In this video I’m sharing the full painting process behind a book cover illustration I made for Fusion Fragment—plus the *whole* trail of studies and little decisions that happened before the final piece. I’d just received my contributor copy, and seeing the cover in print honestly made me want to sit down and document everything: the early concept for the fairytale retelling vibe, the small color layout sketches, portrait studies (yes, I spent time just drawing eyes), and then the lineart that finally locked things in. Once I start painting, I walk you through my underpainting, the inevitable “ugly stage,” and how I push past it with careful value control, edge work, and a tiny hint of chroma at the right moment. This piece also marked a shift in my color palette, so I talk about the palette tests that helped me get there. It’s meant to be a simple, cozy process video to keep you company while you paint or sketch—while still being honest about the mistakes I noticed, what I would adjust next time, and the small choices (highlights, sharp edges, texture) that made the final cover feel finished.