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TheGeekCanPaint β Harry Potter: Book 1 Cover
Published: 2017-07-04 02:52:22 +0000 UTC; Views: 11186; Favourites: 147; Downloads: 0
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Description
Aproximately 16 x 38Gouache paints with coloured pencil on coloured matte board
The text along the "spine" was added after via PhotoShop, while the text on the cover is part of the painting.
*** This is technically a re-posting of this illustration. I plan to do so with all my Potter art work building up (hopefully) to having some new stuff to share there after. So if you feel like you've seen this before - you probably have. On the upside, I'm sharing it at a larger resolution and without the DeviantArt watermark on it now ***
This is my cover illustration to "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone" (Sorcerer's Stone US). It's the full dust jacket illustration - Front and back cover, spine and inside flaps. I remember being very happy with this painting when I first finished it. It's interesting to look back and see how my take on these characters has evolved over the years, while still retaining some of the same qualities... which is perfect really. I wanted to have a sense of my art and style growing along with the kids as they grow throughout the series.
Fun fact, the Hogwarts letters and the owl on the left weren't originally part of the design. When I "finished" it, I felt like something was still missing, so I went in and added them. The owl filled an empty space quite well, and the letters pulled the whole thing together into one connected piece. I was very pleased with that decision. Also, it can't be shown on the computer, but in the far upper left corner (what would be the back inside flap of the dust jacket) it's (supposed to) look like Trevor crawling away, peeling the page back. The black of that corner is actually cut away when printed out and used as the proper dust jacket.
I think my biggest disappointment about the piece is my designs on the Hogwarts flags on the far right... or rather the execution. What was in my mind didn't translate very well onto the board, but it's a minor complaint. I'm still very happy with this painting.
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Comments: 29
Love seeing your interpretation of the Harry Potter series. I hope you do more of these.
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Thank you so much! I've slowed down recently due to life stuff - not for a lack of interest. But I do have every intent of seeing the series through ALL of the books 
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I understand. Life happens. And even with that aside, drawing can be fun, but also very, very time consuming, and it does involve a lot of work (something I've started learning lately, now that I've started actively posting things to this website after having an account for so long. My art is pretty simplistic, but it can still take days to complete, and sometimes I'm just plain not in the mood). Take as much time as you need (after all, more time results in better art and better health). Thanks for responding by the way.
Also, you should seriously consider showing your art to companies like scholastic. I think these would make great covers and illustrations to the books (and other books), and I'd love to see them in stores some day too.
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This is absolutely gorgeous. Not only to you include the major players, but the tiny details from Neville's toad and the Golden Snitch really brings everything together. Loved the way you incorperated the letters.
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Thank you so very much! It's a challenge to decide who all needs to be included in the cover art and then where they go and how much importance to give them in location and space they take up. I was happy with the way this piece turned out and happy you like it too
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Thank you very much, and I'm so glad you do! There is more art in the works.And in the mean time I'm going through and re-posting a whole bunch of my old stuff at larger resolutions... like this piece you've commented on.
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Nice! Can't wait to see more of your art
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this is just too awesome for words... and your Madam Hooch is so cool 
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As always, thank you for your compliments and I'm happy you're enjoying my illustrations
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most welcome
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Thank you so very much!
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I absolutely LOVE the interpretations of all of the characters here, so much like I had imagined them when I first read the book all those years ago!
Love your Madame Hooch, Flitwick, Dursleys and Hagrid - also the fact that you drew Fang more like a great dane, an ACTUAL boarhound rather than a Neopolitan Mastiff... the attention to detail everywhere here is just delicious. 
Also, never seen a Snape with a goatee before, and I must admit that I approve wholeheartedly of this design! (though as an actor, Alan Rickman will always be Severus... <3)
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Ok, before anything else, you are the first person to ever notice Fang being a great dane. So thank you for noticing
Thank you again for your kind words and compliments!
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Ah really? For me that was quite a big thing - I'm a bit of a dog-nerd, haha. (well, bionerd in general really...)
I thought the films overall did a good job of being close to the books (I dislike indeed when films deviate much too far from the books - the Eragon series of books may not have been perfect, but I enjoyed them - the film however just... made things up as it went along and changed so much, the characters weren't even recognisable - like, Eragon was NOT blonde - hell, they could have at least dyed his hair or used a wig! Not to mention the elves being distinctly nothing like elves... and so, SO many other things. Had potential as a story to make a decent film but the way they did it, just NOPE.)
But yeah, whilst the HP films were overall pleasantly accurate to the books, there were a few things that jarred a little for me, such as Fang being played by a Neopolitan Mastiff. If they portrayed him with something like a Great Dane, Cane Corso or Weimaraner(such as my own boy), it would've been much closer - hell, Great Danes were referred to as boarhounds by some people (as were the old-time Weimaraners and their ancestors) and were frequently used to catch boar (Weims still are in Poland and other places where it is legal to hunt boar with dogs, wouldn't surprise me if Danes were in some places too *at least the classic/old-type Danes rather than the over-heavy and anatomically-off ones you often see at shows *but thankfully the older type seems to be making a comeback - but I digress*). Neos are nice dogs but they ain't boarhounds! :'D So for you to redress this in your art, BRAVO!
You're very welcome indeed - I must say, your artworks were a blow to the nostalgia-centre, in the best possible way. <3 So much so that I'm very tempted to give you a feature at some point as I think your works need more appreciation. ^^
Ah, well, in the book he's described as sallow-skinned, having dark/black greasy hair that's kind of long/nearly shoulder-length, hook-nosed and gaunt/thin... but it never says whether he is or isn't smooth-skinned or sporting a beard or goatee. So far as I can remember at least - so I think there are artistic license areas where the books leave your imagination open to add little touches, and actually seeing him this way now it's hard for me to picture him without a goatee, it really suits him I think! ^^ (also, now I can't help but imagine Alan Rickman like this... :'D)
Though true, his voice and mannerisms were just PERFECT, I think. <3
And no problem at all!
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I agree about the Potter movies - they did an excellent job of being close to the books. Well, they did at first and strayed more and more with each movie, but I understand no movie can be a literal adaptation... as much as I'd like to see it
Truth be told, my research was never conclusive that Great Danes were "Boar Hounds". I like dogs a great deal; not quite a dog-nerd level, but close
It's always a treat for me when someone enjoys my art for whatever reason - some like my attention to detail, some just like my interpretations, but whatever the case, I'm tickled anyone likes my stuff at all
I might play with Snape's facial hair in the later books - people change their looks over the years, so why shouldn't he? Just so long as it feels right for the story and where he's at as a character. We'll see I guess!
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Oh, wow! Β I cannot tell you how much I love this book jacket! Β So many things to see and details to spot when you give it a second look! Β Hey, you've even included Madam Hooch and remembered that she had yellow eyes! Β So many illustrators neglect her, but even though she was a minor character she was important! Β Who else would teach Harry how to fly? Β I also love your versions of all the teachers and other adults. Β I hope that you draw Professors Flitwick and Sprout soon. Β They are also neglected in art and I would love to see your versions of them! Β Snape would scare the hell out of me if he was my teacher--poor Neville!
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I'm so glad you enjoy the illustration. And yes, that is Madam Hooch and she most certainly has yellow eyes - I know what you mean that others neglect her and when they do remember her, they forget the eyes. But I try and keep every detail as true to the story as I can and then add my own touches to them
Thanks for the compliments!
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If and when you eventually get to doing Order of the Phoenix, will members of both Dumbledore's Army and the Inquisitorial Squad be featured on the cover?
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Oh I plan to get through all the books - it's taking me way longer than expected, but I will keep illustrating Potter till the series is done... or I die, which ever comes first
Right now, the only thing that's set in stone for Order of the Phoenix, is Umbridge will be on the spine (that's where all the defense against the dark arts teachers will be for all the book covers) and Harry will be on the front cover. I want to include as many people as possible without flooding the image, and Dumbledore's Army would probably do that alone so unfortunately they won't be able to all be there - but there will certainly be members of each on the cover... it's just a question of which ones make "the cut". I try and pick characters that are pertinent to the individual story, while also leaving room to let certain other characters have their "moment" on a cover.
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That looks awesome; I love your interpretation of the characters. I wish you were ab a official HO book cover artist.
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Thank you so much! That is so kind of you to say... and it would be my personal dream come true to be an official Potter artist. I'm not giving up hope that someday maybe someone will publish my versions, but for now I'll just keep making stuff for fun
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You should share your work with Pottermore on FB or Twitter; the'd be impressed.Β
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I haven't had the best luck sharing my artwork with the "professional" side of the Potter world. But maybe I'll give it a shot! Thank you for the suggestion!!!
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