Black Vulmea’s Vengeance Book Cover 1979

Ken Kelly made this cover for "Black Vulmea’s Vengeance" with paint, probably oils given the way he blends everything together. It’s a process of layering and softening, right? Like how the light almost dissolves into the scene. Look at the way the colors drift from a fiery orange down to a smoky grey. The treasure chest on the left is barely there, just suggested through this fog. But then, bam! The figure leaps out at you. That snake wrapped around him is so tactile, you can almost feel its scales. Kelly wasn’t shy with the paint there, giving it volume and weight. It makes me think of Frank Frazetta, another artist who knew how to make the unreal feel real. Both of them get that art isn’t about showing you something, it’s about making you feel it. And, yeah, maybe have a little fun while you're at it!