I’m getting ready to publish a historical-fiction novel and need a striking cover illustration in a realistic style. The focus should be my 18-year-old female protagonist—period-accurate clothing, authentic posture, believable expression—set against a specific 1826 background that I will provide a sketch for. Think of the setting as a quiet co-star: it shouldn’t steal the spotlight, but it must anchor the scene so a reader feels transported the moment they look at the book.
I’ll supply a synopsis, reference images for clothing and setting, and specific color preferences once we start. You’re free to propose composition sketches, but the final art must feel hand-painted. I require a 100% human-created illustration. My cover designer (who will add the title and other text to complete the cover) will not work with AI-generated art.
Deliverables
• High-resolution, print-ready cover illustration (front, spine, back) sized for a 6"×9" paperback
• Web/ebook version compatibility (minimum 2560 px on the long edge)
• Source file (PDF and PNG versions)
I’ll consider the job complete when the illustration meets my requirements for accuracy and mood without any AI artifacts that suggest the work wasn't completely human-generated. If you love recreating historical detail and bringing characters to life with realistic illustration techniques, I’d love to see your portfolio samples.