Jonathan Kieran

In case anyone has ever wondered if an author who illustrates his or her own books ends-up leaving certain artworks on the “cutting-room floor” during an edit, wonder no longer. I love this piece and put an enormous amount of work into the craftsmanship. It’s a multi-media creation drawn on 11 x 14 Bristol and incorporates three underlying India Ink-washes, a pencil sketch followed by chalk rendering with parchment paper, removal of parchment, light pen and ink flourishes and, in the final stretch, Arteeza colored pencils, watercolor touches, acrylic paint where needed, theatrical grease pencil effects, and final overlay with Arteeza pencils.

A lot of work on a large surface, basically.

This work was intended to be featured in THE WEDNESDAY BOX in the scene where the Lenashee is telling her woeful tale to the enslaved May, but I didn’t think the end-product quite matched the tone of the other drawings I had finished (45 in all) so I left it out. Doubtless I’ll employ it in some future project, given that it depicts … well, you decide what it depicts. This is a dark fantasy world, after all.

Speaking of which, the amazing Kindle $0.99 sale for THE WEDNESDAY BOX lasts only another three days, so get a copy if you haven’t already. It’s a keeper. Personally, I think it’s best enjoyed and preserved, library style, in the print edition, but for only a dollar, you will not find a finer quality work anywhere. (He said humbly 😄)

Illustration Copyright Jonathan Kieran 2026.

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[ THE WEDNESDAY BOX, a dark fable by Jonathan Kieran, is slated for international release June 18, 2026 ]

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