Elisabeth Alba

In Progress Projects

Elisabeth — Sat, 12 May 2012 18:21:50 +0000

Here is a sketch of an upcoming painting that I’ll get to… eventually. Things just got BUSY. It’s a color comp sketch for a portfolio piece (my portfolio was lacking a portrait!). I’m also working on our last project in the mentorship, providing an illustration for a short story for Irene Gallo, art director of Tor.com. I will be working on this one first since it’s due in two weeks! Can’t show it yet until I get permission. These two pieces will be good contributions as middle grade/young adult work for my portfolio.

New Art: The Serpent’s Ring

Elisabeth — Tue, 08 May 2012 17:25:24 +0000

Here is the finished book cover image for The Serpent’s Ring by H. B. Bolton.

As I mentioned before, a former art teacher of mine now writes, and just self published her first book, Glimmers, under the pen name Barbara Brooke. She rediscovered my work and hired me to paint the cover of the first book in her new middle grade/young adult series! She also asked me to do the text, so I’m including that version as well.

The Serpent’s Ring is the first book the Relics of Mysticus Series. It was a very fun read that follows two modern day siblings as they travel through Midgard and encounter various beings from Norse mythology. You can follow H. B. Bolton at her website, http://www.hbbolton.com/, or Facebook!

Sketch: The Serpent’s Ring

Elisabeth — Thu, 03 May 2012 00:17:16 +0000

So here is the sketch for a book cover I’m working on for my former high school art teacher who has become a writer. It’s the first book in a middle grade/young adult series… Strangely enough, this giant Nordic god is the husband of another giant Nordic god that I painted, and which she saw and decided I was right for the project! Meet Aegir, husband of Ran!

I am working on the painting for this right now. I’ll probably post the final sometime next week. Check out H. B. Bolton, the author, at http://www.hbbolton.com/. She also writes women’s lit under the name Barbara Brooke, and her first book, Glimmers, just came out!

Check Out Scott Murphy Illustration

Elisabeth — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 14:52:41 +0000

Hello! I just wanted to share the portfolio of my partner, Scott Murphy. I just helped him redo his website to showcase his awesomeness in anticipation of his going freelance. A terrifying prospect, but I’m optimistic. He also has a new middle grade/young adult portfolio after completing a really sweet four book series about the Titanic (the Return to Titanic series written by Steve Brezenoff, published by Capstone, for the 100th anniversary of the sinking). I predict good things ahead!!!

He’ll be hitting up the first Spectrum Fantastic Art Live convention in a month, and together we’ll be at Gencon in August. If anyone likes to nerd it up and go to these fun cons, be sure to check out his booth!

Anyway, on to his portfolio!

New Art: Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone

Elisabeth — Sat, 07 Apr 2012 00:31:13 +0000

Here’s my final painting for the concept wrap-around cover of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone by J.K. Rowling. Our final critique was today and overall was successful! I only really had to change the color of his hoodie. It was fun to return to the world of Harry Potter again, at least for a little bit!

In other news, if anyone is wondering about the status of my freelance career outside of personal work… it’s going pretty well. Starting my black and white drawings for the first few chapters of that project I mentioned a while ago (click here), which should be online soon and then I can share more about it! I am also working on a book cover for my former high school art teacher who is writing a middle grade fantasy series. And finally I have done two maps, one for Scholastic and the other for AAA Traveler magazine, which I can’t post yet. A few other cool things in the early stages that I can’t share yet either. Maps are slowly becoming another source of work for me, which is awesome! Really like doing them.

Final Sketch: Harry Potter Book One

Elisabeth — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 02:58:39 +0000

The thumbnail I chose was the one of Harry hanging out of his window on the Hogwarts Express, looking forward to his new life (and the back features creepy forest/Voldie). I sent my first sketch out to my mentorship classmates for a critique and got some great feedback. Here’s the result!

Now onto painting! I printed the sketch lightly onto watercolor paper, then did my final drawing on top. Just started painting tonight… watercolor always has a rough beginning. It looks absolutely hideous right now. But I know eventually the hideousness transforms into awesomeness. It’s just scary in the beginning.

This month Rebecca is actually on vacation in Europe doing book and card signings, so we have been without her wonderful class critiques. We’re all a little freaked out since this assignment is such a big deal. We can do it! I’m looking forward to her comments… I hope she approves of my piece! Gotta get used to working without the mentorship since it ends soon.