I was also commissioned to create sketches of SOVA and the other key war machines within the book.
The composition for this was also important as it reinforces a sense of hierarchy between Dimitri (the boy) & machine, with Dimitri being in the foreground standing facing SOVA and SOVA by default in appearance in a kneeling submissive pose, almost as if waiting for a command… I’ve wanted to create a sense of location & atmosphere around them, Dimitri’s tree, his fortress & sanctuary is in the background, the night sky carrying a sense of forbidding, trouble, & the torch lights suggest the approaching unknown… basically an image that captures the essence of the first chapter & story to come. The colour palette I’ve based around the blue and yellow of the Ukrainian flag which works well as a night scene without looking cliché or forced.
Below is the final artwork for the ebook
