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| Cover mockup created in Photoshop, with linen image, and blank book photo |
Hi folks! Happy Friday..hope you've got some restful plans for the weekend! I'm currently dealing with pain from a shingles vaccination (what a wollop!), but hopefully I'm over the fever part. Back in my early 30's I came down with shingles (too much stress from work, my immune system was completely low), and now that I'm able to get the shot, I decided why not. In 6 months I'll get a booster, and hopefully all will be well.
So I wanted to share the process to "The Secret Garden" book cover as this was a prompt from my agent, Nicole Tugeau for her artists for this month. If you follow her @t2_illustrators.and.authors you'll see fellow agency-mates' book covers and interiors.
It started with a sketch I did for a personal project, which I remember having fun with..just adding more foliage and leaves, hidden animals, etc.
I look at this sketch now and think I will try painting it again : )
Anyway, here are snippets of the book cover and process. Lots of
gouache/watercolor, colored pencil and photoshop to create the book
mockup and pages.
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| pencil on copy paper, just doodling.... |
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So much fun to paint this. I kept adding and adding bits and pieces..would love to add more animals!
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| bw sketch on copy paper, layed out and duotone tinted in Photoshop |
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| raw scan of painting (watercolor/gouache on smooth Bristol) - do you see the "key"? |
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| Mockup of the color chapter header in Photoshop |
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| Boy this was fun to paint..birds are hard, but so interesting to paint close up! |
I hope to do more of these book cover mockups - I really had a great time painting..and I have next up, The Wind in the Willows in my head. But, work calls, so hopefully I can attempt this this summer.
Happy June everyone! Have a lovely weekend! ~ Shirley
I always love seeing your work. I especially like your little bird. Keep painting!
ReplyDeleteLinda, it's a treat to see you here, and likewise to seeing yours! Thank you so much..I will definitely keep painting! Have a good June!
DeleteOh, Shirley!!! Wowwwwwww, this is gorgeous! Honestly, I'm disappointed that it's only a mock up. Your style goes absolutely perfectly with the classics. And I love the beginning drawings just as much as the finished color versions. These are really stunning pages. That robin! That key! You know, I tried my hand at watercolors last month, and I learned that I absolutely do not have the patience to do it properly. So much bleeding.... So I am in such awe of your work. (Yikes, shingles! Nooooooo. Hope the booster is better. )
ReplyDeleteHee, thank you so much Bella..someday I hope to get into those classics and really work on one, wouldn't that be fun?! Thank you so much for your encouraging words!! And I know your watercolor work is probably as amazing as your other work. I must say, watercolors and gouache together seem to be the only way for me to make mine do what I need them to do. I am in AWE of true watercolorists, especially those who master light. I cna't do that, truly! And thank you..finally my arm is not a big blob of a mess..thank goodness for Benadryl! Take good care!
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