foxlny

[foxlny]

Looking for an Artist !! Novel Designing !!

Hi Tumblr! 

Please read the post in its entirety before moving forward. Please do not message privately about the art application. I will accept private messages if you have questions or just want to generally talk about the novel being written, but I will not be answering messages about artist application inquiries. I have a reason for the application process and would prefer if we could all just move through this smoothly and avoid bombarding me with requests for updates on the process. View this as a job application, please. That is essentially what this is. 

My name is Lia and I am majoring in English and Creative Writing at the master level. For my final project (this class is over a year away, but it’s best to be prepared now) I will need to submit a finished novel along with a thesis and graduation plan. I am coming to Tumblr to find an artist who is interested in helping me bring my novel alive with some art. This will be paid work, not anything I expect or demand for free. I am looking for someone to design the cover of the novel and who is open to designing a few other story elements, such as the character(s) mentioned in the novel, the setting, and so on.

Here is a very basic rundown of things that might come up (definitely not promised! Just keep an open mind basically) as something I’d like to commission you to do: 

Design the cover and title of the novel. I would prefer if you could design the spine and the back of the book as well, but this is not a requirement. My main concern is the front cover and title having a nice design.

Sketches of scenes in the novel. These would be a little bit more detailed and color would be preferred. It would not be a realistic style as this novel I’m writing is very.. Doll inspired. The main character is a doll who lives within a dollhouse, so the details would be kind of childish with a darker twist.

Chapter header decorations. These wouldn’t need to be colored or extremely detailed either, just symbols that fit in and flow with the novel’s genre and storyline. Examples would be a heart shaped lantern or maybe a candle blowing smoke in the shape of a heart, a sewing needle with blood on it, etc. The possibilities are genuinely endless for what the motifs could include. Just small decorations we could sprinkle throughout the novel. 

In-world artifacts: Simple little artifacts spread throughout the story would include lanterns, candies, jewels, etc. – I would prefer if you could design a couple of sketches to show these artifacts off. 

About the Project: 

Timeline: I am set to take this class around August of 2026. This project will need to be submitted in September or October of 2026. This project is what determines if I graduate or not, so I want to go all out and get the ball rolling.

Genre: Dark Romance, Supernatural, Psychological Thriller, LGBTQ

Mood/Aesthetic: Haunted, Entrapment, Dolls. I want a gothic romance to meet a haunted, dark dollcore.

Intended Format: This will be digitally formatted at first.

Publication plans have not been made for printed copies but it is not completely off the table. Primarily, this will be a digitally accessed piece for school. 

Budgeting: 

This will be a paid job. I’m a student who only works part time for now so I do have a limited budget, but I respect the time and effort an artist puts into their work. I am open to hearing your rates and discussing a payment plan between the two of us. 

While I do not have plans of publishing the novel, you will be credited in the project I submit to my school. If any plans of publication come forward, I will reach directly out to you and discuss how you’d like to proceed. If you’re comfortable with the artwork being published, what kind of royalty payments you’d prefer to be made to you and so on. 

All in all, this would be a partnership between the two of us. Any and all work you do would be paid and appreciated whether it ends in publication or not. I would like for us to communicate openly and without hesitation. Concerns, questions, or feedback should always be flowing between the two of us to keep us motivated and on the right track for success. 

Applying: 

Please click on this line of text to fill out the artist application. There are some things I need to know about you and some information I’d like to share with you before either one of us just agrees to the project. It is important that you fill this out if you want to be the designer of the novel. I will not accept offers in dms or in replies, I will only be accepting applications made through the Google Document. 

Please note: I will be deleting applications with vague responses to the questions asked. I will not be accepting artist applications with things like “it depends,” or “maybe” on them. This is a serious project that requires dedication. I, unfortunately, do not have time for undecided things. I need concrete, solid answers to the best of your ability. If you are selected as the artist, all details would be spoken about so we can resolve any issues quickly and smoothly. 

Thank you for your consideration.