Illustration Portfolio

Including Story Illustration :: Landscapes and Backgrounds :: Character Portraits

You can contact me by email with any questions regarding commissions or prices - katy@kovah.co.uk

Story Illustration: An important part of any project the illustrations give the viewer a glimpse into the world that the writer is trying to describe. As a hobbyist writer myself I know how important it is for the illustration to convey the world and characters the way the writer had intended.

Saints and Sinners - This image was made to go with a short story:

"They had been running for hours, tripping over branches in a frantic bid to escape. They just wanted to be left alone, they had done nothing wrong, how could something that felt so natural be wrong? Their pursuers disagreed, they were evil; a blight on the face of humanity. The Lord had decreed that magic was a sin and if they would not stop using it they must be cleansed in holy fire of the pyre.

The children finally fell exhausted to the floor and their mother had not the strength to carry both. She rounded on the men that had quickly caught up, her chest heaving and eyes darting around in desperation and finding nothing but death everywhere she looked as more and more men streamed towards her. There was nothing for it and she began to mutter the arcane words, if they wanted a witch she would give them a witch. The magic burst from her fingers forming itself into an terrifying creature to protect her children from the pyre that awaited them if they were caught. Saints and Sinners, but which was which?"

Dreams and Nightmares: Based on a nightmare I once had I wanted to portray the distortion and unreality of the nightmare as it unfolded as well as the movement as the tiger ran forwards into the bright area ahead.



Dragons are always guarding something: Originally an excercise in light and texture the image ended up having its own narrative in which the dwarf is attempting to steal from the dragons hoard of treasure however its highly likely he will only find a load of trouble when the dragon decides to protect its hoard.



Landscapes and Background Concepts:

Here are three examples of my background work, two images done for a local competition for a children's book and a concept of Lucifer's Throne Room.





Character Portraits:

"Itzpapalotl ("Clawed Butterfly" or "Obsidian Butterfly") was a fearsome skeletal warrior godess, who ruled over the paradise world of Tamoanchan, the paradise of victims of infant mortality and place identified where humans were created" - source Wikipedia



This was a 'secret santa' Art exchange project in which we were given someone elses character to illustrate. The Character belongs to Thunderskull from Deviantart




This image is part of a series of dragon themed Christmas cards, perfect for those who like to send something that little bit different. I wanted to do a series of Christmas cards featuring festive dragons in different situations.

You can contact me by email with any questions regarding commissions or prices - katy@kovah.co.uk