Iron Flame – Xaden and Sgaeyl

Spoiler alert for the end of Iron Flame.

The end of the battle at Basgiath. Out of power, with the Sage closing in, Xaden kneels and draws power from the earth itself to protect Violet. It’s the forbidden magic of the venin, and it begins to turn him into the very enemy he’s been fighting. Above him flies Sgaeyl, the dragon who chose him, and his eyes already glint red.

I painted it in black and white, my favourite technique: the shades of grey give it the look of a pencil drawing. The paint stays on the surface of the page edges instead of soaking into the pages, and I protect the painting with a fixative, so the book opens and the pages turn just like any other book.

Hand-painted on the fore-edge of the Iron Flame hardback and signed J.J. This is the original and there’s only one: it’s ready to ship within 1–2 days. If it has already found its home, I can paint the same design again for you on a new copy of the book.