Francis Marshall (1901 - 1980) served as a midshipman during the First World War. Following his discharge in 1920 he spent three years at the Slade School of Fine Art. In 1928 he met Cond Nast and obtained work as an illustrator for British Vogue.



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His great interests were ballet, fashion, horses, London life, music, outdoor life, theatre and travel. His sketches in these subject areas were well suited to Vogue's publications and the 'Marshall girl', based on his wife Margaret, became a well-known figure in Vogue's illustrations. During the Second World War he was based in Bath as a naval camouflage officer.

After the War he returned to advertising and was also the principal social and fashion illustrator on the Daily Mail until the 1960s, attending the Paris couture shows. His books included An Englishman in New York, Fashion drawing and London west. He also designed covers for the novels of Barbara Cartland and illustrated volumes of Reader's Digest. He continued as a freelance artist until his death in 1980.

Boris Vallejo (born January 8, 1941) is a Peruvian-born American painter. He emigrated to the United States in 1964, and he currently resides in Allentown, Pennsylvania. He frequently works with Julie Bell, his wife, painter and model.

Vallejo works almost exclusively in the fantasy and erotica genres. His hyper-representational paintings have graced the covers of dozens of science fiction paperbacks and are featured in a series of best-selling glossy calendars. Subjects of his paintings are typically gods, monsters, and well-muscled male and female barbarians engaged in battle. Some of his male figures were modeled by Vallejo himself, and many of his later female characters were modeled by his wife. His latest works still retain heavy fantasy elements, but lean more towards the erotic rather than pure fantasy themes.


The Toast of the Town (1976)

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Vallejo commenced painting at the age of thirteen and had his first illustration job at the age of sixteen. After emigrating to the United States in 1964, he quickly garnered a fan following from his illustrations of Tarzan, Conan The Barbarian, Doc Savage and various other fantasy characters (often done for paperback fiction works featuring the characters). This led to commissions for movie poster illustration, advertisement illustration, and artwork for various collectibles - including Franklin Mint paraphernalia, trading cards and sculpture. Along with Bell, Vallejo presents his artwork in an annual calendar and various books. Vallejo's work is often compared to the work of Frank Frazetta, not only because it is similar stylistically but also since Frazetta painted covers for paperbacks of some of the same characters.

Vallejo's preferred artistic medium is oil paint on board, and has previously used digital media to combine discrete images to form composite images. Preparatory works are pencil or ink sketches, which have been displayed in the book Sketchbook. He and Julie Bell have worked on collaborative artworks together, in which they sign the artwork "Boris and Julie" or "Julie and Boris".

Vallejo has created film posters for numerous fantasy and action productions, including Barbarella (1968), Knightriders (1981), Q (1982), and Barbarian Queen (1985). He has also illustrated posters for comedies, notably National Lampoon's Vacation (1983), European Vacation (1985), and Aqua Teen Hunger Force Colon Movie Film for Theaters (2007), co-created with Bell.

Vallejo is married to fellow artist Julie Bell, whose artistic style is very similar to Vallejo's. He has two children from a previous marriage to artist and writer Doris Vallejo. His son, Dorian Vallejo, also has produced work in the fantasy genre but now works primarily as a portrait painter. His daughter, Maya Vallejo, is a professional photographer.

http://www.imaginistix.com/

If you love the old savage romance, maybe you don't know the name Robert McGinnis but for sure you know his work, he is the cover artist for the first 13 books by Johanna Lindsey, yes, those famous and notorious covers, loved, hated, that sometime you find with a strategically positioned "sales price" and that are now collectible items for the lovers and fans of the genre.



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Robert McGinnis was born in 1926. He grew up in Wyoming and Ohio and studied art at Ohio State University and the Central Academy for Commercial Art in Cincinnati. He has done advertising work, book and magazine illustration, gallery art and movie poster (Breakfast at Tiffany for telling "only" one and many of the James Bond films). The first of his nearly eleven hundred paperback covers appeared in 1958. His home and studio are in Old Greenwich, Connecticut.

This is actually the 10th of the "Johanna Lindsey" covers, but I think it deserve to be out of the cut as first since it is the one that often you find with a "special price" stick on the... bum of the man and you can't remove it! Anyway, after this one enjoy also all the other covers, in release order:



( Robert McGinnis' covers for Johanna Lindsey )

Paperback Covers of Robert McGinnis released in 2001 by Pond Press is now a collectible item itself.
 
Amazon: Paperback Covers of Robert McGinnis.

A beautifully designed and produced book of the best of Robert McGinnis, one of America's foremost illustrators and a member of the American Illustration Hall of Fame. Since 1958, he has painted over 1,000 paperback covers in all genres, including mystery, romance, and western. In addition to a definitive list of his paperback work, the book provides over 200 full color illustrations, not just of the book covers, but of McGinnis' model photos, sketches, roughs and finished art. The book will provide indispensable to collectors of his works, as well as a visual treat for lovers of fine illustration.

Elaine Duillo was born in Germany in 1928 and studied Arts and Paintings. She studied at the School of Art and Music and has had as fellow students great artists like Famers Danno Schwartz and Burt Silverman.



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The career as illustrator began making pictures for gothic novels, suspense and mystery, but her fame arrived with the romance covers. She worked for the most famous publishers like Bantam, Avon, Warner, Harlequin Pocketbooks and St. Martin's Press and has produced most of the covers for Johanna Lindsey, Bertrice Small and Jude Deveraux, working with international models like Fabio Lanzoni and John DiSalvo.

Elaine lives in Hicksville (Long Island) along with two daughters, Melissa and Bettina. John Duillo, her late husband, was also an illustration for western novels covers.

Doreen Minuto is one of today's leading illustrators whose work is published worldwide. She has been able to combine the skills of a successful fine art career in portraiture and award winning gallery work to becoming a digital visual communicator which has won her assignments with every major publishing company internationally. Publishers and authors rely on Doreen to help put their books on the best seller list.



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A frequent exhibitor with the Society of Illustrators, Minuto is also represented in the permanent collection of the Museum of American Illustration. Her work has been included in many group shows around the country. She has most recently won the Historical Romance Writers Award for Best Cover.

A professor of Illustration Specialization and a frequent lecturer at Syracuse University, Brigham Young University, The Society of Illustrators, and many other art institutions, she has been involved in the program "Women Helping Girls", which introduces grammar school girls to varied career opportunities including the art of illustration.

An active member of the Society of Illustrators, she has served as member and chair person, as well as on the Board of Directors and executive committee of the Permanent Collection Committee.

http://doreenminuto.com/

"I began my career in Illustration in 1976. It was not my career of choice, which was to be a “Fine Artist”, (also known as a “Starving Artist”). But a few years after graduating with a BFA degree from Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, I was steered towards illustration by an experienced illustrator, Charles Gehm. Already experimenting with realism, using photographic reference, I was shown how to use my inclination and actually make a living. I was introduced to the world of models, costumes and photo studios and practiced as a sort of apprentice. I started out in paperbacks with a genre that was fading in its popularity, the gothic novel. These books usually had a woman in a nightgown looking scared in front of a big, sinister mansion.



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The “bodice-ripper” was on its way in and I proved adept at this look, playing with the over-the-top sensuality, but also bringing elements of classical painting and design to them. A trip to Italy in 1984 reinforced this classical tendency, when I saw the works of Carravaggio, Botticelli and other Renaissance painters. I recognized that those artists were really illustrators in every sense. Their images were designed to communicate and tell a story. They worked for clients whom they had to satisfy if they wanted to continue being employed, and they had to meet deadlines as part of their job, (admittedly they had much more time, with some commissions taking years to complete).

Up till that point, I had generally seen Illustration as sort of a commercial half brother of “Fine Art”, and it troubled me to think I was selling out and should instead be painting in a “pure” way. But I began to realize that the Art industry was responsible for the pure art myth, when in fact it, too was a commercial system, - just with different rules! Since then I have worked steadily with the goal in mind to continue the ancient tradition of Art Illustration, to not just satisfy the client, but also satisfy my sense of Art.

By most recent estimate estimate I have created around 3000 illustrations so far for clients such as, Avon Books, Ballantine Books, Berkley Books, Dell, Doubleday, Harcourt, Harlequin, Holt Rhinehart Winston, Little Brown, New American Library, Random House, Rounder Records,The Bradford Exchange, The Wall Street Journal, Viking Penguin, Italian Vogue, Zondervan and Zebra."

http://www.james.griffin.org/

I'm really glad to have as guest blogger Paul Richmond. I found Paul when he was "ONLY" an artist (only is such a restrictive word, Paul is a great artist!), and I posted some of his Cheesecake Boys. Than I recognized his name in a cover artist credits, Zero at the Bone, and thought: great, maybe the little cover artist world snagged a good name from the big art world. And so it was, from that first cover, Paul gifted us with more wonderful works, and now I'm glad to leave to him the ball. Read carefully, since this is an awesome blog on being a very professional cover artist, any author who has a cover by him is a very lucky author!
 

Shades of Gray by Brooke McKinley

"Thanks for inviting me back to share more of my recent cover illustrations. Since we last spoke, I have been a busy boy! I’ve never been one to do anything “just a little bit,” and now that I’m working on my twelfth cover illustration in two months, I would say I have officially jumped head-first into the world of gay fiction. And what fun! The authors have all been incredible to work with, and I’m greatly enjoying bringing their characters to life. You asked me to share a little about my process, which I am happy to do. I’ll even show you a few of my reference photos, which are always hilarious, and some of the sketches and in-progress pieces I’m working on at the moment.

( The Hired Man by Jan Irving )
 
However, first I would like to introduce your readers to a little online contest I’m launching today called “Uncovered.” The idea sprang from a conversation over quesadillas with my friend Maria, who said that many of my cover illustrations would make great fine art prints. Thanks, Maria! Now back in my studio, with no Mexican food to inspire further brainstorming, I can’t decide which one to release first. So I decided to leave it up to the people who know best – you! I’ve narrowed it down to three options, and I’d like to invite all of you to visit my contest page (http://www.paulrichmonduncovered.blogspot.com/) and vote for your favorite.


 
One person will be randomly chosen to receive the first in the limited-edition series of prints created for the winning cover image, and Dreamspinner will also send them a copy of the novel/novella with the prize. The winner will be announced on November 7 when I am the virtual “guest speaker” on Shared Wisdom (http://community.livejournal.com/shared_wisdom), so go vote and then be sure to join me on the 7th to find out the results. I can’t wait to see what you choose (and shameless campaigning for your favorite is strongly encouraged)! Many thanks to Elisa for letting me launch my contest here, as well as Shared Wisdom and Dreamspinner for helping sponsor it.

( Veiled Security by Carolyn LeVine Topol )
 
Ok, now back to business. Let me invite you into my studio to witness how a cover is born (I promise it won’t be anything like the medical shows that Dennis, my nursing-student fiancé, makes me watch). First, the publisher/author provides me with a basic description of the story, characters, and any ideas they’ve generated about the cover image. I’d love to be able to read all the books first, but until I make time for that speed-reading course I’ve always wanted to take, I rely on these summaries to help me get started. Perhaps the curiosity I feel over the details of the story is ultimately a benefit to the final image, eliciting that same response in potential readers. At least I would like to think so…

( Patient Eyes by Andy Eisenberg )
 
This is the point when I start trying to envision the image. If I can convince Dennis to put down his textbook long enough to pose for me, that’s my first choice. Unfortunately, I’ve kind of burnt that bridge thanks to some of the ridiculous scenarios I’ve concocted in the past for my Cheesecake Boy pin-up series. I can’t imagine why my Jewish honey would find it slightly undignified to pretend that he’s putting a star on top of a Christmas tree while his robe flies open to reveal a pair of skimpy, candy-cane printed undies! Anyway, option B is to recruit friends, who I must say have been incredibly good sports for some of my latest covers, but they’re busy people too who unfortunately aren’t able to be at my beck and call whenever I need a random cowboy silhouette or sketches of a flamboyant fashion designer. That leaves me with my third (and, by default, increasingly popular) option – me. The good-old self-timer on my camera has made it possible for me to become my own model, though extensive revisions are required at the sketching phase when this method is employed!

( Mistletoe Madness )
 
You may wonder why these reference photos are even necessary. I spent four years in figure drawing class in college, plus I’m pretty well-acquainted with male anatomy anyway, so couldn’t I just make it up? While I do use my imagination to invent elements of the scene and embellish upon the photos, I find it immensely helpful to have a reference image that depicts the more subtle details of light/shadow (even if I have to imagine how those things would fall across a bicep or butt cheek with a little more oomph than what I currently have to offer as a model). Maybe if I’d just hit the gym more, we could use my reference photos for the covers and save lots of time! :-)


Development of Facade cover

As it is though, I print out the best of my photos and begin sketching. This is where the detailed descriptions written by the authors come in handy. Sometimes they reference a specific celebrity who they would like their look to be patterned after, which is especially helpful (kind of like that photo of Jake Gyllenhall that I used to take to my hairstylist until he finally told me it was time to chase another dream). As I’m working on the sketch, I also pay attention to possible interactions between the image and the typography. Some illustrators prefer not to think about type, but I personally like incorporating this visual element, and scouring the web for the perfect font to compliment the image.

( Facade by Zahra Owens )
 
Once the sketch is complete, I scan it in, add the text to the image, and send it off for approval. If there are any revisions, I make the updates and re-send. Otherwise, it’s time to start making the magic happen! I transfer the sketch to a piece of primed masonite board, and paint the image using only black and white. This is different from the process I use with my other fine art paintings. It allows me to focus on working out the highlights and shadows without thinking about color yet. When it’s finished, I scan it in and do all the color digitally. That way, I can very easily click a button if I want to run through every possible color choice for that little sliver of the main character’s underwear waistband showing above his jeans (and believe me, I’ve labored over some of those decisions way too long!). This technique also allows me to easily make changes after I’ve submitted the image, in case the author or publisher would like to see a different color option somewhere. Usually, the changes, if any, have been really minimal because I tend to be a bit of a perfectionist about these things anyway. However, I’m always happy to accommodate any requests to make sure everyone’s happy with the final result.

( Dash & Dingo by Catt Ford and Sean Kennedy )
 
And that, my friends, is how a cover is born. I cut the umbilical cord and send it out into the world, and it’s always exciting to hear positive feedback from authors and readers who enjoy the images. Ultimately, I hope they will help people discover these wonderful novels and make them want to read the stories for themselves (just as I plan to do once they hit their release dates!).


The Golden Age of Gay Fiction edited by Drewey Wayne Gunn
 
Currently, I’m getting ready to do two new anthology covers, a children’s book about some kooky queens (and I’m talking about the crown-wearing, kingdom-ruling kind here), and paintings for a solo exhibition in Chicago this June called “Gay Day at Paulyworld.” Right now in my studio, I would say everyday is Gay Day at Paulyworld thanks to the fabulous opportunities I’m finding in the gay fiction market, and that’s just how I like it! I hope it’s just the beginning!
 
Here’s a list of current (and upcoming) titles where you can find my work:
“The Golden Age of Gay Fiction” by Drewey Wayne Gunn, MLR Press
(All the rest from Dreamspinner)
“Zero at the Bone” by Jane Seville
“Mistletoe Madness” anthology
“Veiled Security” by Carolyn LeVine Topol
“Patient Eyes” by Andy Eisenberg
“Dash and Dingo: In Search of the Tasmanian Tiger” by Catt Ford and Sean Kennedy
“The Hired Man” by Jan Irving
“Façade” by Zahra Owens
“Good to Know” by D.W. Marchwell
“Shades of Gray” by Brooke McKinley
“The One That Got Away” by Rhianna Aile and Madeleine Urban
“Broken” by Dawn Kimberly
“The Strongest Shape” by Tessa Cárdenas

Visit my website for more information and artwork: www.paulrichmondstudio.com

Since today is Behind the Cover's weekly appointment, I thought this video is right on the matter: it's the video of the session shoot for the cover of "Boy Midflight" by Charlie David, Palari Publishing. From what I understood, it was a collaboration between the publisher and Otter Fashion (http://www.otterfashion.com/, click on the link to see a beautiful photo of Charlie David...). Boy Midflight is the story of Ashley, an 18 years old struggling with his important life choices who has the chance to be a fashion model for Otter; it's quite a good commercial choice to mix reality with fiction, both of the partners in this business, Palari Publishing and Otter Fashion, gain a showcase in the other market industry.

And then, have you ever wonder how those photoshoot are? I know that most of the time, the picture is chosen on a photostock website, but it's nice to see that sometime an author is lucky enought to have his own personal photo for the cover.



( The Final Cover )

Do you know that feeling when you are sure to know something but you are missing the link between two points? I like very much Steve Walker's art (even if I wonder why does he change website every few months...: http://quest.sasktelwebhosting.com/) and I'm pretty sure to be able to recognize his style when I see a paint. Then I like very much some of Michael Thomas Ford's covers (http://www.michaelthomasford.com/), the one with the white background and in the middle a picture of one or more men, always by behind. It's months already that I wanted to buy one or more of that books, but I have to order them online, and usually I prefer to see the book before ordering it. So Sunday, during my last shopping trip (wondering where? Giovanni's Room in Philadelphia obviously!), I picked up one of those books, neither being sure if it was exactly the one I wanted to read, but the cover was so pretty and I knew that the author is very good, so one or the other was the same. My choice is Looking for It, and during the flight back home I sat there, admring the last addition to my collection and suddenly I had a realization: that picture on the cover was for sure a Steve Walker's work! And yes, I was right, I searched the back cover and there it was, the name of the artist. As soon as I was back home, I searched for all the covers of Michael Thomas Ford with that style, and then matched them one by one with a Steve Walker's paint in his gallery. And today I'd like to feature you my little matching work.


Prince of Tides, Steve Walker, 2002

Changing Tides by Michael Thomas Ford, 2007: Few authors write about the full spectrum of gay men's lives with as much warmth, honesty, humor, and compassion as Michael Thomas Ford. Now the bestselling author of Last Summer, Looking For It, and Full Circle, delivers a shimmering, heartwarming story of one summer in the lives of three people, of the elusive search for human connection—and the necessity of love. Marine biologist Ben Ransome understands the sea, especially the tiny, beautiful sea slugs he has studied and admired for most of his life. What Ben doesn't understand are people, and now, one of the most important people in his life—his sixteen-year-old daughter, Caddie—is coming to live with him for the summer. But the sweet, happy child he remembers has been replaced by a wounded, angry stranger who resents everything about her father. Caddie is determined to act out in every way, leaving Ben feeling more alone than ever. Hudson Jones has come to Monterey, California, to find the answers to all his questions. The young, ambitious graduate student believes he's found a lost John Steinbeck novel called Changing Tides that seems to hint at the author's love for his best friend, Ed "Doc" Ricketts. If he can prove it, his career will be made. And then, perhaps he can quiet the personal demons that haunt him. But first, he'll need some local help in his research, and Ben just may be able to supply him with access to the information he needs. It's clear to Hudson that the handsome, quietly passionate Ben needs some help, too—with Caddie and his life. Sharing dinners and walks on the beach, intellectual discussions and heart-to-heart conversations, Ben and Hudson move from tentative friendship to a surprising, revelatory relationship, one with the power to point them toward the most important discoveries of their lives. For Ben, it's a summer of new beginnings, even as his daughter embarks on a dangerous course that will test the new happiness he's found. Changing Tides is an extraordinary novel that explores the glorious flaws and frailties of human beings in the never-ending struggle to connect, to be open to love, and to embrace the unknown in order to live fully.

Amazon: Changing Tides

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The Portuguese artist HvH is probably familiar to you in one form or another from a variety of publications, for example, his comics have been published in the American magazines FRESHMEN & MEN. Patrick Fillion’s house of comics Class Comics have also often provided a platform for this very talented artist.



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HvH’s drawings impress with their imaginative style and consistent bizarre visuals that are very distinctive.

The first time I saw his works was inside the Eric Arvin stories collection's Slight Details & Random Events. After that he did all the other covers for Eric Arvin, both old a new version of Subsurdity, and the sequel coming out this September.

In June 2008 Bruno Gmunder released Gone to the Movies by HvH: Never before seen and yet somehow strangely familiar – HvH’s wilful new gay interpretation of more or less famous movie posters is highly entertaining. The artist masterfully plays with our expectations, playfully tweaking the history of cinema a bit, where until now gays have always gotten short shrift. His work is sometimes ironic and irrelevant, occasionally affectionate and amusing and in the end is simply a magnificent homage to cinema!

Amazon: Gone To The Movies

"Ironic, respectful, lovingly and amusing in equal measure" Kontakt

"A lot of the illustrations are surprisingly hot and some are hilarious. [...] flipping through it and laughing at a few posters at a time provides a nice amusement." EDGE Boston

http://hvhexpo.blogspot.com/

Born in Richmond on Thames in 1948, Gordon studied art at Twickenham College of Art and graduated in 1967. He was first represented by the agency Young Artists (now Arena), and he has worked as a book cover illustrator since that time. His work is very much in demand and he has become one of the most highly-regarded cover artists currently working in the UK.

 
Eve of Chaos, Commissioned by Tor Books

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In 1976 he first visited New York with his portfolio and since then has also worked consistently for US publishers, notably Bantam and Dell, and currently produces fantasy covers for Daw and Tor Books in particular.

In 2004 he started to produce a range of high-quality fine art prints and has now launched the first set of twelve. These represent a move away from his illustration work in a more surrealist direction. With a slight feeling of restraint when working for book covers, the freedom with which he can work on these new ideas has brought immense pleasure.

In 2007 he started to show his prints at Merchant Archive, a lifestyle gallery in London, and they have adopted one of his earlier images as their identity. There is an ongoing collection of prints on show there and it usually includes the most recent work.

His first major exhibition of paintings was in Aberystwyth and he has also exhibited paintings in Western art galleries in Texas since the 1980's.

He lives in Aberystwyth, Wales, with his wife and son and is influenced by the beauty of the rugged landscape and wild weather around him.

http://www.alisoneldred.com/thumbsGordonCrabb-Illustration-0-1.html

Professional Artist and Illustrator with extensive experience in publishing, fashion, advertising, television, and retail industries for over 25 years, Nick Backes is known for creating classic, realistic images for a diverse clientele. Accomplished in pencil, pastels, and oil, he was honored in the Society of Illustrators Show in New York City with work in the Society’s Thirty-First Annual of American Illustration. He has also additional experience in theater art.

 
OK - Let's Talk, 18" x 24"

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“I’ve never liked my work,” Backes said. “I don’t think it’s good. I prefer other artists, and like different styles than what I do.” Despite Backes’ personal opinion, for decades the 58-year-old Oklahoma City native has made a career out of creating art for those who see his work in a much different light.

Nick Backes lives and works in Oklahoma City, OK, and formerly was a San Francisco's resident. He attended Academy of Art, San Francisco, CA, and previously University of Central Oklahoma, Edmond, OK. He served as Designer and Illustrator for OKLAHOMA EDUCATIONAL TELEVISION AUTHORITY (OETA) while attending Central State University on full scholarship. Backes studied art as his major, while minoring in theater. It was several years after moving out from his strict childhood home and only a couple of years after graduating from college when Backes truly found himself in the midst of a successful profession. With a confident mindset, Backes moved to San Francisco to launch what would become a whirlwind career. “I thought I may be famous,” Backes said. Within a week of job hunting and a quick skim through the phone book, Backes had an artist agent and a job with Levi Strauss.

He illustrates books for The Pleasant Company, a division of Mattel, Inc., including the art for the “Molly” books in the American Girls Collection. He slso worked with Bantam Books and Dell Publishing Company.

 

( fashion art ) 

He was commissioned by Italian couture designer, Valentino, to illustrate fashions in the 1983-1985 international advertising campaigns for HOUSE OF VALENTINO, Rome, Italy. Backes’ eyes still twinkle when thinking back to working in Italy with the famed designer. “It was thrilling to be in the Couture House with Audrey Hepburn in the next room, and to touch and feel Brooke Shields’ dress,” Backes said. “It was a whole new world; I was so innocent and had never traveled that far. But I got used to it pretty fast!”

Experiencing first-hand the damage and distress caused by the 1989 earthquake, Backes reevaluated his living conditions and decided to move back to his childhood home of Oklahoma City. “It was a traumatic experience,” Backes recollected, thinking back to the earthquake. “It’s odd to not be able to cross a bridge, or to fear going up to the 20th floor to see a dentist. I had a first aid kit and a suitcase by my bed – that’s crazy.” Moving back to Oklahoma, Backes found himself closer to family and friends, and comfortable in the familiar setting. The opportunity to continue working in theater gave Backes the ability to hone his acting skills while designing and painting sets for Carpenter Theatre. But as the years passed and new technology developed, Backes realized he must reevaluate his career as well if he wanted any kind of future in the business.

 

( publishing works )

“The advent of the computer has almost erased all jobs,” Backes said. “It was an era that kind of went away.” Always ready to try something new, Backes looked at this as an opportunity to jumpstart his career and to delve into art in which he had little experience. While computers have made finding work much more difficult, Backes remains optimistic, and has turned to new challenges, including oil painting and murals.

Though work may be slower these days, Backes does not plan to add technology to his current successful duo of pencil and/or paints and old-fashioned creative ability. “I don’t like computer art at all,” he said. “Machines and technology, I just don’t have a sense for them. I’ve worked my whole life to get where I am now, and it’s very hard to try to start a new career.”

While Backes looks for new clients, he spends his spare time painting for art shows, a rare occasion when he can create whatever art he wants. For Backes’ latest art show, oil paintings dotted the walls, breaking away from the customary drawings that have always driven forward his career. “I liked doing oil paintings because I never do it,” Backes said. “It takes techniques I’m not used to, and it’s freer and less restricted.”

The future of Backes’ art may be uncertain, but one thing is clear – he will always be ready for a new challenge, and is almost undeniably going to conquer it. “I love what I do because I can do some things that a lot of people can’t do,” Backes said. “It’s very nice to be born with something that can make you a living, and I feel very lucky.”

http://www.nickbackes.com/

Original Interview: http://distinctlyoklahoma.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=299&Itemid=62

"I'll get right to the point - this is a confession of my lifelong desire to make fantasy and paranormal images. Originally a painter (RISD grad '90), I made the switch to digital media in graduate school (School of Visual Arts '01). It was a daunting transition at first but now it's an equally obsessive process.

 
Succubus

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Creating images that the authors feel translates their original vision, offering a window into that world for the reader, is as much fun as I've ever had. I work hard and work constantly to ensure that I'm always working on these otherworldly assignments.

I'm a full-time illustrator living in Chelsea with my wife Bethany and our cat, Chica." Gene Mollica

Partial Client List
Dutton Books, NAL, Signet, ROC, ACE, Del-Rey, Random House, HarperCollins EOS, HarperCollins Children's, Simon & Schuster, Little, Brown & Company, Grove Atlantic

http://www.genemollica.com/

Mel Odom (born 1950) is an American artist who has created book covers for numerous novels, notably several books by fantasy author Guy Gavriel Kay such as The Fionavar Tapestry trilogy, Tigana, A Song for Arbonne, and The Lions of Al-Rassan. Odom is also the designer of the Gene Marshall collectible fashion doll.


Mouth to Mouth or Arrangement, 1979, Blueboy Magazine

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Odom was born in Richmond Virginia and grew up in Ahoskie, North Carolina, where his parents nurtured his interests in drawing and in dolls. He majored in fashion illustration at Virginia Commonwealth University and pursued some graduate studies in England before moving to New York City in 1975.

His distinctively elegant Art Deco-like style quickly established him as a successful commercial artist, at first via erotic illustrations for sexually-oriented magazines such as Blueboy, Viva, and Playboy, the last of which named him their "Illustrator of the Year" in 1980. In the same year, he provided the cover art for Edmund White's novel Nocturnes for the King of Naples, which opened his path to a wider audience.


Richard Adams, Maia, ©1986 Signet

( more covers )

During the 1980s, his work achieved success in many commercial media. He created album covers for CBS Records and book covers for numerous other novels, usually in the genres of fantasy, mystery, or horror. He provided illustrations for the science/science-fiction magazine OMNI and (in 1989) a front cover for Time magazine. He also received professional recognition from his peers, receiving the Society of Illustrators's Gold Medal (Editorial category) in 1982 and a Silver Medal (Book category) in 1987.

In 1990, he designed a cosmetic facepaint for Mdvanii, a 25cm limited-edition collector's fashion doll. Although his design was ultimately not used for Mdvanii's actual production, the experience renewed his childhood interest in dolls and led him to create a doll of his own, the 15.5" Gene Marshall.


Item # 92062, Slender Threads, Gene Marshall® Dressed Doll, Gene Marshall Convention XIII Exclusive, Limited Edition of 300

( more dolls )

Gene Marshall's appearance, wardrobes, and elaborate backstory are modelled on the glamour of Hollywood's golden age from the 1920s through 1950s. The doll made its commercial debut at the 1995 Toy Fair and was an immediate success, creating a wider market for large, fully-articulated collector's fashion dolls in contrast to the slightly smaller and less flexible Barbie doll. Since then, Odom has largely concentrated his professional pursuits on the Gene Marshall doll, regularly modifying her design to create new variations and creating similar companion dolls to share her world, such as Gene's "co-stars" Madra Lord, Violet Waters, and Trent Osborn.

Odom continues to attend doll collectors' conventions to make personal appearances and buy dolls for his own collection, as well as to support charitable causes. Of his early friends in the art world, he estimates that two-thirds of them died of AIDS in the 1980s before the awareness and treatment of the disease became better known. At a 1997 doll convention entirely devoted to Gene Marshall, a charity auction of uniquely modified Gene dolls raised more than $30,000 for Gay Men's Health Crisis, an AIDS service organization. (From Wikipedia)

""If you're having fun, you're doing it wrong" - Fred Fixler - The only advice Fred gave us which I didn't take to heart.

Several decades ago, with the original intention of drawing super-heroes, I started serious art study with retired illustrator, Fred Fixler. Fred was a highly skilled illustrator best known for painting movie posters ( Comedy of Terrors, Pit and the Pendulum, Man with the X-ray Eyes, Burn Witch Burn, House of Usher, Hercules- Unchained, Where the Boys Are, etc...). and elegant pretty girls. Fred had been a student of Frank Reilly and Robert Beverly Hale at the Art Students' League, with fellow classmates James Bama, Robert Maguire and Clark Hulings, among many others.


Summer Treat

( Glen Orbik )

After a few years, I took over many of Fred's classes at the school he started when he retired from teaching and have continued off and on for over 20 years. While at school I met future partner and sometimes collaborator, Laurel Blechman, a fellow Fixler student and teacher. I've been lucky enough to work on everything from book covers to movie posters, collectable lithographs and plates, to video games and comic books. I've gotten to do covers for such authors as Stephen King and Ray Bradbury.

I've painted retro detectives, femme fatales, fantasy heroes, Sci-Fi rockets & Jedi's, western bandits and Hammer-style vampires. I'm a major fan of classic magazine illustration (who isn't ?), pulp paperback art, and film- noir.

A short, incomplete list of artistic influences (and a chance to name-drop...): Robert McGinnis, Gil Elvgren, Dean Cornwell, Mead Schaeffer,Andrew Loomis, John Buscema... and a healthy dose of Norman Rockwell

Partial client list: DC Comics, Vertigo, Marvel Comics, Warner Bros., Clampett Studios, Universal Pictures, Sony, Avon Books, Berkley Books, cRandom House, Del Rey, Hard Case Crime, and TSR / Dungeons and Dragons." Glen Orbik

---

""If it takes doing 100,000 drawings to get to the good ones, you'd better get started." - Fred Fixler

When I was a classical musician, I used to do art for relaxation - those days are gone. After trying several different art instructors, I was lucky enough to find Fred Fixler. Beyond being astounded by his drawing skills, his practical approach to teaching art really struck a cord with my own musical training. As a professional illustrator, Fred's working methods (and now our's) were very simailar to Norman Rockwell's (also a former student at the Art Student's League in NY). We do extensive research, where my background in costuming often comes in handy. ( I make Glen build the props.) Our back room is a melange of costumes, props (anyone need a Galatus helmet?), scrap files & my old comic book collection.


Roslyn's War

( Laurel Blechman )

My first artistic influences were the decorative styles of artists like Aubrey Beardsley and Alphonse Mucha and the bold compositions of the early poster artists like Ludwig Hohlwein. Any partial list of major art influences would definitely include James Bama, Mead Schaefer, Bernini, Ingres, and 50's & 60's illustrators like Coby Whitmore and Al Parker who pushed the compostional envelope. And for great compostions you can't beat old black & white film noir and classic Westerns-- at least that's what I have told my students.

Partial client list: DC Comics, Marvel Comics, Berkley Books, Scholastic Books, 20th Century Fox, Bic, Penzoil, Screen Writers Guild, California Bar Association" Laurel Blechman

http://www.orbikart.com/

For all romance fans, the name of Victor Gadino maybe says nothing, but he is the cover artist for some of the most famous romance savage covers like Prisoner of My Desire (just the title!) of Johanna Lindsey and Lord of the Wolves by Heather Graham. But what probably most of the romance readers don't know, is that Victor Gadino is also the cover artist for the first novels by Gordon Merrick, like The Quirk. Plus he is also a very appreciated artist for movie posters and collectible items related to the movie industry. Victor Gadino is also a gay themed artist, hosted in important Gay Art Foundations.


The Magic Pill, 20 x 24, Original drawings in graphite of Angels

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( Victor Gadino's covers for Gordon Merrick )

Victor is an award winning artist who holds an MFA from Pratt Institute. His work has appeared in the promotion of the top clients of the corporate, publishing, and entertainment worlds, and awards received include one from The Hollywood Reporter for his work on prominent movie posters. He has created album covers for various artists, posters for Broadway plays, and collectibles for the Bradford Exchange, and Franklyn Mint. His work has been featured in several publications including Aphrodisia II -the art of the female form,Direct Art Magazine Volume 14,Treasures from the Permanent Collection of the Leslie Lohman Foundation,and Dirty Little Drawings published by Bruno Gmunder.He also accepts portrait commissions and his work can be found in the collections of Mr. Goerge Lucas, Mr. Clint Eastwood, Mr. Alan Alda, the Tisch family, and other prominent New York City families.

Clients: American Express, Disney, General Foods, Harper Collins, Hearst, Lucas Films, MGM, NBC, Paramount, Playboy, Random House, RJ Reynolds, Seagrams, Sony, Time Warner, United Artists, Universal

Recognized as the most prolific and popular Science Fiction artist worldwide, FRANK KELLY FREAS has illustrated stories by some of Science Fiction's greatest writers: Isaac Asimov, Robert Heinlein, Arthur C. Clarke, A. E. Van Vogt, Poul Anderson, and Frederik Pohl, to name a few. Nominated an unprecedented twenty times, Freas was the first to receive ten Hugo Awards (World Science Fiction "Oscars") for achievement in the field as Best Professional Artist.



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He has been active in the Science Fiction field since 1950. In the course of his remarkable career, his endeavors have covered many areas including MAD Magazine covers from 1955 to 1962. An official NASA mission artist, his space posters hang in the Smithsonian. He was commissioned by the Skylab I astronauts to design their crew patch.

You can find his art on record and CD albums (for instance his cover for Queen's first two million sale: News of the World, or on the cover of DC Comics' 1992 STAR TREK ANNUAL. He painted beautiful women on the noses of World War II bombers, as well as portraits of five hundred saints for the Franciscans. He's also been commissioned to create biomedical art. Author and illustrator of the books The Astounding Fifties, Frank Kelly Freas: The art of Science Fiction, and A Separate Star, as well as a number of magazine articles, he now resides in the Los Angeles area.

http://www.kellyfreas.com/

Dawn Kimberling lives in Bellingham, Washington with her partner, Nicole Kimberling, two bad cats and approximately 100,000 bees. She is the cover artist for Wicked Gentlemen, Tangle XY and The Archer's Heart, the first three books published by Blind Eye Books, where Nicole is an editor.



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Franco Accornero is one of the "name" of romance cover artists, with Daeni or Duilio. So many covers and stepbacks that is almost impossible to list. Unfortunately, he has not an official website, but I recently bought his Postcard Book with wonderful covers in postcard format.

Caught in the webs of passion lovers surrender to their feverish desires on these romance novel covers. In an all-new extra-large format this postcard collection will make for a steamy and romantic correspondence.



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If you are a romance collector like me, you can buy it here:

Unbridled Passion Postcard Book

"Un croquis vaut mieux qu un long discours." ~ Napoleon.

"A picture is worth a thousand words" as Fortin and Sanders can attest. Recognized widely throughout the art world and romance industry alike for their innovative fine art in book cover illustration, Cherif Fortin and Lynn Sanders introduce an entirely new concept to the romance publishing industry.



( more pics )

They integrate beautiful, photographic oil paintings to illustrate their first novella, Passion's Blood. This mix of photography with layer upon layer of oils and lacquer glazing depicts romantic, historical imagery so vivid and realistic a story begs to be told. And so, inevitably, they do just that. Fortin and Sanders combine literary imagination with their internationally recognized painting style to introduce a new sub-genre unlike any in existence in the romance industry to date. The powerful illustrations they create coupled with the classic romantic story beautifully portray the pageantry and chivalry of the medieval period in history. Their innovative talent not only adds an entirely new dimension to the romance reading experience, but offers romance readers a treasure to cherish long after other novels are forgotten.

( Cherif Fortin )

( Lynn Sanders )

http://www.fortinandsanders.com/

http://romancereaderatheart.com/authors/fortinsanders/

Eric is known for his thought provoking content and for the mastery of his craft. The work provides a beautifully rendered visual that provokes the viewer and pulls them in for closer inspection. His paintings often deal with people and their relationships. The trials and adversities that they strive to overcome, exaggerated and blown out of proportion. His work gives a loose narrative of characters caught in a world their own. The imagery is quiet and dynamic often with a touch of melancholy and soft surrealism.

 
Oliver Nocturne

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Eric is an artist based out of Columbus, Ohio. He received his BFA from Columbus College of Art and Design where he was honored with the Outstanding Senior Award upon graduation. His work continued to garner acclaim with the acceptance into such prestigious annual competitions as The Society of Illustrators NY and LA as well as Spectrum and others. He was the Artist Guest of Honor for ConGlomeration and was recently awarded the Jack Gaughan Award for Best Emerging Artist of 2009.

Currently Eric is focusing his efforts on personal paintings and upcoming gallery shows. He has shown or will be showing at the Opera Gallery (NY), Copro Nason Gallery (LA), LeBasse Projects (LA), Roq La Rue Gallery (Seattle), Ad Hoc Arts (NY), Gallery 1988 (LA), and many others.

http://www.ericfortune.com/

"Born April 4th, I am a photographer, designer, illustrator and big idea guy currently living in Toronto, Ontario.

I've been brought up on a diet of TV, comic books, action figures and make-believe, shaping my passion for pop culture and the inspiration I find in the world around me.

I also like woodgrain, all things vintage and shiny things!" Blake Morrow



( more pics )

http://www.blakemorrow.ca/

"I was born in Boston, and before I was conscious to my surrounding, I was suburbanized for eighteen comfortable years in Andover, Massachusetts. My love and propensity for math, science and the making of art sent me off to colloge at Rice University in Houston where I earned a dual degree in architecture and fine art, and in the provess, became an avid comics and fantasy art collector. For several years I practiced architecture while my desire to make art was subverted into art collecting. In 1989 I tracked down Rick Berry and Phil Hale with whom I began late night collaborative painting over beer and Irish whiskey. Seduced by the charm and glamour of image making, I derailed my salaried full time day job as an award-winning architect to have some MORE FUN and feed my creative spirit making images. You can see printed work in Showcase 23 and 24, The Workbook 23, and in SPECTRUM: The Best in Contemporary Fantastic Art volumes 4,5,6,7 and 9. So what is it that I'm doing in the world of illustration?... good question... I'm still thinking about that one... daily... and slowly, I think it may be coming together.


James Dean - Tor Books

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I live and work in my studio in Boston with my wife and 7 year old son. We love the urban life and walk everywhere.

I'm far more influenced by modern day sci-fi film noir than by illustration in the industry today. I certainly tend toward the painterly in non-digital illustration. I admire the work of Berry and Hale, Kent Williams, John Muth, Dave McKean, and George Pratt. I love the art of Caravaggio, Egon Schiele, John Singer Sargeant, Robert Graham and Odd Nerdrum.

To create photo/digital images, I often tackle a piece from the ground up with photo-collage in the computer. Recently, when time allows, I've been painting on archival digital prints of photo-collaged images for the final piece. I love oil painting as well, and when I have a break, I'm back to my easel. My paint style tends to be far more "loose" than my photo/digital style. I like to "see the medium" when working traditionally. I occasionally work in traditional media and "go digital", largely oils or pencil scanned into the computer where I add photo-source images and work it to some degree with color, filter and lighting manipulations... MIXED MEDIA. I'm finding recently, that the specifics of media are becoming much less important to me." Dave Seeley

http://www.daveseeley.com/

Tonight I will post in advance my cover artist post since tomorrow I will have limited internet connection. This week artist is Eiris Key. She worked for eXtasy Books doing some covers with a clear Yaoi influence.



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I didn't find many info about her on the net, only an Anime Art Commission website that eventually you can contact:

http://www.altiz-studio.com/

Dan Skinner is the owner of Cerberus Inc., specialized in Photoshop cover art.

With five years of photography and working as a cover artist for over twenty-seven print and electronic publishers, Dan Skinner brings a unique digital combination of original photographs and creative art to, among others, Cobblestone Press and Dreamspinner Press. This young (more or less 30 years old) St. Louis artist, inspired by the art of Boris Vallejo, is recognized by his vivid use of color and the intense emotional expressions of the characters on his covers.



( more pics )

He also tried his hand with a novella, that had quite a bit of autobiographical connotations, Coverboy, released by Dreamspinner Press (http://elisa-rolle.livejournal.com/369530.html)

http://danthedanimal.deviantart.com/

"...I guess it all started with the dinosaurs.

I mean the ones I began drawing in the margins of my school books as a kid. Later on, I found more legitimate (or at least structured) expression in art classes, and the influence of friends and instructors led to further interests in sketching and painting, and years later to the possibilities of digital rendering programs which allowed me to create three dimensional models and environments. My graphite renderings usually depict historical, mythological or fantasy themes, while my colour work (CGI and otherwise) tends toward science fiction and space images.

 
The Canals of Mars, Dandelion Magazine, June 2005

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My work has been well received at art shows, and have won distinctions for my graphite and digital renderings. My drawing style has its roots in architectural rendering, and has further evolved through the application of sharp focus drawing techniques. Visual (and literary) influences and sources of inspiration are many and varied, and include Michael Whelan, James Gurney, Arthur C. Clarke, and Frank Herbert, among others." Dan J. O'Driscoll

http://www.djostudio.com/

Proud to have a place in the hearts of women for 60 years

NEW YORK and TORONTO, April 6 /PRNewswire/ -- In celebration of Harlequin's 60th anniversary, the internationally recognized publisher is sponsoring an exhibition of original cover art that will focus not only on the changing shape of desire and fantasy but also on the social meaning and context of these images. THE HEART OF A WOMAN: Harlequin Cover Art 1949--2009 debuts at the Openhouse Gallery in New York City on May 29, 2009, and will be on view until June 12, 2009.



By presenting 60 years of cover artwork, the exhibition offers a unique insight into the profound transformations that have occurred in women's lives over the past six decades. These changes have been captured and reflected on the front of Harlequin novels--from shifts in private desires to shifts in the politics of gender. Although it is the stories of romance that charm the hearts of so many women, it is the artwork on the book covers that offers the first tantalizing hint of the pleasures that await between the covers.

The show also spotlights some of the notable names who created these stirring pieces and how the artistic process itself has changed over the decades. Over a hundred original works of art will be displayed, from Harlequin's beginnings in 1949 to the present day.

( vintage cover art )

Elizabeth Semmelhack is the head curator at a major museum in Toronto. As an independent curator, she has curated exhibitions at the Museum of Sex in New York and the St. Louis Art Museum. She has also been a consultant to the Costume Institute at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. She is the author of Heights of Fashion.

Harlequin Enterprises Limited is the global leader in series romance and one of the world's leading publishers of women's fiction, with titles issued worldwide in 28 languages and sold in 114 international markets. The company produces over 120 titles monthly and publishes more than 1,100 authors from around the world. Harlequin's Web site is located at www.eHarlequin.com. Harlequin has offices in 19 countries, including offices in Toronto, New York and London. For more information please visit www.eHarlequin.com or press.eHarlequin.com.

( vintage cover art )

Event:
THE HEART OF A WOMAN:
Harlequin Cover Art 1949-2009
Openhouse Gallery
201 Mulberry Street
New York (Soho), NY
Private Event: May 29
Open to Public: May 30-June 12

SOURCE Harlequin Enterprises Limited

Marleah Stout, Senior Manager, Public Relations, Harlequin Enterprises Limited, +1-416-391-7009, marleah_stout@harlequin.ca; or for press inquiries: marleah_stout_press@harlequin.ca

( vintage cover art )

Elaine Gignilliat (pron. Jen'-a-lat' ) is one of the foremost romance book cover artists. She has painted covers for over 350 romance books representing more than 150 authors including her latest work. She is also a painter of portraits of adults and children, animals, still life, and landscapes.

In 2003 she built her house and studio, and she decorated it with her book cover paintings, portraits of some of her favorite models and collector plates for which she did the original paintings.



( more pics )

"I decided to move from New York to Georgia in 1986 so I could have a house, impossible in Manhattan, where I'd have far more space and light (not to mention bird song instead of traffic noise). I've been able to continue doing covers (over 350 at last count) for many of the same publishers and some new ones, thanks to Robert Osonitsch who has done the photographing of the models for all of my covers. The only difference is that now, I write my requests all around the sketch, such as model choices, costumes, color backdrop, lighting, mood, idea of the story to share with the models, and he does a great job as always. I also owe thanks to good old Federal Express - totally reliable and fast. I've also been doing advertising illustrations for clients such as Readers' Digest Music, Guide Post Song Books, Paramount Pictures, Delta Airlines, Dewar's, and others, paintings for editorial use by T.V. Guide, The Washington Post Weekly Magazine, and paintings for Collector plates for The Bradford Exchange and The Danbury Mint.

( Read more... )

http://www.romancebookcoverart.com/

Daniel Dociu was raised in Cluj, the capital of Transylvania in Romania. After studying art and architecture, he got his Masters in Industrial Design from the Academy of Fine Arts in Cluj. He moved to the USA in 1990 after spending two years in Athens, and he has lived in the Seattle area since 1991.

 
Crescent Street - © Arena Net

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After working as a toy designer for two years, Dociu wisely jumped ship to interactive entertainment. “I’ve been working as an Art Director in the games industry ever since,” says Dociu, “for companies like Squaresoft, Electronic Arts (twice!), and Zipper Interactive. I have done consulting for Microsoft and freelance work for Wizards of the Coast, Digital Anvil as well as a fair share of small developers who have come and gone.”

For the past five years, Daniel Dociu has been with ArenaNet, a fully owned subsidiary of NCSoft, in an art director and lead concept artist role. More recently he's stepped into the Chief Art Director role for NCsoft, overseeing visual development for NCsoft's North American projects, with particular focus on ArenaNet's Guild Wars 2.

http://www.tinfoilgames.com/

Cory and Catska Ench are artists who happen to be married. Perhaps they were attracted to one anther’s art as much as to one another, because their visions are strangely complimentary.
 
Much of their work is illustrative, Cory’s tending toward complex fantasy, Catska’s towards the idealized human figure and landscape. These very talented painters must spend hours and days on their individual canvases. Each is rendered with meticulous care and precision.



( more pics )
 
Cory is an internationally recognized artists and designer with over 20 years of experience. He’s a fine artist, and illustrator, a digital artist, a muralist, and has done poster work for festivals such as Burning Man and Oregon Country Fair. His work is often on the cover of fantasy and science fiction magazines and books. Although he holds a degree in art, Cory says “I consider myself self-taught as in computer and representational painting.
 
Catska was born in Uzbekistan in 1978 and was trained as a child in her mother’s classical atelier. She has continued to study art independently through careful observation of nature, painting from life and learning from collaborative work with her husband.
 
Over the last eight years the couple has worked on various commissions that include cover art for Fantasy and Science Fiction Magazine. Their most recent awards include a Chesley Award, 2008 (Best Magazine Cover), Spectrum 12 and Spectrum 14: The Best in Contemporary Fantastic Arts; and Seattle, WA Norwescon 30 “Best of Show” and “People’s Choice Best in Show” awards.

http://www.enchgallery.com/

Born in London in 1955 of Scottish descent, Adrian Chesterman M.A.RCA was educated at the William Harvey School in Kent. It was here that he first discovered his burning passion for the visual arts. This flame was further fanned at Rochester College of Design and subsequently at Norwich School of Art where he gained an honorary Bachelor of Arts degree and a place at the Royal College of Art in London for a post-graduate, Master-of-Arts, degree course. Since leaving college, Chesterman has worked in just about every sphere of the two- dimensional art world; Illustrator, portraitist, fine artist, lecturer and gallery owner.



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Chesterman the illustrator has worked for just about everyone on just about everything... just about everywhere. Film Publicity art for Spielberg in Los Angeles, to stage-set art for Lloyd-Weber in Frankfurt. Advertising commissions from Singapore Airlines in Singapore, to Busch Beer in St.Louis. From Pioneer in Paris, to Southern Sun Hotels in Capetown, Fruit juice packaging in Kuala Lumpur, to postage stamps in Dar es Salaam. From Rolls-Royce in Derby, to the Mars corporation in Slough... in case you thought this was sounding too glamorous! From British Airways to Barclay´s Bank, Texaco to Teacher´s and Macdonald´s to Macdonell-Douglas. From DC Comics to CIC Video. BBC to ITV. KLM to IBM. P&O... lots more you know!

An entire book on dinosaurs published this year. Book covers from Jackie Collins to Dick Francis. Album covers from Motorhead to Monty Python. An illustrated music video for the Eurythmics and even an illustrated guitar for Adam and the Ants.

Working with a mixed-media style he developed himself, Chesterman combines inks, gouache and Caran d´Ache pencils with airbrush and scraper-board techniques to create lively and colourful images, with a realism that leaves most computer- generated art standing.

http://www.adrianchesterman.com/

http://www.chestermanart.com/

Dan Brown is a "classical" cover artist. Those artists who painted in oil from sketches, and whose covers sometime were better than the book where they were put on.



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Anyway no much info about him, if not a website, where you can see both his works as cover artist than illustrator:

http://www.danbrownstudio.com/

I am the Art Director for Dreamspinner Press, which is my full time "night" job. Dreamspinner Press uses cover art from a variety of sources - original artwork, stock photos, specially commissioned photos, and work from freelance cover artists. As Art Director my responsibilities include selecting, recommending, or creating the art as well as designing the text elements, layout, color scheme, etc. I and my staff work with information supplied by each author for this process, and we spend a lot of time making sure the covers are as wonderful as we can make them.
 


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Art has been a huge part of my life, since I was old enough to hold a crayon! I paint (acrylics and oils), draw, I'm learning leatherworking, I dabble at photography, and Repoussé (metal working) is my hobby. For years I taught acrylic painting classes and loved it. With the advent of the online communities I was drawn to all the lovely banners and headers, icons, and the beautiful art on the web pages. It became my passion! Unable to resist it, I mentored with a professional graphic designer to master Photoshop and InDesign. Now I get to combine my years and years of art experience and my sharp computer graphics skills to create our covers at Dreamspinner Press. Every cover is truly a labor of love.

I am enclosing five covers (as per your request):
 
A Note in the Margin - the story touched my heart.
 
To Love a Cowboy - This was my very first cover and to date my favorite by far.
 
Diplomacy - The story title describes this cover for me one.
 
Irish Winter - Ireland close to my heart.
 
Picture Perfect - Because I love it.

-- Mara McKennen

http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/

Again I'm happy to have as my guest an artist that some of my friends maybe remember from my previous post. Paul Richmond and his Cheesecake Boys already graced the page of my LiveJournal, but today Paul is come back again to tell us something more about him and also about his new experience as cover artist. He is the talented cover artist for the recent released book Zero At The Bone by Jane Seville and in the next future he will collaborate with MLR Press.

( Self Illusion )


Contemplating His Dharma

Elisa: Can you tell us something more about you and how you decided to become an artist?

Paul: As a child, when I wasn’t prancing around the house wearing my blanket as a skirt and pretending to be a Disney princess, I was at the dining room table drawing. My mom brought home big stacks of scrap computer paper from work and claims I turned out about two hundred drawings a day. I’m really grateful that my parents encouraged my artistic ambitions (if not my Disney princess ones). They even sought the mentorship of a local artist, Linda Regula, who took me under her wing when I was only three years old. Besides being a wonderful teacher, Linda also became my first real-live diva role model! She encouraged creative expression and storytelling on canvas, which were great outlets during the rocky times I encountered as a blossoming gay boy in a repressed, conservative environment. I always took great pride in my art and in my identity as an artist. This helped balance some of the shame I was learning to feel about myself otherwise. Looking back, I believe it was during this challenging period of my young adult life that I made the decision to pursue art as a career.

( The Cher Within )

Elisa: I browsed your website and saw two main galleries, Paintings and Cheesecake Boys, and they are quite different in style from one another. So, what are the techniques you use for both of them? Are they really as different as it appears? And what inspired you to create the Cheesecake Boys? (BTW they are so cute ;-) )

Paul: The “Paintings” section houses my fine artwork, which combines personal narrative, a little political commentary, pop-culture influence, and a healthy sprinkling of glitter (when it’s called for)! When I graduated from college and finally came out of the closet, I used art to examine that journey and tell the story of my subsequent transformation into an out and proud, bona fide homosexual.

The pieces in the “Cheesecake Boys” gallery also tell a story, one that involves sexy men who just can’t seem to keep their clothes on! They’re my nod to the classic pin-up paintings from the ‘40s and ‘50s that depicted women in hilariously contrived scenes of underwear-exposing peril. I thought it would be fun to turn the tables and come up with some similarly creative predicaments for the boys!

With all of my work, I tend to straddle the fence between illustration and fine art. If I were a Cheesecake Boy, I’d probably rip my pants on that fence! I approach most projects very similarly, whether they’re for a fine art or commercial purpose, by focusing first on the story I’m trying to tell. I develop the image through a series of sketches (using digital means or good old-fashioned pencil and paper) before I sketch it on canvas. If figures are involved, I’ll take reference photos too, which usually means coercing my reluctant partner, Dennis, to pose for me. He’s such a cutie, and I love when I can talk him into modeling! If he’s feeling too dignified for a particular concept, sometimes I’ll ask other friends or just set the self-timer and jump in front of the camera myself. All in a day’s work! The last step, of course, is to paint it, and I do most of my pieces these days in oil.

( Room With a View )

Elisa: I understand that the cover art world is quite new for you. How did you approach it? What are your projects for the future? Any new collaboration, like the one with MLR Press, of which you can say something more?

Paul: Since my work seems to be getting gayer and gayer (“the gayest painting of our time” according to a humorous article on towleroad.com), gay fiction seems like a natural fit!

Through my website, I’ve been able to share my portfolio with a much broader audience which has opened the door for some exciting opportunities. That was how Puerto Rican author Carlos Vázquez Cruz discovered my painting “Not Just a Closet” last year and came to license it for his gay fiction novel Dos Centímetros de mar (Two Sea Centimeters) published by Librería Isla.

Another recent project I really enjoyed was producing a book of my own called Ins and Outs: A Collection that presents some of my most personal, gay-themed paintings along with stories about their inspiration. The book also includes a touching foreword by my friend, the amazingly talented painter Melissa Forman.

Just last week, my good friend Jane Seville released a wonderful gay thriller novel called Zero at the Bone through Dreamspinner Press, for which I was thrilled to illustrate the cover. It’s a must-read!

As you mentioned, I’m also currently working on illustrating a book for MLR Press called The Golden Age of Gay Fiction. It's a collection of essays from gay icons discussing the impact of pulp novels on gay culture. In doing research, I’ve been highly entertained by some of the fabulous cover art created throughout the pulp genre’s history, and I’d love to find ways of continuing that tradition through more cover projects of my own in the future.

( Ins & Outs )

( Zero at the Bone )

Elisa: I read that you will have two artworks in the coming soon art book by Bruno Gmunder, Stripped Uncensored. Can you tell us something more? What type of artwork did they choose?

Paul: I loved the work in the first Stripped anthology, so I was honored that they asked me to participate in this new “Uncensored” edition. They chose two of my paintings: “The Clearing” and “The Greatest is Love,” and I enjoyed teasing Dennis about becoming a star of the erotic art world because he’s featured prominently in both.

“The Clearing” depicts both of us standing against a railing looking out into a vast, open space. It was inspired by a weekend getaway to a remote cabin in the woods where we could escape the daily grind and really focus on connecting with each other. The painting also represents reaching that point in our relationship where we were able to set aside the baggage from our pasts and start intentionally creating something new and wonderful together. “The Greatest is Love” represents my hope that the love shared by so many LGBTQ couples will one day eclipse the entanglement of church/state that has kept us from enjoying the same legal rights as our straight counterparts.

Honestly, I hadn’t really applied the term ‘erotic’ to either painting prior to the Stripped invitation, only because I was more focused on their respective stories. Of course, in both pieces, you also have pantless boys in love – so I can certainly see how the erotic label isn’t much of a stretch!

I’m really excited to be included in this anthology and am looking forward to seeing the contributions of the other artists!

( The Clearing )


The Greatest Is Love

Elisa: And now Paul, if you want to add something else, my LiveJournal is white paper for you...

Paul: Thank you so much for helping share my work with your readers! The most meaningful experiences I’ve had since I began sharing these paintings have come from connecting with other people who see themselves or aspects of their own journey in my art. Ironically, growing up gay I felt very isolated. It’s been overwhelming to realize how many others can relate to my story.

I know that many young people continue to feel marginalized because of their sexuality today. I wish I could go and personally tell all of them to hang in there, that everything will be ok. Since I can’t, I’m going to keep painting my super-gay paintings and send them out into the world in hopes that they’ll make a difference for someone – or at least remind them that they’re not as alone as they might think.


Forgive Me Father For I Know Not

@Paul’s Website
@Paul’s Blog
@Paul’s Online Store 

"Dos Centímetros de mar":

http://libreriaisla.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=LI&Product_Code=0975545329&Category_Code

"Ins and Outs: A Collection":

http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/detail/477937

"Zero at the Bone":

http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/currenttitles/zeroatthebone/zeroatthebonebuynow.htm

"Stripped Uncensored":

http://www.amazon.com/dp/386787025X?ie=UTF8&tag=brungmue-20&linkCode=as2

To celebrate the "coming back" of False Colors and Transgressions on the Bestselling Lists on Amazon and the official release, that was April 13, this week cover artist is Larry Rostant.

Larry Rostant is one of the most sough after fantasy and historical cover artist of the moment, and even if his work is a manipulation of photos, it's done with taste and in a really effective way.


Cover Art for Wild Geese by Lara Harte

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Larry Rostant's website is very essential, a gallery of previous works and the different manipulations he did to reach the final piece. Nothing else apart a contact email, but it's worth a visit.

http://www.rostant.com/

As far back as I can remember, I wanted to be an artist. As a child, I enjoyed reading comic books that my father gave to me and watching hours and hours of science fiction movies. Not surprisingly, the subject matter of my drawings was mainly monsters, robots, superheroes, and spaceships. My mother and step father, both being fantasy artists themselves, were very encouraging and supportive for me to develop my skill in drawing and allowed me to start taking life drawing classes as early as twelve years old.

For several years this was the focus of my artistic study, until graduating high school and moving to Philadelphia to study traditional painting technique at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Art. Though the Academy emphasized classical style and subject matter, I retained my interest in illustration and began applying myself to both fields. These years of training were augmented by private studies with my parents, as well as occasional sessions with Burt Silverman.

 
Eight of Swords

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After leaving the Academy, I focused on my fine art and portraiture for the next year or two. I was already showing with a Philadelphia gallery (where I continue to show work) and doing the occasional illustration whenever a job would turn up. When not preparing for a gallery show, I persisted in illustrating fantasy and science fiction scenes and refining my portfolio, steadily building towards a career in freelance illustration. Since 2006, illustration has been the main focus of my efforts. Being able to make a living through painting is really all I could ever hope for, and at this point I can’t imagine doing anything else. If those paintings happen to include monsters, robots, superheroes, and spaceships, so much the better!

As a freelance illustrator, I have provided artwork for book covers, collectable card games, comic covers, album covers, film posters, magazine covers, advertisements, and film preproduction and have had my artwork appear in such publications as Spectrum, Heavy Metal, ImagineFX, and 2D Artist Magazine.

My past client list includes Acclaim Entertainment, Black Library, Heavy Metal Magazine, Night Shade Books, Pyr Books, Riley Films, Science Fiction Book Club, Solaris Books, Upper Deck Entertainment, and Wizards of the Coast.

Exhibitions in 2008-2009
2009: Nesting, A.Okay Official, Chicago, IL
2009: Waiting for the Train, Artists House, Philadelphia PA
2008: Small Works, Artists House, Philadelphia PA
2008: Young Guns, Io Gallery, Cornwall CT

http://www.dvpalumbo.com/

David Bowers, born 1956 in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania and graduated from art school in Pittsburgh in 1979. He began working as a staff artist at various studios in Pittsburgh. Two years later, David began teaching at the Art Institute of Pittsburgh where he lectured for ten years. This job was perfect for Bowers at the time due to the short hours in the classroom. These short workdays enabled a lot of free time to perfect his painting technique before he entered the illustration field.
 
In 1991, David began his illustration career working mostly with book publishers in New York City in which he completed over one hundred covers in a span of over ten years. Also, David’s work graced the cover of numerous prominent magazines, including TIME. He also painted the portrait of J.P. Morgan for the cover of Cigar Aficionado, as well as a family portrait of the Rothschild family and the Chateau Latour Winery for the covers of Wine Spectator magazines. These paintings are now part of the company’s permanent collection.


The Ice Princess, Oil

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Bowers’ illustrations received numerous awards including three Joseph Morgan Henniger Awards, “Best of Show” from the Society of Illustrators of Los Angeles along with two Patrick Nagel awards. These awards recognized David with the best, published illustration of the year. Also, David received 9 other medals from that organization. David also has received numerous medals and Merit awards from the Society of Illustrators in New York, Spectrum’s Best of Fantastic Art and Communication Arts Magazine.
 
In the mid 90s Bowers began to focus more on his fine art, splitting his time between his illustration assignments and personal paintings and had his first solo exhibition at James Gallery in Pittsburgh in 1995. An expert in the field once remarked, “His illustration assignments seem to get in his way of his passion for doing his personal paintings.”
 
Since then, Bowers has had exhibitions across America and Europe, including the Mendenhall Gallery in Pasadena, CA; Gallerie 224 in Laguna Beach, The Downey Gallery in Santa Fe, New Mexico and the Halcyon Gallery in London, England.
 
( to read more )

http://www.dmbowers.com/

Donato Giancola is a multiple award winning American artist specializing in science fiction and fantasy illustration.

Born in 1967 and raised in Colchester, Vermont, near Burlington, Vermont, he then lived in Syracuse, New York for 3 years while attending school, then in New York City after graduation, where he currently resides in Brooklyn with his wife and two daughters.

 
"Red Sonja", 21"x29" Oil on Paper on Panel, ©2007 Donato Giancola, collection of Cathy and Arnie Fenner

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At first, Giancola majored in electrical engineering at the University of Vermont, but left for Syracuse University to seriously pursue painting in 1989. He graduated with a fine arts major in 1992.

Giancola describes himself and his work as a 'classical-abstract-realist working with science fiction and fantasy' and lists Hans Memling, Jan Van Eyck, Velázquez, Caravaggio, Vermeer, Piet Mondrian, Rembrandt, Rubens and Titian as his favorite artists. (From Wikipedia)

http://www.donatoart.com/

Since 1993 Craig White Illustration has been providing illustration and design services for the media industry.

Craig's work has appeared in numerous national magazine advertisements, packaging, outdoor, web sites and book covers.



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Craig's work has graced the covers of best-selling authors such as, Robert Ludlum, Vince Flynn, Clive and Dirk Cussler, Laurell K. Hamilton, Sherrilyn Kenyon and others.

An avid surfer and snowboarder, Craig resides in southern California with his beautiful and lovely wife and costantly amazing daughter.

http://www.craigwhiteillustration.com/

Don Sipley is an illustrator who resides in Jersey City. He graduated with a BFA in illustration from the School of Visual Arts, NYC.

Over the years, he has worked for numerous magazines, book publishers and advertising agencies, domestic and abroad. Some noteable Illustration clients include: Vogue Glamour, Harlequin, Entertainment Weekly, KLM Airlines, Footlocker and the Port Authority of NJ.


Bloodline

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"I believe in taking care of myself and a balanced diet and rigorous exercise routine. In the morning if my face is a little puffy I'll put on an ice pack while doing stomach crunches. I can do 1000 now. After I remove the ice pack I use a deep pore cleanser lotion. In the shower I use a water activated gel cleanser, then a honey almond body scrub, and on the face an exfoliating gel scrub. Then I apply an herb-mint facial mask which I leave on for 10 minutes while I prepare the rest of my routine. I always use an after shave lotion with little or no alcohol, because alcohol dries your face out and makes you look older. Then moisturizer, then an anti-aging eye balm followed by a final moisturizing protective lotion." Don Sipley

http://www.dripbook.com/donsipley/splash/