jamesinks

Empress of Thieves Issue 2 Cover Process

Added 2019-11-06 02:55:40 +0000 UTC

Woof. I had this cover figured out in February it seems. A little play on the Last Supper felt very in order, recognizable in composition and easy readable, right? There's plenty to be said about this issue of Empress of Thieves including food, service, eating, etc etc

I'm hoping that this cover contrasts with the cover to Smolder Scrolls, since that one was pretty similar in some colors I didn't want to repeat the "dark background of leaves". Incorporating rococo elements (since the story is in a rococo world) should help kinda set the stage. I wanted to push the focal point towards Lamont first, hence the vanishing points end at his head, the actions move towards him. If this chapter is about his party and the hijinks that occur at it, I think does a good job setting up that conflict?

I really liked the idea of Yakone cheekily sliding Lamont the fart-fuel food on the cover, as it highlights their "relationship" and the content of the story. Thumble is trying to get food of course, Otieno might be the only comfortable (but concerned nonetheless) person in this scenario.

For a number of years I insisted on having covers that preluded the content of the comic (as the original for Parsley & Figgis and Empress of Thieves issue 1 were both an establishing shot, two panels of dialogue):

And even though I still tend to use this layout for the start of scenes and such, I guess I'm seeing why these don't work as well. The ones I'm making now, they just look better and give an impression of the story, right? At least I hope so!

I guess maybe I'm still learning about the comic selling/making process.

Y'all like the cover though? XD