Gaia Alessi has been a valued Arena artist for several years now. Based in London, she has a masterful skill for combining digital and traditional materials. Gaia enjoys experimenting with abstract compositions, graphic shapes, line work, patterns and textures, and in recent years has become a go-to creative for stunning fiction covers. Having worked for clients including Chicken House Books, Pushkin Press and Walker Books, her portfolio just gets more impressive with each publishing season.
As a fan of all things mythical and magical, her covers often combine striking characterisation and a strong interpretation of the narrative, and her latest collaboration comes in the form of Tom Moorhouse’s Where the Dragon Waits , publishing with David Fickling Books this month.
Her visually arresting cover treatment for this new publication packs a visual punch, featuring the main protagonists set in a stunning mountain scene alongside a wolf and one of what must be very few pangolins as a cover star! The reverse cover features a sneak peek at the immense presence that is the dragon, alongside a flurry of fluttering butterflies and our faithful pangolin pal.
Here’s a short synopsis of this seat-gripping adventure:
After his dad's boat crashes, Ed finds himself on a strange beach. He meets Steff, a headstrong girl who doesn't know where they are either. As Ed and Steff explore, they discover the deep lore of this new realm. They meet a pack of wolves with a secret and an armoured pangolin called Astolpho, who reveals the only way home involves a dragon who lives at the top of an impossibly tall, rocky spire . . .
“Fantasy and reality blur in this imaginative, thought-provoking tale, which explores the importance of resourcefulness, courage and loyalty. A compelling read, the exciting plot has plenty of twists and turns, and the characters are wonderfully inventive.”– Booktrust
You can grab a copy of Where the Dragon Waits HERE!
Find Gaia on Instagram or view her online portfolio over on our website and check out Gaia's fabulous back cover illustration for this book too!
For more information regarding collaborating with Gaia or any of our fantastic artists please email info@arenaillustration.com.
