The process behind an illustration

This is the process behind my most recent book cover.
The art director's comments are above each sketch.

The book was originally called The Heart Wish.
The main character lives in Manhattan and works as a seamstress for a high end clothier.
She goes ice skating in Central Park one night and meets some special.

I choose to focus on the first point and drew some seamstresses.
(I draw the sketches by hand and then scan into the computer and alter in photoshop)


"We like seamstress 2.
Can you add a snooty customer and the title?"


Whoops -
The editor has decided we should concentrate on the Skating in Central park.
Can you draw some skaters?




We like 3.
Can you crop it more?

The title has been changed to "I wished for you"! Please change.
Also the heroine has a cat... Please add a cat.


Good. Go to colour.

After a few more colour tweeks the art director Justinia adds the author's name and pull quote.
Here is the final cover. (As you can see the cat didn't make it!)

Book Launch with Misha Glouberman + Sheila Heti


Sheila Heti + Misha Glouberman at last night's launch at the Garrison

Last night's book launch of The chairs are where the people go was very entertaining. I found Misha Glouberman to be insightful, hilariously self deprecating and instantly likable. Sheila Heti was charming, articulate and rocking her librarian chic style as usual.
Here are some favourite lines from the Q + A:

Q: How did the book come about?
Sheila: I just sat down and typed what Misha said. Lucky for me he speaks in fully formed paragraphs.

Q: Is there a main theme to your approach?
Misha: Well I don't wanna say something trite like "flattening of hierarchies' but I guess the answer is hmm... flattening of hierarchies!

Q: What are American Audiences like?
Misha: They used to be very taken with Canada. They'd often ask "Is it true that every Canadian smokes pot and is married to a gay person?!!" That's all changed now that they have a good president and we have bad prime minister.

Q: What would this book be like if it was illustrated?
Misha: It would not be illustrated! It's a book for grown ups! (Said very tongue in cheek)
Uh oh.... I'm gonna be beat up by a graphic novelist as soon as I get off this stage.

Quite great.

New Book Cover


Last fall I worked on a book cover for Penguin Ireland + today it was released in North America.
It's the second in a series by Amy Huberman.
Below was the first in the series.

The art director for both covers was Justinia Baird - Murray of Head Design in the UK and in both cases I did both the illustration and hand lettering.
Tomorrow I'll do a post about the process behind the assignment.