Prologue Cover Artwork - Elph: The Art of Movement

I travelled to see my family in Ghana this Summer and whilst it was a reluctant holiday, it was needed. In that time, I managed to finish redrafting the prologue to The Art of Movement and thus completed to second draft of the novel. I submitted it to a publication and hope to have some form of breakthrough soon.
In the meantime, regardless of the outcome, I can't ignore that not only completing one but two drafts of a 98,000-word manuscript is nothing short of incredible. I have defied odds and prevailed despite every obstacle that cropped up along the journey. This piece reflects the emotions of the characters within the prologue but also the subsequent journies that lay ahead of them.
It's my first time drawing the two adult elphs, Aeon on the left and Kiera on the right. I always knew in my head what I wanted Aeon to look like and had attempted several times to thumbnail sketch him and concept out his design but it was this expression of passion and anguish that ultimately helped settle his look, even if its seven years prior to the present day of the novel.
Kiera, on the other hand, was a lot easier to design, as the mother of Luce, her description in the novel implied she looked extremely similar to him. Her freckles and split high ponytail were distinguishing features but I wanted Luce, as an elphling to bear some of her traits. In adulthood, his freckles have faded but as an elphling, he still sports the single braid, loose strands of hair and stark blue eyes.

I'm glad I did this piece in pencil. It feels more appropriate for the tone of the novel. The rough sketch that is the prologue - a glimpse into a tragedy about to unfold.