Illustrated folklore book
"Carlin Maggie and other stories from the Bishopshire"
Client: Professor David M. Munro OBE, Ph.D
Having previously worked on two books covering local heritage with historian Professor David M. Munro, I was delighted when he asked me to typeset and illustrate his latest book; a collection of folklore from the area of Kinross-shire that he had been researching and collecting over many years.
To match the historic, storytelling nature of the book we chose to accompany the stories with rustic pencil illustrations of key dramatic scenes. The final collection was printed on a tactile uncoated paper by local print supplier Allander Print and wrapped in a gorgeous watercolour illustration by Edinburgh-based artist Claire Borwell.
The stories covered many tales of varying notoriety around the area, from the origin of the enigmatic standing stone pillar ‘Carlin Maggie’ at the crest of Bishop Hill; a local witch who challenged the devil and was turned to stone, to the haunting tale of the fair maiden Levina, who gave her name to local Loch Leven, whose tragic love affair ends after a fatal choice to eat from a magical tree.
To match the historic, storytelling nature of the book we chose to accompany the stories with rustic pencil illustrations of key dramatic scenes. The final collection was printed on a tactile uncoated paper by local print supplier Allander Print and wrapped in a gorgeous watercolour illustration by Edinburgh-based artist Claire Borwell.
The stories covered many tales of varying notoriety around the area, from the origin of the enigmatic standing stone pillar ‘Carlin Maggie’ at the crest of Bishop Hill; a local witch who challenged the devil and was turned to stone, to the haunting tale of the fair maiden Levina, who gave her name to local Loch Leven, whose tragic love affair ends after a fatal choice to eat from a magical tree.
"Helpless to defend herself, Maggie surrendered to the storm or rocks hurled down on her by the Devil and within minutes found herself imprisoned in a tomb of stone."
"...all that was left were burning embers and one large stone that had supported a corner of Mochan's home."
"No one ever lingered long at the bridge over the River Leven for fear of encountering the Ghost of the Gullet Bridge."
"Next to a well in the vallery of the Back Burn, Hector McVogul found the lifeless corpse of his father who had been killed, it is said, when twenty arrows fastened at once in his body."