Book Cover Illustrations

"Charlie and Zed" illustration: Linda Franklin's "On a Wing and a Prayer"

While most non-fiction books and magazine articles are illustrated with photos or technical drawings, occasionally such publications will need an illustration similar to those seen with fictional works, the reason being that no photographs are available of the subject being covered in the account. That’s when an illustrator who normally finds himself creating artwork for fictional stories may be called in to create a picture.

Such artwork is a little tricky since the imagination doesn’t have free rein. The illustration has to be as close to reality as is possible. Contemporary accounts of historic figures, studying photos of artifacts from the period, and so forth all come into play. The result is an illustration that may — or may not — be precise, but is as accurate as the knowledge of the author, publisher, and artist will allow.

So although most of the book and magazine illustrations the flying monkeys at Duncan Long Studio create are for the covers of novels and magazine fiction, occasionally we tackle non-fiction projects. Here are a few I decided to showcase in today’s blog, written on a very gloomy US Presidents Day.

Cover Illustration and graphic design by Duncan Long

"Gus" illustration for Linda Franklin's "On a Wing and a Prayer" book series.

Illustration and graphic design for Joan of Arc by Marcia Quinn Noren

Cover design and illustration for World Marketing Group

"Tequila" illustration for Linda Franklin's "On a Wing and a Prayer" series.

"Nostradamus" cover illustration for The Sun Tabloid

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In addition to creating non-fiction artwork for books and magazines, illustrator Duncan Long often creates the cover designs for novels and magazine covers. His artwork has appeared on magazine and book covers from HarperCollins, PS Publishing, Pocket Books, ILEX, Asimov’s Science Fiction, Moonstone Books, Enslow Publishers, and many other presses and self-publishing authors.
Enjoy more of Long’s illustrations at: Duncan’s Illustration Portfolio
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