Braconid Wasps, or Parasitic Wasps, are tiny insects that don’t harm humans, but assist gardeners by destroying crop-damaging hornworm caterpillars. They lay their eggs on the back of the caterpillar, and when their babies hatch they eat the caterpillar from the inside out. Gross!
Part of the “Insect Guardians,” a set of paintings depicting beneficial insects.
Interior illustrations for the book Plug Ugly Ball: A Mobtown Tale of Bullies and Baseball, a tale of historical fiction set in Baltimore in the late 1800s. This artwork was used on section title pages and needed to depict specific scenes from the plot in a style reminiscent of period engravings. The original ink drawings were based on extensive historic research for accurate depictions of real locations and people who appear in the story.
Client: John Thomas Everett
Publisher: Baltimore Bookworks
Book cover design and illustration for the John Everett’s book of historical fiction, Plug Ugly Ball: A Mobtown Tale of Bullies & Baseball.
Mr. Everett wanted his cover to evoke the late 19th century time period it was set in, but we also needed to make sure it didn’t look like it belonged in the non-fiction section. Custom illustration integrating key themes of the story were combined with period engravings of the Baltimore setting to give it a historic feel with a modern sensibility. Gentle textures in the imagery and a soft matte finish on the slipcover completed the look.
Design work included all aspects of the slipcover, including the cover flaps and spine, per the printers specifications.
This project also included custom interior illustrations that evoke period engravings.
Publisher: Baltimore Bookworks