When creating a book cover my goal is to visually capture the emotion and essence of the text, translating the author’s intent into imagery that resonates with the viewer.

I begin by developing several sketches based on the project’s guidelines, ensuring a range of visual interpretations that align with the narrative. In this example, the brief was for Today Is Sunday, a Military Historical Fiction novel by Dennis Ely. The central concept focused on the juxtaposition of good and evil.

After discussing the direction with the art director and aligning on the best approach, I proceed to refine and render the final piece.

Once the final artwork is submitted, minor adjustments may be required to ensure the best possible presentation.

For this cover, I incorporated a sky divided between darkness and light—ominous clouds looming on the left, while rays of sunlight break through on the right, reinforcing the novel’s thematic contrast.

The client was thrilled with the final painting, which was completed with the publisher’s added type and design elements to bring the cover fully to life.

Today Is Sunday by Dennis Ely