"Maraldia - City of Orphans" children's book cover progression

I sent off a few articles for The Street newspaper last week and we will see if they use them. The air is changing and its hard to believe its October already! A year ago I had the pleasure of illustrating
"Maraldia - City of Orphans" for author Paul Schonschack, Amazon link here and what a treat it was. It is an amazing story full of hope and all profits go to the Zambia orphanage, Living Hope International (LHI).

I had my husband pose his hand holding a Christmas ornament for the cover of this children's book. Originally in natural colors as the story is set in a small village, think a shire like in The Hobbit,  I used vegetable dye and hand purposed colors of the forest.  He wanted a striped shirt, pirate style, and a golden carved ornament (the whole look of the book was to be  sketchy Alice in Wonderland styled pen and inks). It seemed a bit bland, so I did a second cover for the novel in crystalline primary colors to reflect the age group a bit more and have more shelf appeal.

 

 

The last was the final used on the cover of "Maraldia - City of Orphans" and I love it!

Dyann Callahan