Book Cover Illustrations

The first half of 2010 has been busy, with many self-publishing authors and small presses realizing that in order to compete with big presses, a quality cover illustration can be key in attracting buyers. On the “established press” side of things, I’ve also been busy, currently finishing up a collection of illustrations for a graphic […]

Some very amazing book cover artwork owes a lot of its magic to the very subtle glow from metal or other flat surfaces. And more than one UFO or ghost has become a bit more frightening due to the glimmer emanating from its surface. Translating this magic to book or magazine artwork can be tricky […]

Second opinions can be good. They can also be disastrous. When it comes to second opinions, sometimes an illustrator’s clients can be the client’s own worse enemies. That’s the reason I always shudder when I hear a client start a statement with, “I asked my [son, secretary, neighbor] what they thought about the book illustration […]

Here’s a “sneak peek” at the cover I finished last week for Roger St. Germain’s science fiction novel Escape from Certain. The project started out pretty straightforward, but seemed to run into several unexpected problems along the way (and it is only due to the patience of the author that I eventually worked through them). […]

I occasionally create a book cover mock-up to “fill in the spaces” in my online portfolio and galleries. This is one such recent book cover design, based on an illustration I create about a year ago while experimenting with a technique for creating a rough, painterly effect using historic figures as a starting point. =============== […]

It’s usually easy to visualize what a book cover illustration should look like. And going into a project it’s always good to have an idea of what the outcome should be. Otherwise, like someone lost in the wilderness, you go in circles without positive results. However when followed too closely, a concept for an illustration […]

From time to time I am contacted by people who have been touched by my artwork, often seeing things in my illustrations that I aimed to share — or hadn’t intended, at least on a conscious level. They share stories of joy and hope, and sometimes of sorrows and hurt. It’s amazing how many of […]

A recent illustration (as of yet, without a home) created as a pseudo myth: The Great Father Paints the Sky and Stars. I painted the silhouette of a Native American medicine man as the Great Father and then created a starry sky (somewhat as what might be seen in deep space). I think this conjunction […]

Most illustrators creating genre book covers know Frank Frazetta and his beautiful artwork. More than a few book cover artists have been influenced to at least some extent by his work. Born in Brooklyn in 1928, Frazetta started his art career at the ripe old age of 16, illustrating comic books, eventually working for a […]

I recently had a student artist ask about the basic information needed to create a book cover illustration. The answer isn’t quite as simple as it might appear to be on the surface. There’s a lot that can go wrong in the process of creating a cover. The basics I need to know: cover size, […]