Here’s a sketch of a drawing that will come later in the book. In this sketch, I’m not really bothering with facial expressions and character details as much as I’m trying to capture an atmosphere and composition. I keep the background loose and focused most of my efforts on the Giant as that’s where the reader’s attention will naturally fall….
Sketch of the Day: I’m working on plates these days (full page illustrations scattered throughout the book). Here’s a little beauty – or eight of them. Haglings have arrived at Rowan. Not quite as cute and cuddly as they might initially appear, please note their little muzzles…. Regarding the sketch itself, I lik…e the overall composition, but have some things […]
Sketch of the Day: In Norse mythology, dvergar were the beings who served as the inspiration for the “dwarves” that Tolkien made so popular. In fact, Tolkien’s dwarves in The Hobbit were named after those listed in the Poetic Edda (the original material from which a great deal of Norse myth stems). Famed as craftsmen for gods and giants alike, […]
Sketch of the Day: Scale serves as one of the biggest differences between The Fiend and the Forge and the earlier books in the series. It is an altogether bigger book – not just in terms of length, but also in terms of the scale of the world/settings and the stakes in play. I want the illustrations to echo and […]
Sketch of the Day: Here’s a sketch I’m working on for the frontispiece of The Fiend and the Forge. The frontispiece is the illustration that goes right inside the cover and is thus critical as an attention grabber and mood setter. This scene is a powerful one in the book and I think could serve quite well if I can […]
Sketch of the Day: In The Fiend and the Forge, all of Rowan gets thrown into a tizzy when a male selkie arrives to grace the Lagoon. Loyal readers can only imagine Frigga’s and Helga’s reaction…
Here’s a sketch of the day. In The Fiend and the Forge (Book 3) many new buildings will grace Rowan’s campus and Sanctuary. While most are constructed to accommodate new businesses and residents, there are conspicuous exceptions. For example, the building in this sketch is an embassy and Max McDaniels will give it a wide berth (when he can)….
So, I’ve started work on the illustrations. Typically, I’ll do sketches in pencil (to size), submit them to the art director for approval, and then complete a final version in line & wash using india ink on hot press watercolor paper. Here are some sketches for the first four chapters of The Fiend and the Forge. While I leave some […]
Well, you all have been so patient and I’m thrilled – literally THRILLED – to announce that the manuscript for The Fiend and the Forge (Book 3 of The Tapestry series) is complete. She checks in at 247,000 words and while that will undoubtedly dwindle during the editing process, The Second Siege is about 125,000 words. So, in a word, […]