Cover for Grant and Morgan Novella (Patreon)

I'm almost through with this novella, or at least a novella for me. HA! And now I am working on the cover. I have what I want in my head but of course there's not a singe stock photo that meets my picture. So I am having to build it and paint it.

Sharon says I should show you the process.

Disclaimer here. I do NOT know if this is going to work, so if I get to a point it's falling apart I'll tell you that I have to give up on this idea or start over, or go with something completely different. 

My idea: A Catalina style sail boat, that's wood, with a Gib sail and main sail, two man type. I want the boat in mid sail going towards a sun rise and I wanted Morgan hanging onto the rigging, specifically the side stays (these are the ropes that secure the mast to keep it from moving) and leaning out off the side of the boat with his hand in the sunlight chasing it.

Yeah, it's a totally unrealistic goal, I mean any sane cover artist would laugh and say no or want 900.00 for it. So far I have spent about 9 hours working on it and I have a looooong way to go.

It took 2 hours or so to find usable photos, or the most usable base photos I could find, which were not ideal, but the best I could come up with.  

These first photos are the pictures I chose to use as my base for the painting and photo stitch. 

P.s. I lucked out on the boat. For as close as it is, it still needs a TON of editing and paint work.