The world created by Robert Jordan for The Wheel of Time offers readers a vibrant mix of elements to ignite the imagination. Readers enact their understanding of the books through cosplay, music, art, or even through food and drink. Line up any ten fans dressed as the Dragon Reborn, and while there may be some similarities, no two are the same.
Wheel of Time-inspired art ranges from elegant, elaborate fantasy creations to simple stick figures. Individual taste and perspective guides the way artists approach their craft and the way in which viewers assess the result. One can glory in the art of Michelangelo, whose realistic depictions of the human form captured every nuance precisely, yet also delight in Marc Chagall, whose folk-art style featured casually drawn people and cows seen floating in colorful skies. One artist a genius whose technical skills were flawless; the other recreating the art of the people for a totally different purpose and effect.
My own style comes from the folk art of Pysanky, the intricately decorated eggs often displayed at Easter-time. Pysanky (a word derived from the Ukrainian word “to write”) are created using a wax-and-dye resist process similar to batik, though on eggshell instead of cloth.
Pysanky also convey language, both in the symbols used and the colors of dye incorporated in their design. And while precision is used to create designs, the eggs are also handwritten. As with any type of handwriting, character and distinctiveness is conveyed by the imperfections inherent in this means of communication: loops are not always closed, and sometimes a “t “ isn’t crossed or an “i” dotted.
Most coloring books on the market today are computer-generated or aided, and by their very nature they are flawless. By contrast, my Wheel of Time coloring art book Patterns of the Wheel uses a more spontaneous style to convey the moods and meanings of images from the Wheel of Time. This book includes a key to help decipher meanings of some of the symbols used in the designs. Additionally, hidden in many of the images are words written in Old Tongue script, which those interested can decode from resources online or from The Wheel of Time Companion.
To give a brief example of how a design can be decoded, take a look below at “Patterns of the Wheel”, a page from the coloring book. When creating my version of the snake and wheel, I wanted to incorporate symbols relevant to the story. Prominent throughout the design is a symbol called “wolves’ teeth”, depicting friendship, loyalty, and wisdom. The lower wheel consists of two sets of wolves’ teeth, seven in each set, echoing off the seven spokes of the wheel, the seven pine needles (for strength and stamina, as well as health), and calling to mind the seven Ajahs. Likewise, each of the upper circles have also been divided into seven major segments. There are triangles (which are said to enclose wishes) but which also represent a trinity, in this case, the three ta’veren; crosses for crossroads of life and four corners of the world; curls for protection; waves for safety in travels; netting for keeping close or gathering in of forces; ladders/parallel lines for the ascension of hopes; and even a bit of foliage to help fight the Blight. And that’s just for starters.
Download a print version of this page here if you would like copies for you and your family! (PDF is 1.2 MB.)
I’ve drawn the basics on each page to help you create a colorful design. Add your colors, your imagination, and your own elements as you wish. There’s no right or wrong way. You don’t even have to stay within the lines; just find your pattern and enjoy.
Amy Romanczuk is a self-taught pysanky artist and book aficionado living in Charleston, South Carolina. She has been writing pysanky since 1996. Several of Amy’s original design pysanky were accepted to the collection of Kolomyia Museum of Hutsul Folk Art in Ukraine. She has taken the designs and details of her craft to inkwork, paintings, and coloring art. Her works can be found in several galleries and online at czukart.com. Amy is an officially licensed Wheel of Time™ artist. The Wheel of Time™ Gallery reflects her original pysanky-style folk art on eggshell, paintings, drawings, and coloring art based on Robert Jordan’s Wheel of Time™ series.
Thank you Amy for your great take on the WoT art!
Thank you Tor for making the larger coloring book possible.
As an illustrator, I always appreciate when an artist shares more about the origins of their work – especially when it has historical or cultural significance. Details and narrative are fascinating, and your work is filled with them in ways I never expected.
Pysanky is very different from most of what I come across in the publishing industry, gaming industry, and at conventions. It’s exciting to learn more out more about it. Particularly just how much thought, purpose, and symbolism goes into the designs. What looks like pure visual design, is actually so much more. They’re very beautiful to look at, but knowing the details have meaning beyond the aesthetic elevates them further. The fact you adapted, invented, and worked so much Wheel of Time content into that language is truly impressive. I can see fans enjoying the puzzle of decoding the designs immensely, as well as adding their own vision of color and detail.
It’s a pleasure to see, and a joy to learn more about this unique way of communicating ideas. I hope this is the first of many such works.
Thank you, Charles. Your comments mean a lot. I often seem to spend my time explaining what I don’t do rather than what I actually do. (“No the eggs aren’t painted; they’re done with wax and dye.” “Actually, it’s not doodling or zen doodles/tangles. Each symbol has meaning and is more akin to writing.” “Yes, the eggs are real.” etc) When Tor gave the opportunity to explain a bit more about my art, I grabbed it. What I create is so different than the norm for fantasy art, which I know will be startling for many people. But, folk art is not without form or purpose, and carries a history, and a wealth of information to explore.
And to Braid_Tug: thank you for your kind words. Apparently I’m better at writing pysanky than at making sure my replies, once written, actually get posted. I’m not quite sure how my original thank you went astray; sorry. I think you’ll like the Tor publication. The new, added drawings were remarkably fun to do, a collaborative process with my editor (and the creative team she collected for review, all WoT fans), Team Jordan, and the group of WoT fan testers helping me make sure the drawings were enjoyable to color and also true to the story. It’s a whole new book, and I hope you like it.