This is the first fiction book I've ever done internal illustrations for. I've done recipe, diet and childcare books with internal illos, but not fiction. And this one's a goodie - not only is Carlos Ruiz Zafon Spain's biggest-selling children's author, his writing is excellent and is widely read by his growing adult audience. This was his first book published in the UK - the children's version is shown left, the adult version on the right.
There was a giant list of these images, which were drawn at twice the scale using a very fine steel nib, a Nikko G from Japan, of which I have a stack brought back for me from my friend Dick. They were intricate and very specific, and required a fair few re-draws (especially the cat, whom we just couldn't get looking mean enough) but the end result I was pleased with, as they straddle the line between dark and sinister and childish intrique.
The story itself however is satisfyingly too close to the macabre - there is a malevolent clown, and shapeshifter, a murderous magician, and terrible things happen which you won't find in your typical Disney-esque story. I loved it, and can't wait to read whatever he writes next. I do a lot of chick-lit and beach-read covers, which are fun to do but definitely aren't my choice of read, so it's very satisfying to illustrate for something I could get my teeth (and claws) into.
What do you think of them?
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6tVvDeA8BWvDnLxoX_IeYp4Ph3vtR2pliMAMF_-B5fq8KHLpwpUYJFbLWN1wDOFr5SVwA7DgVnrcZPi6LVVEUmgmXyWP1bBbIFcJc5XsoKVeGd5uLnwujJFdhat5IoSyjnMfG/s400/PhotoOfCovers.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXWLqgIfU8ZX7ZNOxicQFtcfI_B6V2Mwa8mn2ElHpB_BGMTxwGux9Q0uQJkbrGokP1tjmGZkZxoaCm2cPBtMD1xHsfMlKoEdOhOJ7SjftlQ6EdsmEy9pGipLERQ13fEphinIQ1/s400/Prince_Internal.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMD94IZPYAHSpfDot3jlexhcaUwQY7c1l2MY5G0LqmwWTiSKWLQe3vl2trl54VrPRbQhDyA-scayzIRGkxTDRon8WIC29T1PlPBPwmjZ_2Tg4Qs3Bq-IOzQELtgiv_grUOfTnn/s400/Cat'sEyes_Framed.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0VPolJBUT5mR0RCl06ZCNx4nTKZ7jOzbsBSNB74NdCXyE-qZPOb7X4_SsAqVB2YxsE8VIEqs7yuMSFXjPxcZpBR6CJGLs0PseMfe5Ewu9jY8VNW_GOTZwI-zRbG7nkAbeNPVa/s400/Projector_Framed.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg58PXJHCNzM7Va8-Jb4I6mqhepgrVMSvU6mDpaxmmBUHex7JCHS2h0lfB7ZRYJvYfVJWrgUNSiuCsiVgY7DlzM93pYBJZhHl04EYofRQLuw23X_jwG1dhep2f-N4DBmmYjlRnG/s400/CatInWindow_Framed.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1_4nsWWQSa_slkkaDjjMnVcu7xCQnu2ZWQNSUhGxJZun6kWJKO9YV6eYdktq1B-BDB9rSbuuEfxTQ0Rxzm0GiSpvy7H6Q5Wdh7HcrBRC-abO1U-qx1MekcOZPIlXElkE-_N3H/s400/Prince_Caped_Framed.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilHL8G3Jpw4a72Mcp0NRDDOPivRvX-JQLJYsQOUnw65mLQDysuGIiQ0y5Nn43RDxTGJIbRAy_mv5SUSaaKkNpThL30tjGhPmU9w_a4Ot5q0WQXNj4TCilRhbzO8glc5N5P86jj/s400/SunkenShip_Framed.jpg)
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