I was commissioned to do a cover for the Polish edition of "Teatro Grottesco" -- it's a short story collection by one of my favourite writers, Thomas Ligotti. I've been pitching Ligotti to a number of Russian publishers, but it didn't bring any satisfactory results. So this assignment was very desired and personal.
I did a number of sketches and decided upon a derelict with hung puppets inside.
The first drawing came out OK, but it was far to joyous to represent Ligotti's prose. So I had to make another version:
This is the finished one. If you read the collection, you might remember carnivorous, anemone-like Soft Black Stars, that also gave a title to the eponymous Current 93 record.
Thomas Ligotti was kind enough to comment on the drawings:
Thanks for showing me your illustration for Teatro Grottesco. The structure in the first two illustration looks like a mausoleum in a cemetery. I like the third illustration the best. It has a desolate quality about it that I like.
This is the finished design. of the cover. I'm yet to hold the book in my hands, but from what I've heard it looks beautiful, so I can breath out.
The run is limited to 500 copies, but I was told it's about to be sold out, so hurry, if you want one.
