The publishing house Armenia Edizioni commissioned me to create this cover for RF Obsydios’s debut fantasy novel. I was asked to depict a young warrior, already scarred by battle, wounded, and with a torn shirt. He brandishes his sword, ready to face a great wingless dragon, covered in scales in shades of red and black.
The scene takes place in an imposing and gloomy fortress, characterised by large, vaulted columns and the ruins of the battle. The atmosphere needed to be inspired by classic epic fantasy.
This aesthetic is what I grew up with, meaning that it was easy for me to imagine a scene reminiscent of these types of covers, the works of the master illustrators who have always inspired me. The tone needed to be warm, with reds and oranges dominating; Joe Abercrombie’s novel The Devils was recommended to me by way of an example.
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Start with a sketch
I don’t usually make many sketches; at most, one or two, in black and white. I try to make my intentions clear through composition, lighting and volumes, so as to make the direction I want to take clear to the client.
Painting the figure
I started by painting the young warrior. I painted him separately in a larger format and, once finished, I resized and positioned him.
This step allowed me to isolate him from the rest of the elements, so I could focus on painting him as best as possible.
Building the scene
For me, it’s very important to first focus on the scene. So the warrior, the dragon and then the ruins they’re moving through were the first steps in painting.
I need to see if everything works, and only then can I begin to understand what’s right and what needs fixing.
Forming the legs
Designing the anatomy of the dragon’s hind legs was no easy feat. I wanted the body to express dynamism, and for it to form a curve that would draw the viewer’s gaze toward the main scene.
For me, this was the key aspect, and I did my best to bring this idea to life.
Creating the column
I had a lot of fun adding detail to the fallen column in the foreground, with its scratches and cracks, and conveying the roughness and texture of the stone through subtle colour variations and the use of ‘dry’ brushes.
The fortress was intended to appear dark and gigantic. Its overall look and concept was inspired by the ruins of Moria.
The angle
To further accentuate the scene’s sense of danger, I used a tilted shot. This angle is especially useful for emphasising the dynamism, or even, in this case, the drama, of what’s happening in the scene.
Period detail
Over time, I’ve had the opportunity to purchase some historical-style clothing and some fabric scraps to make costumes. This has been very useful for taking photos and creating references, in particular lighting conditions.
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