In this week's newsletter, behind the scenes illustrating a modern fantasy classic...The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson!https://theartofmichaelwhelan.substack.com/p/shaping-roshar

BEOWULF'S CHILDREN (1995)Watercolor and Acrylic on Watercolor Board - 27" x 36"This sequel to THE LEGACY OF HEOROT provided a fascinating opportunity to explore the alien ecology of Tau Ceti. Cover illustration for the book by Larry Niven, Jerry Pournelle, and Steven Barnes (TOR)https://www.michaelwhelan.com/galleries/beowulfs-children/#sciencefiction #sff #scifi #scifiart #illustration #larryniven #jerrypournelle #stevenbarnes #torbooks

OPEN (1992)Acrylic on Watercolor Board - 20" X 40"This painting represents a point of tangency between my Passage universe and the paintings in another series called Sanctuary. It seemed important to establish these connecting points before defining the individual themes in their entirety.https://www.michaelwhelan.com/galleries/open/