Book Cover Illustrations

Book covers often take very different routes before getting into print. Sometimes an editor will see an illustration, purchases the book cover rights, and the artwork goes directly from the illustrator’s conception  to the cover of the book with few modifications in between other than added title, blurb, and author’s name. Other times, there are […]

I know some digital artists do excellent work using a mouse. But I have found that a quality graphics tablets can be a great asset to some types of artwork, especially paint programs. And I can’t imagine trying to tackle some of my book illustrations without a graphics tablet. I had to do a lot […]

The summer is always a little slow in the publishing industry; everyone catches their breath as they prepare for the fall run up to Christmas when things often become fast and frantic. I like to take this time to create potential book covers “on a whim” since I can’t be assured they will sell. The […]

Sometimes I do more than just a book cover illustration for a client, tackling the lettering and graphic design/layout of the cover as well. This calls for some different software tools (most of my illustration work is done with an elderly Corel Photo-Paint 8). Work often gets down to the level of not just kerning […]

With the downturn in the economy and a reduction of the number of titles many publishers are buying, many authors are now trying their hand at self-publishing. There’s never been a better time to do this; it’s a lot easier to self-publish these days than it was even a few years ago. And in addition […]

I don’t know about anyone else, but I find the current trend of cropping off the heads of characters in book cover illustrations a bit disconcerting. I suspect it’s being done to avoid having to pay models, and to avoid those “look alike” covers that result when stock art is used with few modifications – […]

I’ve been working on this cover for The Making of a New Church by Natalie M. McMillan. The work has gone on and off for a couple of weeks (I generally find I’m working several projects due to delays produced when publishers have to look over and approve changes, make suggestions, and so forth). The […]

Here’s somewhat of a departure (pun intended – “All aboard!”). This has more emphasis on a mechanical figure rather than the human figure. The picture was pretty bland without the lighting and atmospheric effects; painting in the headlight and fog proved pretty fast and gives it a rather ominous feel, I think. (Horror book cover, […]

I often get questions from new illustrators for tips on how to get started as a book illustrator, or how to find work as an artist in this or that field. Here are my suggestions.

Nothing is quite as sad as watching a quality book cover illustration be slowly butchered.