I've just reissued my first novel, "Cheechako," an adventure youth novel, with a brand-new painted cover, and I'm thrilled about it. The only negative criticism I had about the book centered on the cover, a photograph of a boy and a sled dog. It was by far the best choice of thousands of photos I considered. But I don't think anybody liked it.
This is the new cover, by nationally known cover-artist, Jesse Watson. Check him out at www.jessewatson.com. Although he does other kinds of art, I think it's fair to say he specializes in covers, not just the drawing or painting, but the thinking.
Although I knew he lived here in Port Townsend, I contacted his agent in New York, with sort of the vain hope that we might work something out. To my great surprise Jesse emailed me to set up a meeting and we went from there.
I'm not aware that he read the book. He asked. I knew that the cover needed to be the boy in a parka, the dog and maybe a dogsled. The dogsled turned out to be the hard part. Dog sleds are tough images.
I thought you might like to see the image progression. Here's where he started.
Notice the dog is looking to the side. Here's the other "first draw."
More like this, we thought. "We" being my wife and a small group of relatives and pre-readers, yes, including my 87 year-old-mother who didn't like the photo cover from the start. Yeah, I know, listen to your mother.
So we all liked the second drawing. Except for the boy looking a little young, I would have put this "rough" sketch on the cover. I thought and think that it is fantastic.
We were having real trouble with the sled and somewhere along the line the concept of a stylized blizzard, kind of blue and swirly began to emerge. We also needed the "boy," to look less young and freckly and more ready for adventure.
Although there are several scenes in the book that legitimately involve a hatchet, I was leery of putting a hatchet on the cover because of the very popular Gary Paulsen book of that name. If you haven't read it, you're missing a treat. As you can see, this sketch became the foundation for the final painting.
Now I'm several weeks from publication of the second novel in this "Cheechako" series. I'm delighted to say the next one, "Float Monkeys" will also feature a Jesse Watson cover. More about that soon
Thanks for reading. Write any time with questions or comments.
Jonathan
This is the new cover, by nationally known cover-artist, Jesse Watson. Check him out at www.jessewatson.com. Although he does other kinds of art, I think it's fair to say he specializes in covers, not just the drawing or painting, but the thinking.
Although I knew he lived here in Port Townsend, I contacted his agent in New York, with sort of the vain hope that we might work something out. To my great surprise Jesse emailed me to set up a meeting and we went from there.
I'm not aware that he read the book. He asked. I knew that the cover needed to be the boy in a parka, the dog and maybe a dogsled. The dogsled turned out to be the hard part. Dog sleds are tough images.
I thought you might like to see the image progression. Here's where he started.
Notice the dog is looking to the side. Here's the other "first draw."
More like this, we thought. "We" being my wife and a small group of relatives and pre-readers, yes, including my 87 year-old-mother who didn't like the photo cover from the start. Yeah, I know, listen to your mother.
So we all liked the second drawing. Except for the boy looking a little young, I would have put this "rough" sketch on the cover. I thought and think that it is fantastic.
We were having real trouble with the sled and somewhere along the line the concept of a stylized blizzard, kind of blue and swirly began to emerge. We also needed the "boy," to look less young and freckly and more ready for adventure.
Although there are several scenes in the book that legitimately involve a hatchet, I was leery of putting a hatchet on the cover because of the very popular Gary Paulsen book of that name. If you haven't read it, you're missing a treat. As you can see, this sketch became the foundation for the final painting.
Now I'm several weeks from publication of the second novel in this "Cheechako" series. I'm delighted to say the next one, "Float Monkeys" will also feature a Jesse Watson cover. More about that soon
Thanks for reading. Write any time with questions or comments.
Jonathan
