Welcome to a behind-the-scenes run-through of how our Hodderscape art team created the visuals for our deluxe edition hardbacks for the Daughter of Smoke and bone trilogy.
By Daisy Woods, Designer
- Cover & edge illustration by Janna Sophia Koppenwallner
- Art direction, case and endpaper design by Daisy Woods
Briefing
As always, we start with the jacket before the other elements like endpapers, foil case and edges. The brief from editorial for this special edition was straightforward. We wanted to visually move this on and update it to sit alongside similar comps (comparative titles) that work for the reading age-range. At the moment, more stylized characters on the front have been working very well for special editions.
Moodboard
The approach from project to project can vary. For this trilogy, I had a very clear idea in mind, so I did not need to mood board anything to get a vibe/point across. Usually, I don’t moodboard anyway, I go straight to concepts. I started with the type branding for this and how it could potentially work if we updated the authors other books. I knew we wanted something clear as the titles are long but with a slight fantasy twinge from variations in the ascending and descending parts of a letter form to make it feel a bit more obvious and romantasy than it has before on UK editions.
Initial Concept
Again, my thoughts for approaching this was very clear, it was going to be character led. There are a range of characters we could have used but settled on the FMC—Karou so we could show the progression of her narrative. Readers of this series would know the different ‘worlds’ and settings as well as doorways/travelling are a big part of how the characters lives intertwine and how Karou is able to run Brimstone’s errands, so featuring different settings and varying arches (like a doorway) would visually work well as a frame around the character.
I started by just roughly sketching the character and different ideas of elements that could feature to signify setting and narrative. This then circulates around the team and goes to a cover meeting for approval. Once our team approves this, it goes to the author for final approval then we begin working on the artwork properly.
One of the main things that changed through my concept was making book 2 blue! Previous and existing editions from all publishers seem to feature blue on book 1 (maybe to work alongside her blue hair) but my thoughts was to change this to work alongside how she becomes a resurrectionist and expands the use of teeth magic from that point onwards.
Character Art/Illustrator
Alongside the initial concepts, I would source a few illustrator options that I think would work well for the style and the look we are trying to create. These also go to meetings and to author for approval. In this instance, we had a strong preference for 1 artist, so we only put that person forward to the author.
The chosen artist was Janna Koppenwallner. I have worked with her before on another book and she was great to work with. She has 2 different styles – one a bit more painterly stylized and one flat block shading. Her flat style pieces worked very well for what we were trying to achieve.
Once we discussed the project together, sent a brief and contract, we got underway with the artwork.
Building the cover/final cover
Once this is underway with the illustrator we work in stages.
First is pencil sketch, second is colour and then final is the rendered front and the rest of the jacket wrap (front, back and spine of the book) if that is what the commission includes.
Janna followed the concepts plus the brief with additional information I sent to her and then would send sketches back to me on dates we agreed. I would take these through meetings and circulate, and gather feedback for amends or give approval to go to the next stage. That process continues for all stages.
We worked on the full wrap from the colour rough instead of final cover to short line the process a bit. Usually, the spec is confirmed while we are working, so I can communicate areas where we might need to not make things kiss-fit* if there is going to be foil and so on.
*kiss-fit is a print term referring to finishes like foil being closely aligned to something printing in colour, as finishes can shift on press, it can be at risk of misalignment.
Finally once approved, the final layered files come into me. I then size to our templates and make any adjustments if the spine changes. I set up the copy on the jacket; I set up the finish layers for printing. I then do multiple rounds of colour testing and circulating for approval to go to press.
Final Stages
Usually once final cover files are in and alongside the process of setting up the jacket, I will then begin working on other elements. In this case, we had edges, endpapers and case foil.
I worked with Janna again for edges to create these pretty arch/glass window frames to continue the place/world setting. These books were costed for 2c (2 colour) pantone endpapers, so I created a pattern for each book using simple line art elements of symbols that relate to the story. And again for the case, for consistency, I wanted to continue the arch style and link it to the jackets so I created an intricate frame, featuring quotes/phrases from the book.
All elements follow suit and are shared with editor and author for approval, once signed off everything is ready to be sent to the printer, reading for printing and binding.
The Daughter of Smoke and Bone trilogy is available to order now:
Once upon a time, an angel and a devil fell in love and dared to imagine a world free of bloodshed and war. This was not that world.
On the one hand, Karou is a seventeen-year-old art student in Prague; on the other, errand-girl to a monstrous creature who is the closest thing she has to family. Karou must choose between the safety of her human life and the dangers of a war-ravaged world that may hold the answers she has always sought.
Once Karou finally has the answers she has always sought, a different sort of battle wages on: a battle for redemption. From the streets of Rome to the caves of the Kirin and beyond, humans, chimaera and seraphim will fight, strive, love, and die in this thrilling series.
