Field Notes for the pulse, Studio for what’s still becoming something — published here instead of scattered across platforms.
This album cover started with a question: what should New York feel like for Sundate?
I began by gathering client references and defining the world around the musician — the setting, atmosphere, pose, and clothing. From there, I explored rough sketches and alternative poses before narrowing in on the composition.
The first draft was about finding the right balance between the character and the city. A tighter crop brought more attention to the musician, while the wider view kept the New York setting present. Once the line work felt right, I began testing the color direction: a warmer sunset, brighter and punchier tones, and stronger shadows and highlights to give the illustration more depth.
The final cover came together through that back-and-forth process: reference gathering, questions, sketches, composition studies, and color tests. Each stage helped move the piece closer to something that felt personal to the artist.
October 5, 2026
Green Fault
Acrylic and Modeling paste, 30x40
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