Run, Spaceman, Run!

A rare copy of Run, Spaceman, Run! by noted sci-fi author Cadwallander Jones.

As always, this illustration started out as a simple little doodle. I sketch an alien in a business suit running, and scrawled the title above him. The original intent was to make it sort of a poster, I guess. Then for a while I thought I'd turn it into a movie poster. Then I scrapped that idea and turned it into a paperback book cover.

The background was originally much different; it was a cityscape with a central vanishing point. I couldn't get that to work, so I gave up for the night and went to bed. As I dozed off my mind said, "Hey, stupid, make the city just a row of buildings, then tilt it for more visual interest." That was a pretty good idea, so the next morning I heeded my brain's advice.

The title was hand-lettered.

There was a real sci-fi author named Cordwainer Smith, hence the name Cadwallander Jones on my cover. And Morton Sci-Fi... say, aren't they the people who publish Morty The Friendly Corpse comics?

Drawn in Photoshop on the graphic tablet. I did the Morton logo in InDesign, because I haven't quite figured out rounded corners in Photoshop yet.

 Here's the original sketch, with the vague poster design idea.

Here's a more refined digital sketch of the alien. His mouth kind of reminds me of Steve Buscemi's.