The Clan of the Cats Paperback Cover 1988

Here we have the paperback cover for The Clan of the Cats, by Ken Kelly, painted with oils. It’s not about perfectly rendering something, it’s about a conversation with the paint, a feeling. The way the oil has been layered in the background gives a sense of depth, almost like looking into a snowstorm. The physicality of the paint is what gets me. You can almost feel the texture of the lion's mane, like a big, furry cloud. And then there’s the way Kelly handled the light on the warrior’s armor. It’s not just about being shiny, it's about how light creates form, how it sculpts the figure. Look at the rendering of the lion’s paw, how it digs into the warrior’s flesh, so real you can feel the tension and threat of the moment. I think of Frank Frazetta, a master of this type of illustration. Both artists share a similar ability to capture dynamic, almost theatrical scenes with strong contrasts. Art's like a conversation, ideas bouncing back and forth across generations, each artist adding their own little twist to the story.