ILLUSTRATE AN EPIC BOOK COVER

Learn how to create captivating fantasy artwork that draws in readers as Fernanda Suarez goes in-depth on her workflow

- Fernanda Suarez

This is the cover art for Laura E. Weymouth's fantasy novel Steel and Spellfire. It's set in Valora, a city inspired by Victorian-era London.

The main protagonists are Pandora Smalls, who has learned to hone and wield her magic in a way the world has never seen, and Kit Beacon, a promising young member of the Royal Guard. Pandora's magic - called Spellfire - takes the form of blue flames. In the scene, we see Pandora and Kit facing up against a monster in a dark alley.

For this tutorial, I'll guide you through the process of creating a book cover illustration just like this. We'll explore drawing the rough concept, how to convey your idea at an early stage and creating dynamic compositions, all the way through to finalising the details.

To follow along you'll need a solid understanding of anatomy - enough to be able to draw characters in a variety of poses and angles. Also handy is a grasp of basic composition fundamentals such as balance and focus, plus standard lighting and colour concepts.

I used Photoshop for this piece, but any digital art software you're familiar with should do the job, as we'll be working with fairly standard tools. A drawing tablet would also be an advantage to utilise pen pressure when using some of the brushes.

Get prepared with research and a mood board

When working with a client, we're given a brief with the basic concept for the cover. Having that, the first thing to do is get some research in. Look for images that work with the idea you have in mind, serve as references, or provide inspiration. When you've got a collection ready, create a mood board and a colour palette. The client might also show examples from your portfolio that they like.