ILLUSTRATING THOMAS HARRIS RED DRAGON FOR SUNTUP EDITIONS
In 2019, Suntup Editions asked me to illustrate eight interior illustrations and a wrap-around dusk jacket for Thomas Harris's Red Dragon. I have compiled here some of the behind-the-scenes sketches and process breakdowns that went into the production. It was an immense honor to work on the project, and the collection of illustrations are some of my favorite.
Illustrating Will Graham
“He viewed his own mentality as grotesque but useful, like a chair made of antlers.
”
In chapter 2 of Thomas Harris's Red Dragon, we get our first glimpse into the mind of Will Graham. Graham investigates the leads murders in this chapter, and we are given the first insights into the burden of his particular purpose. I'd considered a few additional passages illustrating moments of nightmare scenarios, but I kept coming back to this passage. The line of the text was just so perfect in its encapsulation of Grahams' mind that the illustration fell into place more or less. The moon is a reoccurring motivation throughout the book. Like a pendulum hanging over our protagonists' head, the full moon is a dreadful reminder…
Initial sketch
Refind drawing
Painting with supporting refrence
A bit of reference graciously provided by a good friend. Reference helps find light sources and help ground the figure in a reality.
I tend to paint the eyes last …
Painting of a full moon used in background
Final Watercolor, ink, and gouache painting pre-digital
Final version ANTLERS
Illustrating Reba and the Tiger
Sketch concept
Chapter 35
"She flattened her hand on the thick coat and moved it gently, feeling the fur slide across her palm, with and against the lay, felt the hide slide over the ribs as they rose and fell."
"Her hands on the rhythmic chest, her face up turned, she was filled with the tiger hearts bright thunder."
The character of Reba is blind and is allowed to touch a sedated tiger behind the scenes at a zoo. The scene was one of my favorites from the book and the movies. So I was thrilled when it came time to illustrate the experience.
watercolor process
Close up on the watercolors
The final Illustration
Illustrating Dr. Lecter
Drawing of Dr. Lecter
Dr. Lecter
"If he felt lectors madness in his head, he had to contain it quickly, like a spill."
"Dr. Lecter's eyes are maroon, and they reflect the light redly in tiny points. Graham felt each hair bristle on his nape."
"Lecter rose and walked over to his table. He is a small, lithe man. Very neat"
- Chapter 7
"in Dollarhyde's mind, lectors likeness should be the dark portrait of a Renaissance prince."
In this sketch of Dr. Lecter, I wanted to capture a compelling likeness. Hopefully, hold the reader's gaze with Lecters eyes for as long as possible. The pose needed to be stiff, like a coiled snake or an uncanny statue, ultimately an unnerving renaissance portrait.
I read that in later books, it is revealed that Lecter had a "Mid Ray duplication polydactyly" or an extra middle finger. So I included this in the drawing even though it's not mentioned in the book.
The initial drawing transferred to watercolor paper, prepping to paint Dr. Lecter
Final Illustration of Dr. Lecter
Young Francis Dolarhyde
final sketch of Francis Dolarhyde
Chapter 27
In this illustration, I wanted to capture the surreal scene involving a young Francis Dolarhyde standing in the moonlight holding a hatchet.
“He went out the back door and stood in the brilliant night, face upturned, gasping as though he could breathe the light. A tiny disk of the moon, distorted on the whites of his rolled back eyes, “
“He walked towards the chicken house, hurrying now, the ground cold under his feet, the hatchet pumping cold against his leg, running now before he burst”
I used waterproof ink to quickly build up value
Final Illustration of young Francis Dolarhyde, Moonlite in his eyes
The Dragon
Chapter 20
The first reveal of the Dragon
“To Lounds, seated, he seem very tall standing in his kimono. A stocking mask was rolled up to his nose.”
I took great joy in imagining Blakes Dragon whispering in Dolarhyde’s ear…
Sketch of D and the Dragon
Watercolor on arches hot press
Watercolor process
Final illustration as it appeared in the Interior
The dust jacket for the artist edtion
While reading Thomas Harris's Red Dragon and taking notes around Will Graham's character, I was recalled Goya's "The Sleep of Reason Produces Monsters" etching. This image of the painting is in its early stage in progress, with inspiration from Goya's famous work.
Other notes scribbled in the margins of my notebook, 'Graham sinks, the Dragon becomes.'
Early stages of the painting
two page illustration. pg.78 and pg. 343
“Paula Harper on the floor, her hair crossed her face, and squatting over her — Dollarhide stuffing the last bit of the watercolor in his mouth”
Dolarhyde eating the William Blake paint “The great red dragon and the woman clothes with the sun.”
The well-worn paperback reader I used to make notes and plan for the illustrations.
Harris drew an Owl so I had to add mouse…