I can’t believe it will be August on Monday. Where did this summer go? Not that it’s over yet… but September is creeping closer and closer. The thought of releasing my first book in almost seven years is so exciting, but I feel hardly ready!
Anyway, while I await the (hopefully) final proof copy for Fleeting Dreams, I thought it might be fun to share some photos of the illustration process.
First up, here’s an early version of one of the prose entries, in which a young man with a special gift encounters a real dragon for the first time. This is how it first appeared in my journal, done in colored pencil and pen…
And this is how it turned out in its final form, watercolor and pen, as seen on my art page.
Here’s an illustration for a somewhat longer poem called After the Fall, from the faith-inspired section of the book. The poem explores the possible thoughts and motivations of those people involved in the Fall of Man.
On the left, we have the rough sketch version, and on the right, the final version with paints and inks applied!
This next one is the last illustration I finished before beginning the grueling formatting process–which actually went way more smoothly than it did for my last book, the Madman of Elkriahl. I was new to the illustration thing then, and that was a headache and half to figure out!
I hope you’ve enjoyed this sneak peak in to my illustration process. I’m so hyped for the proof to arrive! After the last one, I realized the order of some of the poetry was wrong, and that the overall theme failed to come through by the last page. So I did some switching and some last-minute additions, and now I think it’s just right. Stay tuned for the cover reveal!! It’s coming soon…
–Emmarayn
Glorious Stories 
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