The client commissioned me to design an original book cover for a new fantasy novel, A Bleeding of Heavens, whose central protagonist is a powerful dragon. They hoped the overall atmosphere would echo the iconic scene of Daenerys travelling with her fleet across the ocean at sunset in Game of Thrones.

Once I got the design requirements, I started planning the overall layout right away. I depicted the main dragon in a vivid dynamic stance, dashing forward from a distance in the frame, straight towards audiences with its mouth wide open in a fierce roar.

Floating clouds and sailing fleets spread across the sea in the lower part of the picture. The huge dragon and the tiny distant ships form a sharp contrast, building remarkable spatial depth. The whole scene is set against a glowing backlit sunset sky, and striking light rays enrich the visual layers.

For the back cover, I drew the other two dragons from the novel locked in an intense battle.…