The Parity name
Ever wonder about our studio name “Parity” and from where it is derived?
Island Of Winds logo
We really love our Island of winds logo, created by our team member Guðrún, a brilliant graphic designer and animator.
Blue is the colour of Iceland. Instead of trees blocking the horizon we are used to see the sky and the ocean all around us. Our national flag has its blue from there and therefore blue was the obvious colour for the logo of Island of winds.
The shape is drawn from Brynhild’s head wear which is derived from the Icelandic national costume and what women wore daily in Iceland until the 20th century. Wishing to connect the hat with the wind and to the female form, the spiral was an obvious choice.
The logo is seen in a way as an island of winds, sitting on top of the ocean like a hat sits on top of a head.
Many people see a swan form in the logo, that was not part of the plan and now seen as a good thing, a lucky coincidence. Brynhild’s journey is after all in a way similar to the journey of the ugly duckling, both come out as a swan in the end, in their own way.
Skuggabaldur
Skuggabaldur
One of the many threats Brynhild has to tackle with her magic on the Island of winds are the skuggabaldur creatures, or shadow cats.
Have you heard the Icelandic folktale of the skuggabaldur and the cat at Bollastaðir? Read on!
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There is a tale of a skuggabaldur who was particularly harmful toward the sheep in the county of Húnavatnssýsla. The skuggabaldur was found in its burrow where a flock of men had cornered it and proceed to stab it. As the skuggabaldur was being stabbed it said “Tell the cat at Bollastaðir that skuggabaldur was stabbed today in the ravine.” The men found this very peculiar. Later that day, the man who delivered the final blow on skuggabaldur came to Bollastaðir, staying the night. That evening the man told the tale of his hunt as he lay on his bed. An old tomcat sat on a crossbeam above him. When the man recited the words spoken by the skuggabaldur, the tomcat leaped down upon the man grabbing hold of his neck using its sharp teeth and claws to lock on. The cat held on so tightly the only way it could be removed was by chopping off its head. By the time the cat was removed the man was long dead.
(Jón Árnason, Icelandic folktales and adventures I, p. 610.)
https://baekur.is/bok/
Trolls
Trolls are a varied bunch of creatures. They can be the most caring and kind of creature but some can be extremely hazardous. You will be able to learn more about them in Island of winds.