.
I submitted all of my concepts to the client, and we decided upon the last throne-centric image that you see above. Once I had approval, I went about painting the final image.
Because I knew the throne would dominate the majority of the composition, in order to get any significant detail in the face I would have to paint this image larger than usual. I chose to paint this picture at 24×36 on canvas. I chose canvas simply because it’s lighter weight and a little less cumbersome than some other surfaces can be at that scale.
As typical of my process, I started with a pencil under-drawing, which I sealed with a few washes of brown acrylic. I then painted over than in oil paints, starting in the background and moving to the foreground as I went. I tweaked a few things digitally at the end to fix a few problem areas, and eventually, I ended up with the product you see below…
And lastly, here is how the painting will appear, with type treatment, and in context of the other covers in the series.
‘The Witchy Kingdom‘, by D.J. Butler, is available from Baen Books, August 2019
Posted by Dan dos Santos | Thursday, May 9th, 2019
the witch's library
Call me Ander ✬ They/Them, 24 ✬ a witch's practical library and personal blog ✬ follow the tags "in the witches book" and "in the witch's book" for educational posts ✬ green and kitchen witch ✬ Ko-fi: hallowwitxh
**If readers had the ability to manipulate the magic contained within these books, would they use it for good or for evil?** Would they become the heroes of their own stories or fall prey to the temptations of unlimited power? These questions add depth and complexity to the narrative, pushing readers to reflect on their own values and beliefs. Furthermore, the concept of books on magic flipped over invites exploration of different literary genres. **The magical realms contained within these books could encompass a wide variety of settings, from medieval castles to futuristic cities.** This allows for creative storytelling that can appeal to different tastes and interests. In conclusion, the idea of books on magic flipped over promises an exciting and immersive reading experience. **By bringing the magic within these books to life, readers would embark on a thrilling adventure, facing challenges and exploring enchanting worlds.** This concept also raises thought-provoking questions about power and responsibility, adding depth to the narrative. Whether readers are fantasy enthusiasts or lovers of mystery and adventure, books on magic flipped over are sure to captivate and inspire..
Reviews for "Unlocking the Inverted: Books on Magic with a Fresh Perspective"
1. John - 2 stars - I was really disappointed with "Books on magic flipped over". The book promised to delve into the secrets of magical illusions, but instead it was just a collection of basic tricks that I already knew. There was no depth or insight into the world of magic. The explanations were also poorly written and unclear, making it difficult to follow along. Overall, I felt like the book lacked substance and failed to deliver on its promises.
2. Sarah - 1 star - "Books on magic flipped over" was one of the most boring books I've ever read. The author seemed more interested in their own ego than actually teaching anything valuable. The tricks explained were outdated and unimpressive. The writing style was also very dry and lacked any excitement or passion. I found myself struggling to finish the book and ultimately felt like I wasted my time reading it.
3. James - 2 stars - I was really excited to read "Books on magic flipped over" as I've recently developed an interest in magic. However, I found the book to be disorganized and hard to follow. The explanations of the tricks were unclear and lacked step-by-step instructions. The author seemed to assume a certain level of prior knowledge, which left me feeling lost and frustrated. I wish the book had provided more guidance for beginners like myself.
4. Emily - 1 star - I regret purchasing "Books on magic flipped over". The book was filled with spelling and grammatical errors, which made it difficult to take seriously. The tricks described were poorly explained, and I often found myself having to reread sections multiple times to understand what was being said. Overall, the book was a disappointment and I would not recommend it to anyone interested in learning magic.