The Toledo AIGA put on a summer show that asked artists to respond to the literary theme, Away With Words. Over 80 local, national and international artists took part. I chose to focus on R. A. Salvatore’s Legend of Drizzt, Homeland, which dealt with the main character’s coming of age and surviving the dangerous caverns in which he lived.

Fantasy enthusiasts, readers, and players of works within the Forgotten Realms world will know that the location this story took place in — the Underdark — is not a place to be taken lightly. Stealth, intrigue, horrors, and betrayal are some of the easier perils the would-be traveler would have to navigate.

In the book, there is a quote within the main character’s inner monologue that illustrates the Underdark quite nicely — you’ll likely die of natural causes if you let your guard down because a dagger will quite naturally end your life. The sharp and stark design illustrates this point through the use of red as the primary color, slanting lines, rips, and textures.