Web of Secrets
“After her dramatic escape from a burning Dower Hall, Evie is determined to find the magical Black Ruby and solve its mystery. But she struggles to come to terms with being the new Harp Maiden, and keeping her secret from the people she loves becomes more difficult every day.”
The second instalment in the ‘Harp Maiden’ series - Web of Secrets is the perfect story to lead us into the spooky Halloween season. Jackie Burke has written another thrilling book, which is sure to be a huge success. I was delighted to work with Jackie again to create the cover art. Evie is a little bit older on this cover, with her hair styled in a more young womanly manner, and her shirt is based on Edwardian designs I discovered online during my research. Vintage fashion is a real love of mine, and working on a project which is set in a world long ago always makes me a very happy illustrator.
The initial sketch shows Evie with her eyes looking down, however this was changed later to have her gazing up at the viewer. Before getting to this stage, I would have worked on many more sketches and compositions which were a lot more ‘sketchy’ and messy. I believe to never stick with your first idea, and instead try many options. Sometimes the right image will appear out of nowhere, through sketching randomly with not much intention concerning the end result. If we think too deeply on what we’re meant to achieve, it can be more difficult to visualise what that is.
Compared with the previous publication, Web of Secrets is a much brighter and sunnier illustration. The cover was briefed to be set within a blue-skied summer’s day. I kept the colour palette quite minimal, and I used the same browns and reds in the table and Evie’s hair. Her elaborate shirt then reflects the colouring of the wooden panelling. In order to make the image pop, I chose a separate limited palette for outside the window - greens and yellows, with hints of the brownish reds to tie everything together. I love working with a more limited palette. Sometimes I’m not able to work in this way because an art director or marketing team have a colourway in mind for the publication. When I get the chance to be the art director however, I grasp the opportunity to explore my own colourway; and limiting colours is a great way to choose a palette and not get overwhelmed with the endless options available.
Web of Secrets was released this week in all good book stores. If you enjoyed the first Harp Maiden book, then this read is a must! When you purchase this book you’re supporting Irish writers, illustrators, publishers and book shops, so thank you for choosing to read an Irish story.
~ Rachel x