Viking Hedgehog

Just a quick post. I still have ages of updates to do. There is a lot going on with the "brewery." We also have updates on tons of garb and also our viking tent and viking bed. So many things in the works.

We have adopted the name "Viking Hedgehog" for our general brand of works and a hedgehog has been our emblem. I have just been using a simple line design, such as on Randy's shield that I painted. Needless to say, this has seemed a bit out of the taste of the "vikings."

They had a style and art all their own and it seemed only appropriate that eventually we would have a viking style hedgehog to use as decoration. I have been meaning to try my hand at this for ages and been putting it off.

I recently purchased the Dover publishing "Viking Designs" and also "Celtic and Old Norse Designs" books, which, I highly recommend. They are great references to have on hand, for their price. I looked through them for inspiration, and highly drew from the angles and shapes in a horse carving listed as being the "design on a viking rune stone. St. Paul's Churchyard, England."

I am no scholar on the various types of viking design, I do see the differences, but am not knowledgeable or adept enough at any to identify or to create a design that solidly sits in any one style. That said, I am fairly happy with my sort of prototype "viking hedgehog." I will likely keep tweaking and as I learn more and study more of the viking age art I can create a cohesive style.

For now I won't call it Borre, Jellinge, Mammen, Ringerike, Urnes or Broa/Oseburg. Though, in actuality, it is unlikely that a hedgehog would have ever been the subject of viking art in the first place.

 I will be happy with my generic, fantastical, viking hedgehog.