#MUTED volume 01 - book cover

I can finally present you the finished book cover illustration for volume 01! ∠( ᐛ 」∠)＿

This took more than 2 days to complete, because after doodling a few drafts that were much simpler, of course my decision fell on the probably most difficult and time-consuming idea. But I wanted the cover to show some of the major things that we see in #MUTED, so I feel it was well worth it.

Those things include, of course, the book Jasper is holding, which isn't an exact replica of what we see in the comic but a super simplified alternative version which is a subtle nod to Walter Moers' "The city of dreaming books", one of my favourite books of all time! For Kai I wanted the space sneakers and the headphones, the latter as a symbol for him deliberately  closing himself off from his surroundings.

They both have their backs turned to the city below (which I heavily referenced and some parts traced from a photo of the skyline of the city I live in, because that's where the comic happens), they're only interested in what's in their small personal bubble, which in this case is on Jasper's balcony :') I think the ways Kai and Jasper are positioned are still very different from each other. Jasper only has to turn his head a little to look at the houses below, while Kai seems to be hidden away, behind the pillar, back turned, eyes focusing on nothing in particular in the evening sky. They have very different views on the outside world, after all.

And lastly, they also kind of have their backs turned to each other. I thought that would be fitting for volume 01, as they're only just getting to know each other there, they both have their own things to take care of and their beginnings as potential love interests turned out to be a bit rocky. So they're not facing each other, but are still close, their turned backs touching ever so slightly. 

_:(´ཀ`」 ∠):_ … I really love my boys.

Honestly, I didn't think of all this right from the start of the sketch, but now that I look at the finished piece, it all seems to make perfect sense. I doubt many people will notice these things or interpret them like that, but I'm really pleased with it XD

Oh, and also, here's a close-up!

I also drew a print that's going to be part of the preorder bundle, but I'm going to let that one sit for another night and show it to you on another day x)