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About the
Cover Art
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I illustrate my covers and interior graphics.
My first foray into book illustration was with with a couple of
international book assignments and a book produced in the US
(more about this on her
illustration website). This eventually led to the creation
of my children’s
picture book titled
Snailsworth, a slow little story.
My background in
anthropology and art came together in Book One, Alysa of the
Fields, in which I created the sci-fi setting for the two
tribes and their ways of life, their dress, culture, legends,
religions, etc. I also created planet Xunar-kun, its
creatures, and the many secrets of the planet’s history. In
addition to writing the stories, I also illustrated the cover
and interior artwork for the novels.
I create my
finished artwork digitally (in Illustrator and Photoshop). This allows
me to
change colors, sizes, positioning, my mind (a lot!), and virtually any
artwork component. I also repurpose the artwork, such as in the
label for the book trailer DVD,
bookmarks,
audio book packaging, website, etc. Visit
Tina
Field Howe Multi-Creative to view a
portfolio of my other work.
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Book One Cover Art
Winner of the 2006 Dream Realm Awards,
Cover Art category.
This cover depicts
where Field Folk Alysa lives: an agricultural community called
“High Point Homestead”. High Point is the northernmost of one of
five cooperative agricultural communities. To the right is the
stream to which Alysa “escapes", and beyond, a deep forest and
its ancient trees. But she is forbidden to cross the stream into
the migratory and “dangerous” Trailmen's territory. In the back,
Winding Mountains dominates. And beyond, the moons - Donol-kul
and Nanthan-kul - reach fingers of light into the darkness.
Alysa’s wistful expression speaks volumes: troubled thoughts
stir her teenage emotions.
In the left back of the
artwork, we see the Great Hall, where the ‘steaders congregate
and where their oral history is passed to the children. Many
terraced fields flank the steep hillsides, and udommo graze on a
meadow. The circular, ghosted image is a representation of
the “Planting Calendar”, the icon by which the Field Folk plan
both their planting schedule and their lives. The dark sky and
stars fade in the light of the moons.
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Book One Cover Art
Book
One Trailer
Purchase
Purchase a poster
based
on the bookcovers from
ImageKind.
Sizes starting at 8” x 10". |
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The spine gives a
detailed view of a tree alien to
earthlings, and plays host to orange fungi and a
blue-green “rockhopper”.
View the full cover of Book One
without type.
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Check out the fanart by Meredith Gaylo!
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Book Two Cover Art
Book two shows Alysa (5 years older) and Trailman
Szaren on a journey outside the mountains, on a point high above
the newly discovered lands to the south. Evidence of an ancient
war, cataclysmic land shifts and devastation are apparent
throughout. They are accompanied by Szaren’s peltee, Drongo (or
is Szaren Drongo’s Trailman?).
On the right, Alysa
and Szaren stand above wisps of clouds covering the Fallen Lands
and land pocks far below. A mysterious light hovers in the
distance, and four “pyramids” are visible. On the left is a
broken bridge, remains of a small city, and an approaching
storm, one of many that ravage planet Xunar-kun. Drongo stares
off into the distance, no doubt her big nose twitching to
capture all the strange smells.
View the full cover of Book
Two without type.
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Book Two Cover Art
Book
Two Trailer
Purchase
Purchase a poster
based
on the bookcovers from
ImageKind.
Sizes starting at 8” x 10". |
 The Characters
Alysa,
of course, is the main character. In Book One, she must “find the champion who lives inside of her”. Haven't we all had
to find courage at one time or another? Haven’t we all asked the
question, “Who am I?”
So does Alysa! In Book Two, she’s older and wiser but continues
to face many challenges. She has many of the same
struggles we earthlings do; that she lives on another planet
doesn’t diminish them!
The model for the
series is a lovely young lady named Caitlin Hatch. Tina
photographed Caitlin in many different poses, then chose the one
that would lend itself best to the story. She posed in blue
jeans, an old white shawl, and some ugly black boots I had on
hand. Her foot was propped on a box as if she were standing
among rocks. Caitlin’s hair was not very long and was tied in a ponytail that fell just over her shoulder.
I gave
Alysa a very long braid. I drew
Caitlin’s basic form, “dressing” her in signature Trailman’s
garb. Click on the images for a closer look.
Szaren’s
model was Matt Kapral. Szaren is a fearless Trailman,
a hunter/warrior. Matt also posed in blue jeans, tee shirt
covered by a power-blue insulated vest, backpack, and barefoot
(as I didn’t have boots to fit him). Matt had a
buzz-cut at the time, so I gave his hair that scraggly style the
Trailmen are so fond of. Szaren’s life experiences are also
tattooed on his ears and neck. Again, I dressed him as a proper Trailman!
Click on the images for a closer look.
Peltee
Drongo was modeled after
Sammy, my Pembroke Welch Corgi (I haven’t yet told Sammy that Drongo’s a
female!). Peltees are similar to
earthly dogs, except that they have an exceptional ability to
communicate with their master companions. They’re also very
brave and hunt greatclaws alongside their masters. I
gave Drongo longer legs (corgis have very, very short legs)
and extremely tall ears.
Reference photo of PW
Corgi Sammy for Drongo
Learn more about the
Pembroke Welsh Corgi
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Finished artwork of Alysa
Reference photo of Caitlin
Finished artwork of Szaren & Drongo
Reference photo of Matt
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