Book Cover Illustrations

A B&W variation of the illustration from two posts ago — and the last of this group for those who are getting bored. Often adapting color illustrations to B&W makes it possible to illustrate the inner pages of a novel or other book without the added expense involved in producing colored pictures. I find that […]

Another “for entertainment only” illustration. Why is the pirate sitting on a pile of electronic parts with roots growing from the mechanisms? Why is he drinking wine (and ignoring that treasure chest in the shadows at the lower right)? And why has the rock opened overhead and a buzzard appeared, floating in the sky? Answer: […]

I got word a few days ago that Joan C. Wrenn’s Young Lords of Siyah Chan: A Novel of the Ancient Maya is now in print (and available from Amazon). I painted the cover illustration for this book, and it was a unique challenge. The author wanted a picture that reflected a Mayan mythological story, […]

Digital painting presents almost unlimited possibilities for variations on a theme. The picture above is one such variation, a more painterly version/portrait of the figure from yesterday’s post. ===================== When he’s not creating artwork for his own enjoyment, Duncan Long is a freelance book cover illustrator. You can see more of his book cover illustrations […]

Sometimes an artist just has to create what’s rattling around in his brain. This is such artwork… An illustration without a home (as of yet). Binary suns. The suns are mirrored in the glowing globes in the forgotten mechanism at the base of the painting, and in the broach and forehead jewelry of the heroine. […]

There’s often confusion as to what is being purchased when a publisher or author buys the rights to an illustration. Part of that confusion comes from the fact that rights to a picture can be divided up almost endlessly: Magazine, book, movie, poster, mouse pads, T-Shirts, mugs… The list can go on and on. And […]

I enjoyed a nice interview at Artsy Shark. The site has some fantastic information for illustrators as well as those interested in book publishing as well as the process of book illustration. Now to get over my inflated head. ==================== When not being interviewed, Duncan Long works as a freelance book illustrator. He has done […]

It isn’t rare to read a book and discover that the cover illustration didn’t have much to do with the story. One reason for this is that with many publishers cutting back with their budgets, cover artwork often suffers either in how well it is done (you do get what you pay for) or in […]

I’m currently working on a book cover illustration for author James Johnson. There are some real challenges in this since the light for the returning Christ needs to be ultra-bright — yet we still need to be able to see details in his face and figure as well as hints of a Heavenly army behind […]

I keep seeing this suggestion that with technology, all change is good, that new is always better. Perhaps slow-to-adopt-new-technology folks simply have a sense of history. They’ve perhaps read about (or experienced) changes that were technological dead ends: Eight tracks, Betamax, the latest Hi-Def standards… These new technologies arrive with glowing promises that often fail […]