Aqueduct Press contacted me to do a cover for Sarah Tolmie’s book, The Stone Boatmen. It’s a really beautifully written story and I highly recommend it. They wanted a wraparound cover, so I designed it with the main image landing to the right of the layout where the title and author’s name would appear. The left side of the image would be partly obscured by the back copy.

The drawing shows the front and back layout of the cover where the title and author’s name would be….

There’s dramatic energy in the story and so I thought the dusky sky and red clouds hanging above the stormy sea would be appropriate. Red’s always a good choice for book covers because they grab attention. No spoilers: in the story there are large stone sculptures of the ancestors kneeling in stone canoes just off the coast of the city, its masonry skyline seen from the masted ship making its way in the choppy waters, destination unknown.

I had a great deal of fun drawing and painting the figure especially. Making it look like it had been sculpted of weathered and stained stone was a wonderful challenge.

A note about Olio paper: Arches makes this archivally treated paper and you can get it in 48” rolls of 12’ or buy it in standard 22'“ x 30” sheets (140 lb). It’s fantastic to paint on. Once a drawing is established on or transferred to the paper, start with a translucent “skin” of paint to coat the drawing. Once this layer is dry, painting on it is a dream. The surface feels satiny smooth yet it grabs oil paint beautifully. It allows for creamy, effortless painting.

This painting recently sold with the help of my art sales agent, Jane Frank. Many thanks to the buyers for their wonderful enthusiasm for my work!