Am I revoking your imagination? Need advice, pls

[fishr]

Howdy ya'll!

I'm in need of opinions. Sometimes with my stories, I like to use visual aids such as with letters or artwork for example but with this excerpt from my novel, I'm not sure.

I partly feel like I'm revoking a reader's rights. So, here's the excerpt:

On the white marble steps was a scarecrow, which depicted a British soldier. It was dressed in their customary uniforms, complete with a gray cocked hat. A sword was pushed through one end of the scarecrow's head, and stuck out the other side. A wooden stake was shoved into its spine. On the top of the stake, a board was nailed to it with a carved message:

Ye loyal to the Lobster and shall parish!

Red drops seeped from within the letters. I felt my stomach lurch and I clenched it tightly with both hands, dropping the knife and falling to my knees. Drops were still dripping from the sign, staining the white steps a dark crimson colour.

Now, would you want to actually see the sign, or do you prefer the image that developed from the quote?

I'm having a hard time deciding because I realize there's a fine line that shouldn't be crossed but opinions with anything is welcomed.

Thanks everyone.

[Snoink]

The word "reddish" should be shot and killed. It's red. Not reddish. And if he's clutching his stomach, then he must be very worried. Or a surgeon.

[fishr]

Thanks for the little edit suggestion.

[Sayuri]

Nothing wrong with illustrations. I love illustrated books. It does not take away from our imagination at all.

[fishr]

Thank you for you input sayuri. At the moment, I'm still undecided. I actually carved out the message in colonial dialect, lol. I was a little bored last night.

Perhaps, I should post the picture of the sign itself, yes?

[Sam]

It might be an interesting addition, especially since you've got the full-blown newspaper in there earlier on.

[fishr]

This is true, which reminds me. I want to rewrite that newspaper into actual colonial dialect, as soon as I figure out how to combine Word's text with the speech. Thanks for the reminder, Sam.

Still, maybe I will use the illustration, after it goes through a pretty make-over known as Photoshop. Nothing is set in stone, and I won't know unless I try it out, right?

[Crysi]

Sure. Don't feel like whatever you decide now is permanent. If you (or others) decide you (or they) don't like the illustration, take it out. It's that simple.

Personally, I think it'd be pretty cool. I like having illustrations sometimes, especially for simple things like that.