Involvement
- Illustration
- Design
- Marketing Materials
Overview
The Embers of Riyzon series required six book covers, each with a distinctive yet cohesive fantasy design. The first cover I completed was Raven Smoke. At the time, I was still developing my skills, so while the original design captured some of the core elements, it fell short in comparison to the later covers I created for the series. The initial version struggled with lighting, textures, and effectively utilizing the client’s challenging color palette, especially when it came to rendering the smoke effect.
The initial version of Raven Smoke was created to align with Xaneria Ann’s vision, but I felt it didn’t fully capture the essence of the story.
Process & Solution
Given a generous 8-month deadline, I took the opportunity to refine my skills and rework the cover from scratch, offering to recreate it for free. During this time, I improved my painting techniques, focusing particularly on the realistic depiction of smoke and achieving better integration of the color palette into the overall design.
As I progressed through the remaining five covers, I realized the stark difference in quality between the initial Raven Smoke cover and the newer ones. This gap in quality motivated me to rework Raven Smoke entirely, aiming to bring it up to the same standard as the rest of the series. With improved painting techniques and a better grasp of lighting, textures, and color blending, I was able to achieve a more realistic and visually engaging depiction of the smoke, as well as a cohesive color scheme that aligned with the rest of the series.
The Results
The updated version of Raven Smoke brought a striking transformation to the project. The final design features richer textures, dynamic lighting, and a cohesive color palette that aligns with the story’s themes. The smoke effect, now more realistic, adds a sense of mystique and drama.
It now matched the quality and style of the other five covers, with richer textures, more dynamic lighting, and a better-integrated color palette. Xaneria Ann was thrilled with the improved cover, noting that it significantly enhanced the overall visual cohesion of the series.
Oh wow. Yes. It’s beautiful! I love them! You’ve done outstanding! I love them so much! Man. It looks fantastic and all the covers are just gorgeous.
Xaneria Ann, Author
