Since I’m sure you’re all tired of hearing me ramble (don’t worry, we’ve worked on that feedback loop in therapy already), I thought I would take this opportunity to highlight one of the amazing people I’ve had the pleasure of working with since starting as a writer: my cover artist!
Natasha and I connected roughly a year ago when I stumbled upon her work on a Reddit post, and she’s been an absolute godsend. She took my piecemeal vision and elevated it into the incredible covers we have today.
So, without further ado, check out our conversation below about how she got her start and what goes in to designing a fantasy cover!
Thank you so much for agreeing to chat with me. To start, can you introduce yourself? Tell us a bit about your style and how you got started as an artist.
A: Heya guys! I’m a freelance illustrator based in Indonesia. I usually work on a retainer contract with studios, depending on whether they have projects that need my services or not. Otherwise, I do other commissions from night till morning. This has successfully given me jetlag without even needing to travel (unhealthy, 0/10 will not recommend).
I specialize in semi-realism, but I also love to explore other styles, like anime and simple cute styles. I have been drawing ever since I learned to hold a pencil, but I only got serious about it during high school. Later, I majored in graphic design for my bachelor’s degree, specializing in illustration.
Can you tell us a bit about your hobbies?
A: Drawing used to be my hobby until it became my work. Now that it’s a source of stress, I find it less enjoyable on a personal level. Professionally, though, I still do enjoy it as a job.
My hobbies shifted back into playing games. I usually just play chill, relaxing games with a good story. These days, I’ve been into otome games (romance visual novel or dating sim of sorts, with various endings and alternate routes) as they usually have good stories and colony management/decorating games like Oxygen Not Included. Co-op games can be quite fun, too. I like playing Phasmophobia, Lethal Company, and Content Warning. They are horror genre games, but playing with friends somehow turns them into comedy. That aside, I still have my daily Genshin Impact time because I need the in-game funds to get the next character I want.
How long have you been doing cover art? What interested you?
A: I’ve been doing cover art (officially) since the start of my freelance career in 2022, but I’ve made mockups since in university. I’ve always been interested ever since I was younger; being an avid reader, I read lots of novels. I used to want to write one, but I ended up going down the illustration path, so cover art it is. Now, I only write as a hobby if I feel like it, and most of the time, it’s just fanfics published under a different name because just in case my family discovers my art, they at least won’t discover my ahem unholy writing.
Walk us through a bit of your process. How do you go about transforming an author’s feedback into a final product?
A: Hm… my process. Usually, I start with rough drafts of the artwork, mainly focusing on the shapes and composition, and then I start detailing in the sketch. After that, it’s flat colours and finally rendering. I ask for feedback on every stage, especially sketch and rough draft as those are the most crucial stages. I try my best to incorporate the author’s feedback and also give my own feedback from the perspective of a designer. We both want the best end result for the book.
What makes the process easier? What makes it more challenging?
A: What makes the process easier, for the back-and-forth part of the commission, is when the client is clear with their feedback and helps me nitpick the drawing. For the process of drawing itself, I think what makes it easier is when I draw something I’m familiar with, and the opposite is what makes it more challenging. But it’s what makes me grow!
What are some areas of your artistry that you would like to continue to grow?
A: Areas of my artistry that urgently need to grow would be the business and marketing area since this is my work now, and if I can’t market myself and my business properly, I won’t be able to put food on the table. So, while I do still learn art and how to keep improving my sketches, renders, etc., I spend more time on the business bit and marketing my art
Finally, is there anything you’d like the readers to know that we haven’t already covered?
A: E.B. is a really cool client-turned-friend, and I love her. She’s hardworking, and I don’t know how she keeps pumping out stories. (Girl, how do you write like you’re running out of time-). Anyway, yeah, I really enjoy working with E.B. and chatting with her. She has especially great taste when it comes to fictional men (manboob supremacy amirite?), and she’s also a very cultured person (cough watches anime). I’d love to meet her IRL some day; she’s so chill, and I’ll definitely enjoy hanging out with her.
If you’d like to see more of Natasha’s work, you can find her on Instagram at @roschea.arts.
