leelastarsky: (DH Harry)
leelastarsky ([personal profile] leelastarsky) wrote2007-02-27 10:56 pm
Entry tags:

art - Deathly Hallows coverart

Well, I am completely a-squeeee and utterly chuffed! My art got first place in the Photoshop section of the TLC Deathly Hallows coverart contest! Thankyou Leaky!!

If you haven't already, you must head over and have a look at the other beautiful entries!

Here are some larger versions of mine for you -


(click on the thumbnails for the BIG!)

without text


with text and lines to indicate the folds for the spine and flaps.

I saw a complaint in the comments on TLC that the text is too hard to read and would never be allowed for proper publishing. This is true, and I'll admit that was kind of deliberate on my part, as I didn't want it to take away from the painting. I was also emulating my US version of Order of the Phoenix which uses a blue foil embossing for the text on a blue cover. From certain angles that can't be read either. ;~)

and, come on, you know I couldn't do a cover without doing a UK version!!


The front flap on the UK version looks a bit bizarre cos it needs text!
Here's a bigger version of the front so you can see Harry's face. :~)


This was painted in Photoshop using a Wacom tablet. The base of the art was handpainted watercolour, which was then scanned into the computer. The castle in the background was photoshopped in from one of my older (acrylic) paintings, which you can see on the background of my journal!

Regarding the symbolism/story behind the scene depicted in the art, and the characters... I chose to stick with the Trio - Harry, Ron and Hermione. Deathly Hallows brought to mind the barrows and standing stones of ancient Britain for me, so that's where I've set it. And the Celtic patterns on the stone are part of a spell, whether for security or otherwise I'll leave to your imagination! Suffice to say that it requires the Full Moon, and Harry has found a way in/through, which is why the pattern is lighting up. But Dementors are approaching and Ron and Hermione have to fend them off to allow Harry to do his part!

Hopefully I've created an urgency in the scene and with the characters that will intregue the viewers and make them want to read the book! ;~)

ETA: I forgot to mention that the greenish haze on the ground is supposed to be the green mist caused by the Dementors! ;~)

[identity profile] krss.livejournal.com 2007-02-28 01:38 am (UTC)(link)
This is a wonderful piece of art and it was very deserving of the award. Your art is so lovely that I'll friend you in order not to miss any of it in the future. =)
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[identity profile] leelastarsky.livejournal.com 2007-03-06 03:23 am (UTC)(link)
Thanks, Krss! Happy to have you aboard! And please don't be insulted I don't friend you back; my flist is impossible to keep up with now. But all my art is posted public, so you won't miss that. :~)

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[identity profile] krss.livejournal.com - 2007-03-06 04:10 (UTC) - Expand

[identity profile] geniusartist.livejournal.com 2007-02-28 01:39 am (UTC)(link)
Really beautiful, beautiful work. Congrats on your win!
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[identity profile] leelastarsky.livejournal.com 2007-03-06 03:24 am (UTC)(link)
Thankyou so much! :~)

[identity profile] seaislewitch.livejournal.com 2007-02-28 01:46 am (UTC)(link)
Oh, I wish this WAS the cover art!

Astonishing.
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[identity profile] leelastarsky.livejournal.com 2007-03-06 03:25 am (UTC)(link)
Thankyou! What a lovely thing to say! :~)

[identity profile] lunadeath02.livejournal.com 2007-02-28 02:00 am (UTC)(link)
So amazing!! Do you think Rowling will see these? :D
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[identity profile] leelastarsky.livejournal.com 2007-03-06 03:26 am (UTC)(link)
Um...*flails at the thought*... it's possible I guess. ;~)

[identity profile] merrycontrary.livejournal.com 2007-02-28 02:20 am (UTC)(link)
Congratulations! It's certainly well deserved. This is gorgeous!
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[identity profile] leelastarsky.livejournal.com 2007-03-06 03:26 am (UTC)(link)
Thanks, Merry!! :~)

[identity profile] riabhach.livejournal.com 2007-02-28 02:22 am (UTC)(link)
truly and absolutely incredible! WOW!
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[identity profile] leelastarsky.livejournal.com 2007-03-06 03:27 am (UTC)(link)
It's lovely to hear you think so. Thanks! :~)

[identity profile] pili204.livejournal.com 2007-02-28 02:36 am (UTC)(link)
Such a well deserved win! The cover fron and back are simply gorgeous. I love, love Harry - and seeing Ron and Hermione team-up. Brilliant job!
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[identity profile] leelastarsky.livejournal.com 2007-03-06 03:28 am (UTC)(link)
Thanks, Pili!! *hugs*

[identity profile] tattooedsiren.livejournal.com 2007-02-28 02:48 am (UTC)(link)
Congratulations. That pic is stunning and you so deserve that win. *adores you*
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[identity profile] leelastarsky.livejournal.com 2007-03-06 03:29 am (UTC)(link)
Thankyou! *hugs*

[identity profile] xprincessbloomx.livejournal.com 2007-02-28 02:50 am (UTC)(link)
WOW. I mean... just wow. Beautiful work!! :)
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[identity profile] leelastarsky.livejournal.com 2007-03-06 03:29 am (UTC)(link)
Thanks! :~)

[identity profile] outofthisplace.livejournal.com 2007-02-28 02:51 am (UTC)(link)
oh, wow.
I am floored. that is absolutely amazing. just.... I'm...speechless.
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[identity profile] leelastarsky.livejournal.com 2007-03-06 03:30 am (UTC)(link)
Thanks! It's great to hear you like it! :~)

[identity profile] ryuuhime2005.livejournal.com 2007-02-28 02:53 am (UTC)(link)
Amazing. Absolutely amazing!

Ry
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[identity profile] leelastarsky.livejournal.com 2007-03-06 03:31 am (UTC)(link)
Thanks, Ry! :~D

[identity profile] themostepotente.livejournal.com 2007-02-28 03:02 am (UTC)(link)
Fantastic, Leela! <333
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[identity profile] leelastarsky.livejournal.com 2007-03-06 03:31 am (UTC)(link)
Thanks!! :~D
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[identity profile] reallycorking.livejournal.com 2007-02-28 04:23 am (UTC)(link)
Leela, this just rocks so HARDCORE. I was going to leave a long, gleeful, rambling comment when I saw it on the Leaky galleries, but it WOULDN'T LET ME, GARRRRR. :( I was chatting with [livejournal.com profile] myrafur at the time that I saw this and I linked her and we were both just O______O and dropped jaws and all of that. Guh.

This is absolutely incredible, you definitely deserved the win. It's so detailed, the body language/expressions of the characrers are wonderful, the composition fabulous, and it's just amazingly colored--you went the extra mile and made this really, truly look like a Harry Potter book. I'm blown away by the awesomeness. Congratulations!
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[identity profile] leelastarsky.livejournal.com 2007-02-28 04:59 am (UTC)(link)
Thanks, RC!! I'm so glad to hear you both liked it!! *hugs you silly* I'm blushing madly!

I'm pretty sure they're still working out a lot of kinks in the TLC fanart galleries, cos it's a bit hit and miss for me too. :~)

[identity profile] revivified.livejournal.com 2007-02-28 05:34 am (UTC)(link)
I cannot even begin to register how unbelievably gorgeous this is. From the thorough attention to detail to the excellent lighting, from the sinister atmosphere to the marvelous tones...everything about this is spectacular. Well done. I saw this yesterday at the Leaky Cauldron and considered it the best work out of all of them. Seeing it again only verifies that.

You could give Mary Grandpre a run for her money, methinks.
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[identity profile] leelastarsky.livejournal.com 2007-03-06 03:32 am (UTC)(link)
Thankyou for your lovely comments! It's wonderful to hear that you liked it! :~)

[identity profile] damn-squiggly.livejournal.com 2007-02-28 06:21 am (UTC)(link)
I saw this on TLC yesterday and was so glad you won because it is such a brilliant picture!
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[identity profile] leelastarsky.livejournal.com 2007-03-06 03:34 am (UTC)(link)
It's great to hear that you like it!! :~)

[identity profile] alissomora.livejournal.com 2007-02-28 06:24 am (UTC)(link)
Congratulations!!! How utterly wonderful -- it's a gorgeous picture. You do realise that Jo's probably seen it, right? *g*
ext_40142: (DH Harry)

[identity profile] leelastarsky.livejournal.com 2007-02-28 07:07 am (UTC)(link)
*flails!!!*

[identity profile] ariadneelda.livejournal.com 2007-02-28 09:44 am (UTC)(link)
OMG, I want this cover for my book!!! It's FABULOUS.

Congratulations! :-)
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[identity profile] leelastarsky.livejournal.com 2007-03-06 03:35 am (UTC)(link)
Thanks, Ariadneelda! I'm glad you liked it!!

[identity profile] huntress1013.livejournal.com 2007-02-28 01:37 pm (UTC)(link)
THAT is amazing! I am totally in love with the richness and details of the picture and yes I am also one of those people who like Bloomsbury version better. The US version is simply too hard to read.
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[identity profile] leelastarsky.livejournal.com 2007-03-06 03:40 am (UTC)(link)
I know what you mean; I tried to read the US verion of HBP, got 2 paragraphs in and the changes to the text were like nails on a blackboard! But the US editions are beautifully presented, I'll give them that. ;~) Glad you like the art!

[identity profile] professor-mum.livejournal.com 2007-02-28 08:07 pm (UTC)(link)
Wow...wow. Really great. Are you a working artist?
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[identity profile] leelastarsky.livejournal.com 2007-03-06 03:36 am (UTC)(link)
Heee, I like to think so. ;~P Haven't managed to catch much in the way of 'real' work yet, but I'm still trying!
Glad you liked the pic!
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[identity profile] gnatkip.livejournal.com 2007-02-28 11:09 pm (UTC)(link)
WONDERFUL! I love how you chose to lay the painting out; each fold and flap is lovely and balanced on its own.
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[identity profile] leelastarsky.livejournal.com 2007-03-06 03:37 am (UTC)(link)
Thankyou! *hugs*

[identity profile] angellorexx.livejournal.com 2007-03-01 03:28 am (UTC)(link)
That's just.... amazing.

I'm not going to say that this is SO much better then the original drawings cause it will probably sounds too fangirl-ish and stuff.
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[identity profile] leelastarsky.livejournal.com 2007-03-06 03:41 am (UTC)(link)
Heh. ;~) Great to hear you liked it!
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[identity profile] kyuuketsukirui.livejournal.com 2007-03-01 09:45 am (UTC)(link)
This is beautiful. You totally deserve the win. :)

I've seen several great covers for this competition and I'm kind of sad that the real cover won't be anything this good (I just don't like Mary Grand Pre's style).

I love the composition and how you did not just the front cover, but a complete wrap-around. It works equally well for the UK version, too. Excellent job!
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[identity profile] leelastarsky.livejournal.com 2007-03-06 08:37 am (UTC)(link)
Thanks! I'm so glad you liked it! :~)

[identity profile] lily-koneko.livejournal.com 2007-03-01 06:38 pm (UTC)(link)
OMG
I have no word
that's a very impressive work!
♥♥♥♥
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[identity profile] leelastarsky.livejournal.com 2007-03-06 08:38 am (UTC)(link)
Thanks!! :~)

[identity profile] elwing-alcyone.livejournal.com 2007-03-02 12:18 am (UTC)(link)
Oh, wow. That's absolutely beautiful. Suffice to say if this were the real cover I would be mpre than delighted. It's so atmospheric. I love the standing stones and the Celtic knotwork, and the Dementors look really frightening. You definitely deserved to win. Wow.
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[identity profile] leelastarsky.livejournal.com 2007-03-06 08:41 am (UTC)(link)
Thankyou! It's great to hear you particularly enjoyed the standing stones and celtic knotwork because I'm really fond of those in Real Life! :~)

[identity profile] eimajunknown.livejournal.com 2007-03-02 01:41 am (UTC)(link)
that's really gorgeous =] i love all the details and the muted colors and everything.

i've liked your work for some time now, and i don't know why i've never gotten around to asking, but would you mind if i friended you?
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[identity profile] leelastarsky.livejournal.com 2007-03-06 08:48 am (UTC)(link)
Thanks for taking the time to let me know how much you enjoy my art! And please feel free to friend me! But please don't be insulted that I don't friend you back - my flist is impossible to keep up with now. But all my art posts are public, so you'll see those. :~)

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