The Book of Three- Cover

Well here's what I'd put on the cover if I were adapting the whole book as a graphic novel. For me this was always one of the coolest parts, when Taran and Eilonwy find the Sword of Drynwyn. Of course, Fflewddur and Gurgi aren't there in Spiral Castle with them when it happens, but I felt like I could throw them in since it's for the cover. Hope you like it! :)

'The Book of Three' character designs

The Book of Three (page 6-8)

Here's the last 3 pages of my adaptation of Chapter 1. Love these books, love these characters, love this world. Hope I can get back to it someday!

Hen Wen

Hen Wen the oracular pig is a scaredy pig!

Cover

Playing around with ideas for the cover...

The Book of Three

Firstly I read and re-read the script several times, trying to pin down the images it evokes in my head. Then I start breaking it down into panels. I draw little thumbnail images next to the text for each panel.

Then I'll do a layout where I figure out how the panels will fit together on the page.

Next I turn to the trusty internets and using image search engines and 3D warehouse, I'll gather everything I can that will either help my drawing or inspire me. In some cases I'll make crude 'sketches' of these images in Photoshop so I can get a sense on how these different elements will work with each other.

Finally, I'll break out the A4 size bristol boards and start drawing using several different pencils, pens, and brushes, to get the desired thick and thin lines.

I'll scan the speech bubbles later and spend several painstaking hours lettering using different fonts. Anyone know a letterer? Gah. And then there's coloring too, using watercolors and photoshop colors together. Coloring is much more fun. I do a base of digital colors, then I scan in several washes of watercolor and play with filters to see how they react with the digital colors underneath.

And now letters! Hand drawn speech bubbles, scanned in, and a font thrown inside...

Prydain on the Brain

I've read and re-read Lloyd Alexander's 'Chronicles of Prydain' many times over the years. They've long been among my favorite books ever. And this year is the 50th Anniversary of the first book, 'The Book of Three.' So here's my fanart! :) In this scene, the wizard Dallben tells Taran the history of Prydain.