Cover Illustration & Design – The Company of Birds

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I've loved birds since I was a kid, and this cover was an absolute pleasure to indulge in. Mirari Press had a long deadline, which gave me the time (and creative freedom) to experiment and add the detail I wanted to, giving this piece the TLC it so deserved.


Buy Nerine Dorman's "The Company of Birds" here (coming soon).

As always, Mirari Press gave an excellent brief, and with much needed background to the main character of Maga Liese ten Haven (and the variety of key bird species) from Nerine, the creative direction was clear in my mind: use a pencil crayon/chalk on paper (digital) technique with metal foiling for the Moon and Title script.

This piece really took me back to my illustrating training in the early 90s, when most of our live figure drawings were using coloured pencils or chalk on coloured (not white) paper. The paper texture is vital to capture, as well as the nuances of the chalk smudges and fine line work. Digital is all well and good, but for me it has to be exactly as I know it would be on the sheet in front of me.

The very important rough thumbnail layout for the client to review. The main elements were here, along with my intention with the patterns. Believe me when I say I was not sure I could pull this off, and whether the pattern effect of the sparrows would be too much, visually, was also an unknown. BUT, I wanted to test myself and go for it!


Again, with Nerine's character description, I worked on the portrait for Maga Liese ten Haven.


Then the fun began with the paper texture as the background – combining paper, watercolour, and a colour gradient.



This set the tone and the colour palette. And testing the silver foil inlay for the moon.



Watch the Photoshop layer build:




Some closer detail...



Close up on the birds:










Customised calligraphic font with the copper foil inlay. Because I trained in typography and calligraphy, I always bring in customised typography as much as possible. Though I may start with a real font (this can take days of testing!) I always try to make it unique once the style is on track.



The water and border:


COMING SOON: Buy Nerine Dorman's "The Company of Birds" here.





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