Art Commissions

Commissions and Booking

Commission Status (Currently Open)

I am currently OPEN to commissions for book covers and illustration work. (Though mid-way through a move so the next month or so might be a little spotty.)

Using AI Tools in My Work (I'm Pro-AI)

I am pro-AI and welcome work with authors who use AI for their books in any capacity. I am happy to use AI art or tools in my design and illustration process—which can mean things like:

  • Generating fully customized characters, backgrounds, or props hard or impossible to find in stock photos
  • Using AI images as reference and inspiration
  • Generating textures for custom-built 3D spaceships
  • Heavily photobashing AI imagery into an illustration
  • Heavily overpainting an AI image to make a new painting
  • Any other creative way to get you a beautiful cover that helps you sell your book!

I am also happy to work without AI art in my process, though Photoshop itself heavily relies on AI in some of its tools, so I can’t promise my work will be AI free. Working with traditional stock images will also not allow me to sell you merchandising rights (without you needing to pay a lot more for extended licensing).

I am especially interested in working with authors who’d like to have diverse characters on their covers that are underrepresented or not present in stock imagery (queer, trans, nonbinary, BIPOC, disabled, and various intersections, etc).

I will not, however, use AI generated art in my process without your permission and full transparency in what and how I use it. If you commission me for work, we’ll talk about that up front and I will only go as far as you’re comfortable with, or not if not. I follow ethical prompting practices (not prompting to living artists, not prompting to brand names) and will never use an AI image on a commissioned cover as-is (unless you ask me to). My Midjourney subscription is private, so any images generated there will not show up in the Midjourney community.

I use tools such as Photoshop, Zbrush, Blender, and Keyshot to create my art. With AI art in my process, I use these plus a combination of Midjourney, Dall-E 2, Stable Diffusion, and Topaz AI, along with Photoshop neural filters. I believe firmly in using every tool available for the best and most creative result possible. And also, having fun! And changing the world one photo-realistic trans character on the cover at a time. :)

The majority of my existing portfolio is pre-AI and does not include AI imagery. However, I fully expect that to change.

Booking Info

Contact me to discuss projects and rates!

I am not likely to do rush jobs (and if I do take one, it’ll double the price). I do not do work-for-hire, unless you’re someone like Marvel, in which case I’ll happily don my Spidey mask. I don’t sell my copyright in full illustrations except in very specific cases (and much, much higher price).

I DO sell all the typical rights you’ll need for your cover.

I DO sell merchandising rights, but only to covers where no purchased stock images were used (assets were illustrated from scratch or generated with AI).

I have a disability, and sometimes will need time off to accommodate, even if it’s the middle of a job. My working time for a simpler cover is usually a month from starting talks to final files. Complex or fully illustrated covers can be 2-3 months.

I require a $100 deposit when we book. If you need to cancel work, I’ll need to keep the deposit. (I depend on work for income.) Then half the cover price on initial design (deposit included), other half on finish.

My base rates START at (but may go higher depending on what you’re looking for, the timing involved, and the rights you’d like):

  • $450 print + ebook for text design over an image or illustration you supply. 2 rounds of light revision.
  • $550 print + ebook for 1-2 image (stock) or equivalent time-wise AI generation—you supply 3-5 choices of model and background and I’ll pick and make them excellent, or will generate a model & background and make them excellent (nothing very specific, please). 1 round of light revision.
  • $650 print + ebook for 2-5 image (stock) or equivalent time-wise illustration/AI generation (moderate complexity) trust me cover. Can be much more specific. 1 round of light revision.
  • $850 print + ebook for 6-10 image (stock) or equivalent time-wise illustration/AI generation (complex, many characters, complex scenery—if fully illustrated, must be simpler). 2 rounds of light revision.
  • $1200 print + ebook for from scratch 3D spaceship model and/or full complex illustration (little or no stock used, some AI assets may be used for textures/backgrounds/photobashing/FX, not the main subjects). 5 rounds of revisions.

I don’t do steamy romance or man-chest covers. (Ace artist here.) I’ll give precedence to space opera, epic fantasy, thrillers, and pretty much anything queer, BIPOC, or otherwise diverse. (That’s not a steamy romance, but non-steamy and romantic is fine!)

Any questions, don’t hesitate to ask!

Clients

My clients include The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, Factor Four Magazine, SciFutures, Evolved Publishing, Phoenix Pick/Arc Manor, and New York Times and USA Today bestselling authors.

Testimonials

Note: some testimonials were written before I changed my name. I’ve changed the name portion in brackets to reflect my new name. No other portion of the quotes were changed.

“[Novae Caelum] designs stunning covers that draw the readers in. Any writer or publisher who still subscribes to the adage of not judging the book by its cover must’ve made the mistake of working with somebody else.”

— Alex Shvartsman, author of The Golem of Deneb Seven and Other Stories

“If you’re looking for a talented graphic designer who handles not only the creative process but also the business side of your project with consummate professionalism, look no further than [Novae Caelum].”

— Travis Heermann, author of Night of the Hidden Fang (as T. James Logan)

“[Novae] has amazing skills and is a joy to work with. Patient, reasonable, professional, and honest, they’re my artist of choice when I need a brilliant cover for anything.”

— Lee French, editor of Swords, Sorcery, and Self-Rescuing Damsels

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