Illustrator Danielle Battle releases a new fantasy zine — Muse Factory
By: Lera Nakshun
Tags: Fantasy, Digital Art, Illustration, Art, Creative

The Periwinkle Planet offers up an exciting new world, the foundation for an intricate magic system, social commentary, and more.

“Two ancient Asucross,” an illustration by Danielle Battle. Image courtesy of the artist.

The Periwinkle Planet is a new online zine created by the Dream Drafters, a duo consisting of artist, graphic designer, and illustrator Danielle Battle and NASA Goddard Space Flight Center’s science writer Amy Klarup. The publication features short stories, lore, and poetry written by Klarup, centered on the native populations of the fictional lands of Gora, the titular periwinkle planet the duo dreamed up together.

“It’s always been a dream to create a zine like this,” Battle said in a statement to Muse Factory. “To see it finished, it feels incredible. We are currently working on our second issue.”

An illustration of Gora potions by Danielle Battle. Image courtesy of the artist.

Lovers of fantasy will appreciate the map of Gora, reminiscent of the Lord of the Rings’ Middle Earth. The ancient lands of Gora consist of four continents, which are subdivided further into regions. The first rendition of The Periwinkle Planet offers up introductory information on the people who inhabit the lands, the varieties of geography and topography that exist in Gora, and touches on the region’s politics and economy.

Characters are introduced such as the powerful Akalani Obi, who is able to wield magic, called “magicka” in the text, to protect the inhabitants of Gora. While the first edition provides just a taste of the yet-to-be-discovered lands, Akalani Obi is said to use “solaura and lunaura effortlessly.” In addition, other magic users are hinted at especially among members of Obi’s race, “the Drigo” people, who were once captives of another Gora population — the “Asucross.”

Illustration of a Gora shieldmaiden by Danielle Battle. Image courtesy of the artist.

The Periwinkle Planet doesn’t stop at traditional lore and magic systems however. Klarup’s background as a science writer is prevalent as readers uncover more clues about Gora’s magic. As the story unfolds, elements found commonly in science fiction also pop up. In one scene, a character encounters a portal to another dimension. In another scene, meticulous instructions for a potion are included to give the reader a sense of the varieties of ingredients available to residents of Gora. Such ingredients include “goldhoof marrow” and “birdweed blossom,” which stand as references to the land’s native animal and plant species, with Battle’s imaginative illustrations depicting each specimen on its own.

To complement Klarup’s background in science, Battle takes her inspiration from digital art and popular culture, citing anime as one resource for her inventive drawings.

“My brother used to draw these incredibly detailed anime characters from the popular Japanese show Dragon Ball Z,” Battle said. “Whenever I saw him draw, I felt so inspired. That got me to love anime as much as I do now.”

Battle added that her initial character designs are often reimaginings of a character or an avatar she created in a video game, or are pulled directly from her imagination after envisioning herself in a different world or realm.

She often experiments with design concepts on social media, highlighting sketches before they are fully realized in color. In the zine, Battle’s illustrations visually represent the intricacies of Gora cultures, depicting some Gora natives without shoes, others in special traditional garb, and showcasing the crest of a famous Gora family, the Ejurians.

While the first issue is packed with fantastical content, the work also subtly comments on societal issues and cultural norms. In one poem, Klarup’s writing breaks the forth wall — mentioning emails and “9-to-5 bullies,” a statement on the hierarchies of office culture. The Asucross are also said to have once been the captors of the Drago people, which subtly highlights issues of ethnic tensions and post-colonialism.

In addition to her visionary illustration work in the zine, Battle also offers design and illustration services and takes commissions for her art. Not unlike the vivid imagery of The Periwinkle Planet, Battle’s other artworks feature bold color choices, contrasting textures, and elements of the fantastic.

Readers can access the first edition of The Periwinkle Planeton Battle’s website. She also displays her behind-the-scenes work and other projects on her Instagram account @sunhonei.

“I pull my creativity from the world that is left untapped and neglected — my imagination.” Battle said to Muse Factory. “With a few lines of a pencil, a character comes to life on the page and provides me and anyone watching a chance to escape. That’s what I call utter bliss.”

Battle called the artwork above “an illustration that visually conceptualizes the idea of our mental ability to create and produce work, whether it be more analytical or creative.” Image courtesy of the artist.

For more information on Danielle Battle’s work, please visit daniellebattle.com.