Dreamy Forest Book Cover Illustration
Budget: $250 – $750 USD
My upcoming novel is a gothic fairytale romance that follows the protagonist through uncovering long-forgotten ruins sealed away by time and magic, though he and his group discover ancient beings still inhabiting the lands wrought with blue mist and illusions. Between the ghosts of those who tried to brave the ruins and a magical blue fox lies a masked woman who holds the key to unraveling the entire mystery. She will be the central focus to this cover.
Style & mood
• Painted, digital-art look—soft brush strokes and luminous, slightly muted tones.
• Overall feeling: mysterious and dreamy, gracefully guarded beauty.
Visual focus
• Foreground: one masked woman looking back over her shoulder toward the reader, strong air of mystery and emphasis on the magical fox mask she wears.
• Background: a misty pond at twilight, forested woodlands surrounding the pond.
• No need for symbolic objects this time; the character and landscape should carry the scene.
Practical details
• Trim size: 6 x 9 in. front cover (I can supply exact bleed specs once we connect).
• Resolution: 300 dpi CMYK for print, plus an RGB version for e-book stores.
• Final files: layered PSD or Procreate file, flattened TIFF/PNG for print, and a JPEG for online previews.
• At least two rounds of minor tweaks for color or typography placement after initial draft.
Acceptance criteria
The piece should look polished at full size and still read clearly as a thumbnail, maintain the romantic dreamlike palette, and ensure the masked woman remains the central draw.
If this sounds like a canvas you’d enjoy painting on, please share a link to similar work you’ve done with fantasy or romance work so I can be sure our visions line up.
Style & mood
• Painted, digital-art look—soft brush strokes and luminous, slightly muted tones.
• Overall feeling: mysterious and dreamy, gracefully guarded beauty.
Visual focus
• Foreground: one masked woman looking back over her shoulder toward the reader, strong air of mystery and emphasis on the magical fox mask she wears.
• Background: a misty pond at twilight, forested woodlands surrounding the pond.
• No need for symbolic objects this time; the character and landscape should carry the scene.
Practical details
• Trim size: 6 x 9 in. front cover (I can supply exact bleed specs once we connect).
• Resolution: 300 dpi CMYK for print, plus an RGB version for e-book stores.
• Final files: layered PSD or Procreate file, flattened TIFF/PNG for print, and a JPEG for online previews.
• At least two rounds of minor tweaks for color or typography placement after initial draft.
Acceptance criteria
The piece should look polished at full size and still read clearly as a thumbnail, maintain the romantic dreamlike palette, and ensure the masked woman remains the central draw.
If this sounds like a canvas you’d enjoy painting on, please share a link to similar work you’ve done with fantasy or romance work so I can be sure our visions line up.