Paul Kidby's works in progress

studio

Follow the trials, tribulations and techniques of Paul Kidby's newest artwork.

Click here for the Studio Feature on the creation of the cover image for ‘I Shall Wear Midnight'

Since receiving the brief on December 10th 2008 to completing the artwork on February 4th 2009, I have been illustrating the next Discworld cover. Scroll down to see the various stages involved in creating the cover of Unseen Academicals. Scroll further down for links to more studio features.

The first pencil sketch to work out the positions of the characters.

Second pencil drawing with The Luggage and two cheer leaders added.

New drawing of the Librarian.

Amended pencil with a clearer focal point. I now have the go-ahead to start painting…

The finished Underpainting in Raw Umber acrylic. Upon Terry’s request the Bursar has been changed to
Dr Hicks and the Ork is younger and thinner than previously drawn.

Applying the background colour in a thin wash.

Starting to add detailed colour.

The Librarian complete, only another fourteen more characters to do…

Keeping the colour palette limited.

The finished painting… now I can have a long lie down in a darkened room (or a snowball fight in the garden) while I wait for approval from Terry and the publishers. The illustration goes off to the designer for the final stages before finally being submitted to the publishers. The book itself will be on sale this autumn.

Sculpting Nemesis

Sculpting the form from oil based wax, thanks to everyone who sat round the table warming the stuff for me!

Working out the finer details with my trusty dental tools.

The griffin at the foundry cast from wax.

The final piece in its raw bronze stage.

Patination in progress.

The finished result!

Making Money

First sketch: Moist wearing a monocle and moustache, accompanied by our own dog Granny Flo, who was rejected in favour of a pug, despite her best posing efforts.

Second pencil sketch. Approved by everyone (except Flo that is).

Here I am starting on the Underpainting with my trusty brown acrylic paint, working over the finished pencil on Illustration Board.

First wash. I really enjoy this bit! Vanessa finds it rather alarming to watch, but I think it’s very good therapy after all that fine detail brush work.

The crowd painted in black over the Underpainting.

Back out with the very fine brush to finish the painting off, a bit of gold here - a bit of purple there, and a large glass of wine to celebrate it’s completion within the deadline. Can't wait till September to see the finished cover? You're in luck just check out our March 2007 update.

Studio special features

To follow more of Paul's paintings from inspiration to the finished product, just click on the banners below.

Click here for the Studio Feature on the creation of the cover image for ‘I Shall Wear Midnight'

Click here to see the making of Paul's new T-shirt graphics, 'Get a Tomb' and Zen Bones. Visit the Shop to see the finished artwork.

Follow this link for a tantalising glimpse of the newest Discworld Diary, Lu Tze's Book of Enlightenment, in the making.

A guide to the creation of Paul's favourate mythical beast! To see more of Balthasar, check out our Shop.

A step-by-step account of how the Bremen Town Musicians were brought to life. To see this print and others like it, visit the shop.

A guide to the creation of another mythical beast! To see more of Feldspar, check out our Shop.

Flashes of insight into the techniques behind a plethora of different projects from sculpture to paint and from dogs-with-orange-eyebrows to Nac Mac Feegles.