Book Cover Illustrations

While most of my bread-and-butter work comes from creating magazine artwork and book cover illustrations these days, I occasionally still write and also create CD covers. The picture above is this week’s project, for a CD album produced for a Christian band led by Mario Moreno.

A small band of angels may be added to the final version of the illustration – depending on whether the lettering on the CD cover allows room for them.

I inadvertently created a good laugh among the band members when they first saw the cover since the majority are African Americans and my creation is the proverbial lily white guy. I guess my stereotyping was showing when I did the cover (or perhaps this is a drawback I hadn’t considered in doing business via email).

After finishing the picture, I also realized that the guitarist looks a lot like the Western stereotypical Jesus (that is, more Nordic than Jewish). That said, perhaps the idea that the follower should become like the master was an unconscious influence. Hopefully that’s how most people will view this CD album cover illustration — rather than as a series of stereotypical blunders on the part of this artist.

The layout is pretty formal. I tried some angled views from above/behind the cross but getting the lighting right proved to be next to impossible and conveying the idea that Christ was on the cross became problematical as well. So in the end a somewhat unoriginal layout was employed. Yet perhaps that’s fitting given the idea of presenting oneself to royalty. And what could be more royal than the creator of the universe in the process of saving mankind?

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Duncan Long is a freelance illustrator for HarperCollins, PS Publishing, Pocket Books, Solomon Press, Ballistic Publishing, American Media, and many other publishers. And occasionally creates CD album illustrations. See more of his CD album illustrations at: DuncanLong.com

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