Fillos

[ffutures]

I want to put filler illustrations into Flatland (the novel, not the game) at three or four points where chapters end awkwardly near the bottom of a page and I don't want to start another in the same column. I want to make it clear that they aren't part of the book, but I don't want them jarringly obtrusive.

Some sort of monochrome fractal (maybe something like a tiled mosaic sort of thing) seems the best bet, e.g.




reduced to fit at the bottom of a column.

Any suggestions, or alternatives?

Comments

[gonzo21.livejournal.com]

The only other thing that springs to mind is to repeat pictures of some of the characters. Perhaps with lines of dialogue, as little vignettes.

[ffutures.livejournal.com]

I don't think it quite works. That's a bit too close to being extra content for the novel, which I would prefer to avoid.

[gonzo21.livejournal.com]

The geometric fractals still seem the best plan.

Hmm... Escher fragments?

[ffutures.livejournal.com]

Escher's still in copyright, unfortunately.

[heliograph.livejournal.com]

If you were selling an actual print book you could consider pull quotes: entertaining material from the book itself in a larger font makes a good spacer (you can put it on the previous page).

[ffutures.livejournal.com]

None of the points where I want to do this have particularly exciting quotes. They're just places where the chapter break doesn't fit easily into the column format.

[heliograph.livejournal.com]

It doesn't have to be from the same page. It just shouldn't be from later in the book.

The idea is that the reader will stop on the larger text and read it to get the flavor of the book. But for e-books it doesn't really apply.

[cdybedahl.livejournal.com]

Penrose tiles?

[ffutures.livejournal.com]

I think that the middle one of the three blue ones is about right if I make it light grey. Many thanks!

[heliograph.livejournal.com]

Maybe not.

[ffutures.livejournal.com]

Why not?

[raygungothic.livejournal.com]

Isn't there a licensing issue with the image of Penrose tiling?

[ffutures.livejournal.com]

Oh right, I didn't actually read the fine print. Bugger. Oh well, there are plenty of other L-system patterns, doesn't have to be that one.

[heliograph.livejournal.com]

You don't need to be afraid of white space, either. Besides, in a Flatland context wouldn't a penrose thingy be like a giant shape orgy?

[suewilson.livejournal.com]

Sainsburys are currently selling a doodle pattern pad with lots of geometric and distorted line style patterns - that might be good for inspiration.