Gotham by Ryan Bliss, 1998
VICIOUS
VICTO NGAI
My first ever book cover, VICIOUS by V.E. Schwab, will be published by Tor Books this fall. “This is a book that plays with comic book culture, with the Ideas of the hero and the villain. It takes superpowers and strips away the spandex and the capes, until what’s left is gritty and violent and bare. “
I really enjoyed the project, there’s nothing better than sitting down and reading a fun story without feeling guilty that I am not drawing or hollering at clients. The long deadline was also a nice change - my style is quite time-consuming and I always find myself finishing a piece on the last min. The adrenaline rush can be exhilarating but has also given me heart burns. With this piece, I was able to finish it, leave it for a few days, come back and do the final tweaks with a pair of fresh eyes.
However, I would be lying if I said there was no pressure. I am definitely one of those who judge a book by its cover. VICIOUS is quite a mesmerizing story and I hope my art has done it justice, or better allure people to pick up a copy! And of course, first time is always intimidating. I have heard many stories about how book covers could be a real pain, especially when marketing team get involved with the creative process. I really appreciate the freedom and power AD Irene Gallo, Editor Miriam Weinberg and Tor books have given me. It’s always been a real pleasure working with this team.If you are interested in the behind-the-scenes, read more at my Drawger Blog.
Old artists studios in London.
Imagine having your bed up there amongst all your art stuff and all these plants you have everywhere, having rain falling on the glass above you when you wake up in the morning and huddling under a blanket drinking a hot drink while you draw or browse tumblr or whatever. In this rustic old brick building.
Sazonov house. Built in the 1890s in Ostashevo, Chuchloma, Kostroma region of Russia.
The history of the house is a little convoluted and obscure. Though it is commonly know as Sazonov house, there is speculation that it was not built by the wealthy merchant Sazonov, but by a man named Markov. Ropet is also credited with the design of the house, but it is not clear whether the house, which is a lot simpler than its blueprints, was built by Ropet himself or an architect that borrowed or was influenced by his ideas and aesthetic.
Photo of the house pre-Revolution.
Blueprint by Ivan Ropet
(via Russkij Sever and Russia Trek)
