One of the things I love most about working with authors is stepping into a world that's only ever existed in their imagination and helping to give it a face.
I recently had the pleasure of working with the lovely Lucy A. McLaren on her upcoming gothic novel, This Loathsome Monster. The story follows a family members across different time periods, weaving together a beautifully dark narrative with gothic architecture, rich history and some wonderfully complex characters.
For this project, I illustrated two female and two male character designs, along with a separate gothic building background. When I create character artwork for authors, I offer a few different packages - from fully rendered standalone characters to optional background illustrations. Supplying the background separately means it can be reused across multiple pieces of artwork or adapted for promotional graphics, social media and other marketing materials, making it a really flexible option.
Lucy was an absolute joy to work with. She sent over a fantastic mood board (different from the one shown here!) that perfectly captured the atmosphere, architecture and costume references she had in mind. Having such a clear visual direction made it easy to immerse myself in her world while still bringing my own artistic interpretation to the designs.
I'll admit, Victorian clothing initially felt a little intimidating! The amount of detail in the fabrics, lace and tailoring was definitely a challenge compared to my usual style. But once I got stuck in, I found myself really enjoying the process. It pushed me creatively and gave me the chance to experiment with textures, silhouettes and all those intricate little details that make gothic fashion so distinctive.
Projects like this are exactly why I love illustrating for authors. Every story brings a completely new world to explore, and it's a privilege to help bring those worlds—and the people who inhabit them... to life.
This Loathsome Monster isn't out just yet but you can find Echoes of The Etherstone (an brilliant book of the same ilk that I couldn't put down!)on Amazon.
If you're an author looking for character artwork, promotional illustrations or visual branding for your book, I'd love to hear about your project. Get in touch!
Nell (AKA Loralai Lake)
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