An Interview with Cover Designer Jon Kaneko-James

1. How did you start designing covers?

I’ve been into photography for decades, and so when lockdown hit in the UK and I couldn’t go out to take photos anymore, I decided that since I had a Photoshop and Lightroom subscription, I may as well start messing around with compositing, then, since I’m an author, I thought I might as well do a reader magnet cover for myself… then the international Theatre and Tourism industries collapsed and I found myself thinking… okay… what is there that I can do?

2. Out of all your covers, which are your favourites and why?

It would this one, which I call Raven’s Daughter. It’s the most successful cover I’ve made using a CG character, and it’s one of the pieces of work that I made where everything just went in a straight line from my imagination to the page and it looks exactly the way I wanted it (I should also bump the guys at The Render Shop for making the amazing model I used.)

3. If your friends were asked to describe you in one word, what would it be?

Argh!

Seriously… I’m not sure. I hope they’d say ‘Kind’. I’m a lot of different things to different people though, so I don’t think anyone would say any one thing.

Hardworking, I hope — because I tend to be always going flat out on something.

4. Do you specialize in any particular genres?

I’m trying to carve a niche broadly in the areas of Sci-fi and Fantasy. I know the tropes, so I’m most comfortable working on that sort of cover, and Urban Fantasy in particular.

5. Do you enjoy working on premades or custom covers more?

Lol, I’m so new at this that it’s probably too early to tell. I do enjoy premades just for the pure, unrestrained creativity of getting up and thinking, “Okay, what am I going to make today?”

6. Is there an author that makes you go all “fangirl?”

Craig Schaefer, who does the Daniel Faust books, plus Aliette de Bodard, who does a lot of stuff, including the superb Dominion of the Fallen series (magical post apocalypse in 1970s Paris) and the Xuya universe (Asian cultured sci-fi)

7. What keeps you going while designing?

My natural tendency to obsession… and horror films (or occasionally paranormal Youtube channels). Design is one of the things where once I start, I forget the world exists. I’ve genuinely spent so long designing that I’d missed a day’s worth of meals. As a chronic pain sufferer, it’s an absolute gift, because although I’m used to being in pain, every pain free hour is amazing.

8. What’s next for you?

I’d really love to make a full time living in art and design, particularly fantasy/horror and sci-fi art, and book covers. The world has fallen apart and every industry I have work experience in feels like it’s gone under at once, so with any luck, discovering a new passion will be the start of finding a new way to make a living.