Book Cover Illustrations

I recently took a little time off to create four pictures for the consideration for the editor of a science fiction magazine that hopefully will be taking flight soon. In the meantime, I thought I’d show off my artwork. Please note that while these are under consideration by the editor, nothing is set in stone and the rights have not yet been sold. So if you’re interested in using one for a book or magazine cover project in need of a science fiction illustration, drop me a line and I’ll let you know if it becomes available.

My painting above is “Ballet In Micro-G” — and yes, I consciously mimicked the “Creation of Man” that resides in the Sistine Chapel. (Yes, science fiction artists really do know a little about art history.)

Next (below) is the second picture I created, “An Amazing Takeoff” which employs the old-style science fiction rocket that was popular in 1950s and 1960s novels. Also a small Stanley Kubrick 2001 style space station (partly under construction in this picture).

Next…

A salute to Rod Serling’s Twilight Zone story “The Monsters Are Due On Maple Street.” For this one I updated the concept of the flying saucer a bit with additional “stuff” on the hulls, lights, and mysterious projections that one might expect with “alien technology.”

And one lone youngster trying to escape via his trusty bicycle.

As Serling might have said, “Presented for your consideration…”

Finally, an illustration that seems to be a repeating theme for me: “The Clockwork Gal.” With talk of robot companions and such, it seems likely that somewhere in the near future such automatons will become functional and perhaps to the casual glance, indistinguishable from real human beings. At least until she pulls open her robe to expose the gear work.

Again, the rights to any or all of these pictures may become available, so let me know if one would work as a cover illustration for your upcoming book or magazine project.

In the meantime, you can see more of my science fiction artwork in my Science Fiction Book Cover Paintings Gallery.

I also have a collection of “ready made” sci-fi pictures in my Premade Science Fiction Book Cover Illustrations Gallery. These have lower price tags — but are sold “as is” with the understanding that I’ll not do further work on them; each is full size for print and can be reduced for use as an ebook cover. (For the secrets of using premade artwork for your book cover, see my how-to article: “The Secrets of Choosing and Using Premade Book Cover Art.”)

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Duncan Long has created over a thousand illustrations used for book and magazine covers as well as inner artwork in publications. Among those who’ve used his work are many self publishers and small presses as well as HarperCollins, PS Publishing, Pocket Books, ILEX, Asimov’s Science Fiction, Moonstone Books, and Enslow Publishers.