Book covers
A passion of mine is designing Book covers. Both existing books as a hobby or commissions from clients. As a big reader myself, this is an aspect of design that I put a lot of time and research into.
I like to play with different drawing techniques and styles. The composition and scene creation is a huge part of the story telling and setting up the mood and feel of the book. I take a lot of care with this aspect and sketch out a range of different ideas before settling on one. The research part for these tasks are fun because it means I get to wander around book stores and look at all the fantastic cover art. (There should be museums for book cover art. Really!)
Brief / Challenge
Every book cover begins with a story — sometimes fully written, sometimes still forming — and my role is to translate that narrative into a single, compelling visual moment. The challenge is always the same but never identical: create a cover that captures the essence of the book, resonates with its intended audience, and stands out in a crowded, genre-driven marketplace.
Across this collection of projects, clients came to me with diverse needs: fantasy worlds, character-driven fiction, memoir, speculative stories. Some had clear visual direction, others gave me complete creative freedom. Each cover demanded its own tone, style, and storytelling approach.
Role
As lead illustrator and designer at Érimón Studios, I owned the creative process end-to-end. That included:
Concept development and visual direction
Illustration (character work, environments, symbolic imagery)
Color palette exploration and mood development
Typography, layout, and overall cover design
Preparing production-ready files for print and digital formats
For client-commissioned pieces, I collaborated closely with authors or small publishers; for self-initiated covers, I used the freedom to experiment and push my illustration style further.
Process
Research & Discovery: I start by immersing myself in the book’s world: reading chapters or briefs, discussing themes with the author, and identifying emotional anchors. I also look at comparable titles and genre conventions to understand what readers expect — and where we can push the boundaries.
Ideation & Mood-boarding: I gather references for palette, tone, illustration style, and composition. These boards guide the direction and help align with clients early. From here, I sketch multiple concepts exploring different storytelling angles: figurative scenes, symbolic moments, or more abstract compositions.
Sketching & Refinement: Once a direction is chosen, I refine the composition — adjusting focal points, shaping lighting, and balancing illustration with typography. This is where the visual narrative really comes into focus, and where I ensure the cover works at every scale, from full jacket to small digital thumbnail.
Final Artwork: I produce the finished illustration: line work, color grading, texture, depth, and detail. Then I integrate typography, choosing fonts and layouts that complement the illustration without overpowering it.
Delivery: Each cover is delivered in multiple formats (print, ebook, social media versions) along with clear guidance to maintain consistency across marketing materials.
Solution / Outcome
The final collection showcases a wide stylistic range — from atmospheric, moody covers to bold, character-led illustrations — yet each one shares the same foundation: intentional, story-first design.
These covers give authors imagery they’re proud to stand behind and help their books feel fully realised before the reader even opens the first page. The illustrations support the narrative rather than decorate it, using composition, lighting, and color to hint at the tone inside.
Impact (Design-Led)
Clients now have book covers that feel authentic to their stories and competitive within their genre.
Several authors used the covers not only for publication but for promotional campaigns, social media launches, and event materials.
For Érimón Studios, this growing body of cover design serves as a showcase of versatility — demonstrating an ability to shift between genres, illustration styles, and narrative voices.
On a personal level, these projects have sharpened my illustration craft and expanded my visual storytelling toolkit.
Lessons Learned & Best Practices
Start with the story, not the style. Understanding tone and theme always leads to stronger concepts.
Genre cues matter. Covers need to resonate with their market while still feeling fresh.
Sketch widely before committing. Exploration early on leads to clearer, stronger final artwork.
Typography is half the design. Even a beautiful illustration fails if the title doesn’t read at a glance.
Design for every scale. A strong cover must work from a full print jacket down to a tiny retail thumbnail.