keelanrosa/ booksandstories/ Fine Art Prints ▼

Work by illustrator Keelan Rosa based on books and stories, mostly science fiction and fantasy.

The idea of worlds not quite like our own - whether they are as realistic as foreign countries or as fantastic as alien spaceships and faerie mounds - has always fascinated me. When it comes to old Celtic legends, this fascination is strengthened by the myriad of theories as to the origins of the strange tales. These stories inspire me to create pictures to go along with them. The focus in the illustrations tends to be the faerie creatures, as they are the strangest element of the old stories - and often the most difficult to explain away.

I enjoy working digitally because it's much easier to play around with various compositions without risking damage to the artwork, even after the image is otherwise "finished". Beyond keeping the compositional elements in separate layers, however, my method is mostly based on a traditional style of pencil sketches followed by inking and layers of toning or painting. There is also usually a layer or two dedicated strictly to experimenting with new ideas. As i find i am much more productive when i am challenging myself, i begin my pieces by looking for something new to learn - whether it be a particular method of wing design, a better way of drawing hands, or a more realistic style of drawing hair - and finding a way to use it in the illustration.