Harry Potter: Book 1 Cover

Aproximately 16 x 38
Gouache paints with coloured pencil on coloured matte board
The text along the "spine" was added after via PhotoShop, while the text on the cover is part of the painting.

*** This is technically a re-posting of this illustration. I plan to do so with all my Potter art work building up (hopefully) to having some new stuff to share there after. So if you feel like you've seen this before - you probably have. On the upside, I'm sharing it at a larger resolution and without the DeviantArt watermark on it now ***

This is my cover illustration to "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone" (Sorcerer's Stone US). It's the full dust jacket illustration - Front and back cover, spine and inside flaps. I remember being very happy with this painting when I first finished it. It's interesting to look back and see how my take on these characters has evolved over the years, while still retaining some of the same qualities... which is perfect really. I wanted to have a sense of my art and style growing along with the kids as they grow throughout the series.

Fun fact, the Hogwarts letters and the owl on the left weren't originally part of the design. When I "finished" it, I felt like something was still missing, so I went in and added them. The owl filled an empty space quite well, and the letters pulled the whole thing together into one connected piece. I was very pleased with that decision. Also, it can't be shown on the computer, but in the far upper left corner (what would be the back inside flap of the dust jacket) it's (supposed to) look like Trevor crawling away, peeling the page back. The black of that corner is actually cut away when printed out and used as the proper dust jacket.

I think my biggest disappointment about the piece is my designs on the Hogwarts flags on the far right... or rather the execution. What was in my mind didn't translate very well onto the board, but it's a minor complaint. I'm still very happy with this painting.