the field guide to witches

Hardback | 320 pages
Publication date 03 Jan 2023

Step into a world of witchcraft both good and evil, where the iconic character of myth and legend is once more brought uniquely to life. From the first alleged witch to be hanged in Salem, and Goya's depictions of witchcraft, to Shakespeare's Macbeth, Hogwarts, and beyond, there is no shortage of inspiration, but also of recycled characterizations and central-casting stereotypes. Now, 30 of the world's most talented fantasy and concept artists discover their own, personal manifestation of the witch.

Starting with research, readers will witness the alchemy of details extracted from the seemingly mundane transformed the whole body of the witch, fantastical yet unnervingly believable at the same time. The design process goes on to cast spells not only on appearance, but also the environment, practices, and magical belongings of this one-of-a-kind witch.

With the final design depicted as both a line drawing and in full color, the whole character and their world is defined. A summary of each witch details their background, behaviour, strengths, weaknesses and, of course, powers. The result is 320 pages encased in a beautifully finished hardback cover, the ultimate field guide to designing witches that transcend time, place, and even the most vivid imagination.