Greetings Star Seekers,

Welcome to all the new backers! It's amazing to have you here! Today I wanted to talk to you about not only Phoenix's, but also another Booktopia campaign near and dear to me, Captivity--my partner's campaign.

I met Sarah two years ago in an author Kickstarter group. She has hired me for art for her Kickstarter campaigns ever since, and I have created over 20 illustrations for her through the years! She has become a close friend, and her comissions always pushes me as an artist. Like this landscape for example.

I definately feel my character art is my strength, but she often commissions art I didn't think I could do. And she trusts me enough to believe in me when even I feel skeptical about my ability. We often talk about campaigns and how we can make it better. We both love pretty books, and it comes as no surprise that both our campaigns focus on this. One new thing she added for her campaign this time around is full colour two page chapter headings!

This was such a fun commission as I got to draw two of my favourite fantastical creatures, a siren and a phoenix. Sarah also challenged me to try a new style of painting the art, with a more painterly approach versus my normal approach, which I will share in tomorrow's update.

I also designed the sprayed edges for her using the chapter heading illustrations of her characters and the feather from her dust jacket.

I think Sarah's book will be so gorgeous and I can't wait to have my own copy for my collection! Even I am not immune to stuffing my bookshelves with pretty books. 

Aside from these illustrations, I also designed her pins. Both her feather pin, as well as our combined collaboration pin. When we were discussing booktopia, we discovered that both of us had phoenix's in common, and so when I created our cross-collaboration pin, I used that as inspiration for the design.

A phoenix historically has a cyclical nature, from death to rebirth, and so I represented that with the cyclical design of the yin-yang. This cycle of death and rebirth is also present in my own book, just in a slightly different way. I filled these pins with a lot of symbolism. Both visually and as it relates to our books. And while Sarah's pin was inspired by her phoenix, it also carries a lot of symbolism for my own book. 

So, when you get a moment, definitely check out my partner's campaign! You won't be dissapointed. And be sure to back us both to get this pin set for FREE!

Today I plan to finish the illustration of Gabriel & Nisha so I can share it with you tomorrow. Until then, let me know which illustation you want me to focus on after that one is done!

And let me know if you are interested in a lifestream where I share my screen as I draw one of the illustrations!

Yours in art,
Therena

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