"Parakleto's Journey: Mighty River" Create a book cover illustration for a teen novel, according with current trends.

Carlos Moreno

I am a professional communicator, writer and filmmaker targeting student age audiences. My main goal is to produce products of arts and entertainment with moral and cultural values.

BACKGROUND: I'm making a fantasy trilogy called "Parakletos Journey", based on three elements: water, wind, and fire (emphasizing three different colors).

THE STORY: Four teenagers, age 13-14, from different backgrounds, attend a concert where they are transported to another dimension. Together face different dangers and obstacles and get to know new friends and allies. Their only way back to their reality is to find the legendary Mighty River.

TARGET AUDIENCE: Ages 9-16

BOOK PROJECT: For this book cover, I want a river illustrated and may be the four main characters in front, possibly be in the back, leaving room for the book description and bio. Is important to avoid the use of stock pictures, because I'm looking for something rendered and originally made.

CHARACTER'S DESCRIPTION: The first character is a teenage preppy girl, long blonde hair, blue eyes, with orange blouse. The second character is a white guy, brown hair hazel eyes, jeans and preppy green shirt. The third character is a brown skin Jewish hipster teen, wearing a beige t-shirt, hipster style with an earring on his ear. The fourth character is a Mexican girl, kind of nerdy brown eyes, glasses, wearing a green dress. The book is narrated by a fifth character which is a Canadian girl black hair, blue eyes blue plaid shirt. The sketches attached are the faces of the characters.

STYLISTIC PREFERENCES: I want a cover not too mature or dream-like look, but instead, a realist painting like draw with crisp clear lines. Since I'm taking my target audience into another dimension of reality, I think that dimension is often clearer than this one that we live in; colors are more vibrant, images are more crisp and clear!

COLORS: Emphasis, but not limited to blue and aqua.

My previous designer was doing a few sketches and renderings using an app called ProCreate, she used some stock pictures just to show me what she was having in mind (attached in this contest). I'm attaching the sketches of the characters, the initial three concepts and samples of the painting style I'm looking for as well.​ Is important to avoid the use of stock pictures, because I'm looking for something rendered and originally made.