COVER ART // Ekhö volume 10 cover process (Patreon)

Hello my dear Patrons, I hope evryone is fine! I'm finally ending the 10th volume of EKHÖ MirrorWorld, and I'm really happy about this achievement! So I want to share with you the process for creating the cover image, from the first idea to the final drawing, hoping as usual that this will be helpful and/or inspiring for you!

Here we go: 

The story is set in a fantasy China where the main character, Fourmille, is possessed by the ghost of a shaolin monk. I sketched a first drawing with the 3 main characters in front and the ghost in the background. With the writer and the publisher, we decided that a more simple image could be more effective, so I took away two characters and concentrated on Fourmille and the ghost.

I started the definitive drawing on the computer, with the right size and the logo.

Once I'm satisfied with Fourmille, I draw the ghost behind her. I use the pose of the first sketch so it fits with the logo.

I try a first version with the ghost looking at Fourmille, but I think that a eye-closed smiling expression is better.

Once everything is ok, I print the drawing and ink it traditionally with the light table on a very smooth 250g/m paper. The result is the first image!

In the last 4 images I wanted to show tou the structure of the body I used for Fourmille's pose, and the structure of the ghost's body. Note the strong action line ! I wanted the image to be simple but VERY dynamic, as you could see the ghost floating like smoke, and as Fourmille just stopped a moment before the picture was taken, her hair and dress still mouving.

That's it! I will soon show you the coloring steps. The color art will be made by Nolwenn Lebreton, the color artist of all the Ekhö project.

I hope you enjoied this little "tour" :)

hugs

Alessandro