Week 2: The Concept

THE SECOND STEP

After much deliberation I landed on a final concept:

“Equinox’s Astrology Centaur”

This was to be the go-to place for all your Astronomy related goods and Divination needs. Standing toe to toe with my newly discovered market competition: Wiseacre's Wizarding Equipment. (An in world shop selling similar equipment and paraphernalia with a celestial interior theme)

The shop's name derives from:

Equinox = When the sun crosses the equator (central point)

Equine = Horses - Centaurs (half man half horse)

Centre = The middle/ main location for an activity (also a bit of a joke)

Equinox - Equine - Horse - Centaur - Centre

After doing some world building research, lore reading and first hand conversation with a collection of "Potterheads" I learnt that Centaurs were proficient astrologers and my idea spiralled from there. However in the established media they are a proud race, dwelling in forests, not associating themselves with the affairs of wizards; one did eventually work at Hogwarts (Firenze) so isn't entirely unheard of for them to branch out.

"Never try an' get a straight answer out of a centaur. Ruddy stargazers. Not interested in anythin' closer'n the moon." [1]

“A half-man, half-horse, Centaurs were mystical beings who were able to read the movements of the night sky in order to divine the future, making them talented Seers” [2] 

Pun based name aside I made another moodboard collating various astrological and Zodiac symbology with various equipment used to navigate or study the stars and space. Alongside this I also found references for 19th century observatories to incorporate into my shop’s design.

Astrology Reference Board:

Centaurs could be my main branding/ iconography as they too have links to constellations and stars in our world, with one often being depicted drawing a bow for the Sagittarius constellation.

My shop much like the Godlee Observatory in Manchester my shop could be adorned with these various symbols and celestial forms. With many of my references including carved stone decals some of which could depict moons, stars constellations etc, bringing in that element of whimsy that is prevalent with the wizarding world.

"The Sackville building itself is one of immense beauty, with fine details like intricate glass etchings of the building itself carved into the grand doorways.." [3]

This step of the creation process is particularly important in my opinion as the pieces of media and aspects of games that have most resonated with me pull inspiration from an array of sources in a fresh amalgamation of ideas. Plus in an industry somewhat based around being viewed and dissected by online communities, giving your audience the ability to find the many threads you’ve woven together creates conversation and garners more potential attention to your project.

KEY INFORMATION from the week:

Shop Name: Equinox’s Astrology Centaur.

Wares: Astromancy and Divination related tools and paraphernalia.

Signage and Branding: Centaurs, Zodiac symbols, stars moons etc...

[1] Rowling, J.K. (1997). Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. London: Bloomsbury.

[2] Engl, H. (2019). A spotter’s guide to Victorian architecture. [online] Heritage Calling. Available at: https://heritagecalling.com/2019/01/11/a-spotters-guide-to-victorian-architecture/. [Accessed 29 January. 2024].

[3] Skyliner: Alternative Tours of Manchester. (2018). Manchester’s Godlee Observatory. [online] Available at: https://www.theskyliner.org/blog-1/godlee-observatory [Accessed 29 Jan. 2024].