It’s been a while. I’ve been busy swimming through the depression (I refuse to call a block) that comes with realizing what I thought was the last chapter needs to be deleted entirely and as many as three more added to my novel before I can safely call it done. I want “Toxic Ash” to be done. I need it to be done. I need to curl up with my book and a pot of tea and catch up with my characters properly, like old friends – but before that can happen: three. More. Chapters.

*the sound of me pulling my lovely locks out*

While I’m staring at a blank screen trying to find the will to go on for another 10-30 thousand words, I’m also doing other things in what is probably a misguided attempt to keep what remains of my sanity.

So I put together a “making of” for my latest book cover. It’s not a tutorial, no way I’ve got that kind of memory and everything I’ve done here is thanks to someone elses tutorial anyway. It’s all basically trial and error, paint by the numbers fudging. Yes – really.

Please go here to see links to all the resources I used to create the final image.

• First row – first few layers and attempt at poison smoke, all of which was lost when Photoshop decided to screw me over.
• Second row – you can see the skull completely changed in this row.
• Third row – me experimenting with size, placement and textures. You can see how badly that ended up.
• Forth row – more of me ‘playing’ around with the image, the old images, various fonts and sizes.
• Fifth row – is all fine tuning. I had all the elements I wanted but I also wanted clearer skin, blue green eyes, more red in her makeup.

So there you have it. My process making art. Hopefully with experience it’ll get faster and I’ll be able to more quickly decide what direction to go.

If you’re kind of bored waiting for “Toxic Ash” to come out and just want me to let you know when the book is up for sale – consider signing up for an email alert!