In a few weeks my Halloween-special, Love Hurts: Anastasia, will be out with the Halloween issue of Nemi. I’ve shown some pages from it and now I want to show you the cover of it. And not just the cover, but the making of the cover. I’ll show you step by step how I drew and coloured it.

First of all I went to Gimle in Copenhagen, where my mentor Peter Snejbjerg’s sits. I work really well there and I can get pointers and tips from Peter and the other artists at the studion.

First some idea sketches. I wanted it to show something from the story, but not a give away. I decided on a picture of the main character, Anastasia, floating in water and a cat looking down at her from the seashore.

I tried a lot of different versions but I had a problem getting the cat to be visible enough. Of course Peter came up with the brilliant idea that the cat is to be shown as a reflection in the water. That way I could show the face of both the cat and Anastasia clearly.

Then it was time to find some reference pictures.

I found this picture of Ophelia by John Everett Millais quickly. I think I might have had it unconsciously in mind when I first thought about the cover. It’s really cool.

These are some other artists versions of this heartbreaking scene from Shakespear’s Hamlet. All great for reference.

Those and a good picture of a cat and I was good to go!

First I did a drawing in original size. To get the composition right.
Then enlarged 150% it and drew it nicely.

I draw with a blue pencil that the scanner doesn’t pick up. So when it’s inked and I scan it only the black goes into the computer.

I inked it with a sable brush, just as I ink my comics.
Anastasia was going to be upside down on the cover, but when I drew and inked her face I turned the paper upside down. Just to make it a bit easier.

Time to scan it and start colouring. So I went back to Sweden to my own studio to use my computer.

First I separated the parts of the picture that where going to be under the water, above the water or reflected in the water.

Gave every part it’s colour.

I drew the highlights in the water in photoshop.

I put it upside down here as well to get a better feel for here face when I did some of the shadows and highlights.

Finally I tweaked the colours a bit. And gave it some light effects for that eerie feeling.

A title on top of that and it’s done!

So, that’s it! That’s how I make a cover, and it turned out quite nicely if I may say so myself. Don’t forget to pick up the comic book when it’s out in the stores.>