Here is the cover for the recently published "A Map of the Known World" by Lisa Sandell. The way I did this cover is a bit different from most of my work. My wife, Elizabeth Parisi needed an image of a heart constructed out of objects.
The story by Lisa Sandell, who is also an editor as Scholastic, is of a girl whose older brother dies and she tries to come to grips with that and understand more of who she is
as she learns more about her brother. In the story Cora, the young girl, finds out her brother was an artist and made sculptures out of found objects.
Elizabeth imagined that the iconic cover image might be a heart (Cora) made up of objects. In the town we spend our summers in, Eagles Mere, PA, there is an artist who lives there in the summer and is just such a sculptor. The deadline would not allow for one of his works to be created and perhaps the budget wouldn't allow for it either. However, on his property he has a huge apple constructed of red metal objects. This could be the basis of a heart piece.
The artist is Leo Sewell and he's really amazing.
http://www.leosewell.net
With his approval and a cover credit, I shot his apple from several angles and used it as reference for a heart illustration. When you draw something out you have to look at and figure out what you are drawing. I found his work to be deeply textured and quite clever. The final cover was designed by Elizabeth with an almost black map behind the heart and hand drawn type. I love it.
This cover was three artists working together to arrive at a wonderful solution.
From his website:
"His sculptures are composed of recognizable objects of plastic, metal and wood. These objects are chosen for their color, shape, texture, durability and patina; then they are assembled using nails, bolts, and screws. The outdoor sculptures are constructed of stainless steel, brass, or aluminum found objects which are welded together."
