How Violet makes Space World visible
There are many ways to write a good book. Some authors plot everything down to the smallest detail, while others let themselves drift. And then there's JC, who knows exactly what she wants – she just sometimes doesn't know how to put it into words – a typical author :p.
This is where Violet comes in.
Violet is the illustrator behind the breathtaking covers of the Space World books. And not only that: her illustrations in the crowdfunding edition are more than just a decorative addition – they are an integral part of the story. They reinforce emotions, convey moods and help readers to immerse themselves in the world. In fact, one beta reader even described the visual design as “a perfect marriage between text and image”. Now that's a compliment!
But creating these works of art is no easy process. It starts with JC, who has a very clear vision. So clear, unfortunately, that it only manifests itself in vague phrases like “epic, but not too epic” or “kind of like a mix between Dan Mumford and... you know.” Violet, blessed with the patience of a saint and artistic genius, takes these cryptic instructions and turns them into visual magic. Sometimes it happens amazingly fast, sometimes it's a process of wild trial and error, but so far it has always worked. Twice it has worked so well that the covers were celebrated as absolute eye-catchers.
But her work goes beyond the covers. The illustrations within the books are not just a nice extra, but actively contribute to the narrative. The best example: two chairs. Yes, really. Two chairs emotionally shook a beta reader to such an extent that she thought in the middle of the chapter: “Oh no, what happens next?!” These drawings not only set the atmosphere, but also draw the reader's attention to the story's focal points.
So you could say that Violet is not just an illustrator, but a kind of visual storyteller. And that makes her an invaluable asset – for JC, for the readers and for the entire Space World.
But Violet's influence extends even further. Every great artist has a muse – or in this case, a highly patient, creative and occasionally annoyed collaborator: Violet. While JC takes care of the words, she ensures that the books are not only readable but also visually stunning. Sounds romantic? Well. The truth is more like this:
JC: “I know exactly what should be on the cover!”
Violet: ‘Great! What does it look like?”
JC: ’A hand and a wall and a clock and I'm sure I'll know it when I see it.”
Violet: deep sigh
This process might not be the most efficient one – but it has already given us two damn good covers. And one of the best details? Both covers feature a hand. And that hand? That is actually JC's hand. Yes, you read that right. They took extra photos to get the hand in the perfect pose so that Violet could integrate it into the picture. Probably the only part of the cover where JC really had a say from start to finish!
So, the next time you look at the cover or a new illustration, remember: behind every image is not only artistic talent, but also a lot of detective precision work to transform JC's unutterable visions into tangible art. And we can all be thankful that Violet didn't just say, “You know what, do it yourself!”
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