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The Field Guide to Witches: An artist’s grimoire of 20 witches and their worlds
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.
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.
320 pages, Hardcover
Published January 3, 2023
11 people are currently reading
692 people want to read
About the author
3dTotal Publishing
192 books145 followersOriginally a digital artist’s resource website, 3dtotal has grown into an industry-leading art-book publisher. Renowned for creating high-quality, inspirational, and practical tutorial books with some of the best artists working in the movie, games, animation, and publishing industries, 3dtotal Publishing sets the standard for modern art books.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
January 9, 2023
This was SO much fun and I loved learning about witches from different cultures!
November 13, 2024
More accurate rating: 8.5/10.
Lovely art book that was just... right up my alley. Though the third section on hags and monsters was by far my least favourite – and that's what brought my final rating down – as it featured more straight-up monsters than actual witches stricto sensu, and I just don't find that as interesting/engaging, personally.
Lovely art book that was just... right up my alley. Though the third section on hags and monsters was by far my least favourite – and that's what brought my final rating down – as it featured more straight-up monsters than actual witches stricto sensu, and I just don't find that as interesting/engaging, personally.
November 28, 2023
A gorgeous and eerie collection of witches, hags, goddesses, and monsters.
November 27, 2022
Per leggere la recensione in blog cliccare qui:
https://ilconfinedeilibri.blogspot.co...
https://ilconfinedeilibri.blogspot.co...
February 26, 2023
A beautiful collection of not just finished work, but a great look into the creative process. The lore is well researched. The sketches and rational well depicted and clear. The artistry is amazing and I love how much this book offers it’s reader, including but not limited to a website to print and color your favorite witches from the collection.
April 20, 2023
Gorgeous illustrations and a good overview of the origins / mythologies of the witches included.
February 23, 2025
'The Field Guide to Witches: An artist’s grimoire of 20 witches and their worlds' is a collection of independent artists' interpretations - and their research, notes, sketches, and works in progress - of famous legendary witches around the world. Twenty of the often fearsome folklore femmes, to be exact.
The contributors' artwork is, without exception, magnificent. Most are dark and creepy, with some genuinely original and creative takes on the witches, such as with the Sea Witch, the Snow Queen, the Cailleach, Black Annis, the Cuca, and Elli. Jenny Greenteeth is seriously interpreted as just a monster, not even human, and can hardly be classified as a witch. In fact, a lot of these witches are not really complex or made sympathetic, but plain evil, like the Gingerbread Witch, the Sea Witch (also more of a monster), the Spinning Witch, Black Annis (ditto - she resembles a scarecrow), and the Bruxa ("a vampiric menace born of witchcraft.", and "has more in common with a vampire than a witch."). Cannibalism and child snatching and eating are common traits in these horrific figures invented to scare children into obedience and conformity--I mean, safety.
But it is a very good horror artists' book, and very introspective and detailed. Each witch's story - and environment - are put into consideration, when deciphering and illustrating what they might be like. It's like a guidebook of sorts, as well as an educational tool.
My favourite witches included are Baba Yaga (of course she's here, she couldn't not be), La Befana (a grandmotherly, pagan Santa Claus who predates Santa Claus!), Morgan Le Fay (a most misunderstood and complex feminist figure, and this enchantress sure can handle Excalibur!), Isis, Freyja (doubles as a warrior queen, and is so adorable!), the Morrigan (a dark queen and goddess of war and death, "a human and a beast", and a triple goddess figure, and quoth the raven--uh, crow, plus death omens, but wait, why no mention of the mole put above her upper lip? Why that artistic choice for her?), Hecate (needs no introduction, and I love how her artist connects her to Artemis), Elli (the most mysterious and unknown; a crone and nanny who beat Thor, and cannot be defeated, for she is Old Age itself), and Yama-uba (a very complex hag of Japanese folklore; a yōkai, nature lover, and mother; she truly is like a Japanese Baba Yaga).
'The Field Guide to Witches: An artist’s grimoire of 20 witches and their worlds' - recommended to all witch/sorceress fans - from the well-known myths and fairy tales to the obscure and unknown - art fans, and horror fans. I wish more witches, like from pop culture from the last hundred years, could have been included and explored, but regardless, it is an interesting book to flick through and read the notes of every now and then.
Dark, frightening, spooky stuff. And absolutely beautiful, fascinating art.
Imagine the unimaginable, welcome the wickedness, embrace the enchantment, visualise the veil and the vile, and manifest the macabre!
Published by 3dtotal Publishing, who sell carbon-neutral products. Every book sold means one tree planted. 50% of their profits go to charity, covering causes such as humanitarian work, animal welfare, and protecting rainforests.
I'm glad to be supporting this publisher.
Final Score: 3.5/5
The contributors' artwork is, without exception, magnificent. Most are dark and creepy, with some genuinely original and creative takes on the witches, such as with the Sea Witch, the Snow Queen, the Cailleach, Black Annis, the Cuca, and Elli. Jenny Greenteeth is seriously interpreted as just a monster, not even human, and can hardly be classified as a witch. In fact, a lot of these witches are not really complex or made sympathetic, but plain evil, like the Gingerbread Witch, the Sea Witch (also more of a monster), the Spinning Witch, Black Annis (ditto - she resembles a scarecrow), and the Bruxa ("a vampiric menace born of witchcraft.", and "has more in common with a vampire than a witch."). Cannibalism and child snatching and eating are common traits in these horrific figures invented to scare children into obedience and conformity--I mean, safety.
But it is a very good horror artists' book, and very introspective and detailed. Each witch's story - and environment - are put into consideration, when deciphering and illustrating what they might be like. It's like a guidebook of sorts, as well as an educational tool.
My favourite witches included are Baba Yaga (of course she's here, she couldn't not be), La Befana (a grandmotherly, pagan Santa Claus who predates Santa Claus!), Morgan Le Fay (a most misunderstood and complex feminist figure, and this enchantress sure can handle Excalibur!), Isis, Freyja (doubles as a warrior queen, and is so adorable!), the Morrigan (a dark queen and goddess of war and death, "a human and a beast", and a triple goddess figure, and quoth the raven--uh, crow, plus death omens, but wait, why no mention of the mole put above her upper lip? Why that artistic choice for her?), Hecate (needs no introduction, and I love how her artist connects her to Artemis), Elli (the most mysterious and unknown; a crone and nanny who beat Thor, and cannot be defeated, for she is Old Age itself), and Yama-uba (a very complex hag of Japanese folklore; a yōkai, nature lover, and mother; she truly is like a Japanese Baba Yaga).
'The Field Guide to Witches: An artist’s grimoire of 20 witches and their worlds' - recommended to all witch/sorceress fans - from the well-known myths and fairy tales to the obscure and unknown - art fans, and horror fans. I wish more witches, like from pop culture from the last hundred years, could have been included and explored, but regardless, it is an interesting book to flick through and read the notes of every now and then.
Dark, frightening, spooky stuff. And absolutely beautiful, fascinating art.
Imagine the unimaginable, welcome the wickedness, embrace the enchantment, visualise the veil and the vile, and manifest the macabre!
Published by 3dtotal Publishing, who sell carbon-neutral products. Every book sold means one tree planted. 50% of their profits go to charity, covering causes such as humanitarian work, animal welfare, and protecting rainforests.
I'm glad to be supporting this publisher.
Final Score: 3.5/5
January 19, 2024
Hail to the (witch) queens!!!
The Field Guide to Witches: An Artist's Grimoire of 20 Witches and Their Worlds is a rather wonderful, colorful, creative anthology to cultural depictions of various witches.
This book collects a wide range of witches, hags, and goddesses.
The first section covers roughly fairy tales with Baba Yaga having a sizable entry (naturally). The second covers assorted witch belated goddesses and demigoddesses associated with witchcraft. The third focuses on monsters that are often considering witches or supernaturally powerful.
The writer gives some useful info for each entry. In addition to the name, cultural origins, and other background, they also provide ample notes on their various totems or accoutrements…including their homes (if they have a notable one). Even better, they have multiple artistic depictions of each…some stately different from eachother…showing just how varied each witch can be in her own way (be it age, shapeshifting, or illusions).
Definitely worth a read just for the art, but the entires would satisfy quite a few hardcore mythology nerds.
The Field Guide to Witches: An Artist's Grimoire of 20 Witches and Their Worlds is a rather wonderful, colorful, creative anthology to cultural depictions of various witches.
This book collects a wide range of witches, hags, and goddesses.
The first section covers roughly fairy tales with Baba Yaga having a sizable entry (naturally). The second covers assorted witch belated goddesses and demigoddesses associated with witchcraft. The third focuses on monsters that are often considering witches or supernaturally powerful.
The writer gives some useful info for each entry. In addition to the name, cultural origins, and other background, they also provide ample notes on their various totems or accoutrements…including their homes (if they have a notable one). Even better, they have multiple artistic depictions of each…some stately different from eachother…showing just how varied each witch can be in her own way (be it age, shapeshifting, or illusions).
Definitely worth a read just for the art, but the entires would satisfy quite a few hardcore mythology nerds.
January 9, 2023
Absolutely fantastic book!
I wanted it because Abigail Larson is my favourite artist and I love magic, mythology and the occult. Each artists gives detail descriptions explaining their design process from research to ideation to final illustration. It was really interesting see the process and the elements of each witch the artist chose to take forward. The range of talent and witches showcased is amazing.
I highly recommend this to anyone with a passing interest in art, the creative process and especially those interested in witches.
I wanted it because Abigail Larson is my favourite artist and I love magic, mythology and the occult. Each artists gives detail descriptions explaining their design process from research to ideation to final illustration. It was really interesting see the process and the elements of each witch the artist chose to take forward. The range of talent and witches showcased is amazing.
I highly recommend this to anyone with a passing interest in art, the creative process and especially those interested in witches.
February 17, 2024
I think it’s a little interesting to call the book a grimoire as that’s suppose to be a book of spells but if you think about it a book of spells is just a detailed, informational instruction manual and this book gives you so much information on all these different witches. The artists did an amazing job coming up with the designs and I enjoyed reading through all of their thought processes. The art is wonderful to look at and has given me a better idea of what these witches could look like.
October 9, 2024
boldly illustrated book which i think makes all the characters showcased link together in their darker, less saturated colour palette despite individual artists being used for each witch. it all links together in the book like a set.
i definitely preferred some illustrations to others, with the witches sometimes looks more ‘disney-fied’ than i would have liked; and the snow queen looking not as i expected at all. quite a beautiful book but i have not learnt anything by reading it.
i definitely preferred some illustrations to others, with the witches sometimes looks more ‘disney-fied’ than i would have liked; and the snow queen looking not as i expected at all. quite a beautiful book but i have not learnt anything by reading it.
December 4, 2024
Beautifully Done! Each artist takes the history of the Witch and works on the design of what they may have looked like. From Fairy Tale Witches like Baba Yaga, The Gingerbread Witch, and Morgan LeFay. To Goddess and Guardians like Isis, Freja, and Hecate. To Hags, Crones, and Monsters like Black Annis, Jenny Greenteeth, and the Weird Sisters. The Artwork and the process was so interesting to reach as it progressed to the final image of the Witch.
August 2, 2023
This was ICONIC. I loved seeing each artist's process for collecting their thoughts, and gathering inspiration on how to best depict each witch character within. The exploratory sketches and final products are all equally as fascinating, and I equally loved the information-gathering (i.e. research) portion involved.
October 13, 2024
This is a wonderful compilation and collaboration of artworks. Seeing the research and work that went into creating these works of art was also so inspiring and interesting. I enjoyed getting a brief history lesson of the origins of these legendary witches. If you love art and witches then this a great read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 8, 2025
The artistry is great, and it shows the sketches from start to finish. A very interesting version of a grimoire. It also gives a brief biography of each witch/goddess. I highly recommend this to a witch’s book collection.
January 25, 2023
absolutely gorgeous <3
September 23, 2024
Beautiful book<3
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews