Inspector Graham Book 8 Uncovered!

We started here with a rough sketch of the beach on the other side of the cliff from where most of the action in the book takes place.

Here Richard started to add the details that relate to the story – director chairs, coffee cups, a clapperboard, a surf board, a script. There was also a blister pack that didn't make it into the final version.

We're really moving along now. The box of documents provides a unifying point holding together the disparate items that  are scattered around and Richard hits on the idea of the sunset. He starts to work on the shadow and sky.

We shorten the perspective here as I am concerned that the height of the cliff will be cropped when the cover template is overlaid. Richard gathers the smaller items in a different, more contained configuration, works on the sunset, shadowing, and sky, adding details as he goes. The top of the cliff now has grass and a tree, the surfboard is decorated, and surf's up!

Richard continues to add layers of detail to bring out the colors of the sky, deepen the shadows, and bring out the surf. He's added lettering to the chair, the surfboard, the clapperboard, the rolled up script, and labels to the box. The sky has birds, the tree has leaves. The impression is of a glowing, peaceful sunset. Can you see the tiny robin and do you know which other covers this little bird appears in?