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So, I posted a version of this before, thinking it was as done as it could be. And then, as so often happens, I realized it could be a whole lot better. Haha.
This, however, is the final version of my Tonic promo (all kitted out in her glam punk concert attire). So stoked with this visualization of her.
In other fun news... I got another critic review, and this time the book received the distinction of Editor's Pick (!!) from BookLife Reviews (which is the indie-specific branch of Publisher's Weekly). It's a really lovely review, and as always, it's such a pleasure to have someone resonate with what I love about this story.
"...Sensory-rich prose vividly brings to life the sights, sounds, and emotions experienced through Tonic's visor." -BookLife Reviews
Thank you to BookLife for taking the time to review it!
As always, if you're interested in this noir science fiction story and its accompanying dark ambient soundtrack, you can check it out here.
TONIC (n.) - Badass, cybernetically-enhanced, industro-punk star of the dark future.
A WIP of my previous line-drawing post, this is my newest artwork for Color of a Mirror, featuring my main character!
Really trying to stick to my love of minimal, restricted color palettes (plus leaving it mostly black-and-white fits the noir feel of the book). A lot of work for me to figure out the lighting and materials--and then leaving her cybernetic arm disconnected was a late decision; I really like the asymmetry it provides, but I also love how it fits with her character arc.
This armor she's wearing is part of her concert attire, a reclaimed outer-space exosuit painted in a red-glow-in-the-dark finish. It's a piece of her character that I've always had an idea in my head of what it would look like, and to be able to finally visualize it like this is so much fun.
More progress to come on this.
(Painted entirely in Photoshop, with some 3D lighting reference work in Daz3D.)
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If you want to see Tonic's vibe from a music perspective, I have an ever-evolving playlist on Spotify. Periodically, if I hear something new that feels like her, I'll add it in, but overall I try to keep the flow nice.
And if you haven't had chance to read the book, there are still physical copies of the first printing or e-book, both available through my website.
Been noodling away at this glam-rock visualization for Tonic (the main character from Color of a Mirror). Very graphic/black and white work so far, which from a design standpoint is probably my comfort zone. Now it's time to see how far I can push this in terms of materials/colors/rendering.
COLOR OF A MIRROR
About a year ago now is when Josh McCausland and I first wrapped production of the Color of a Mirror soundtrack, and sent it off for pressing! (The above photo is an abstract shot of the first test pressing sleeve.)
After the post the other day about the Full Moon Bundle (containing the limited vinyl release) I wanted to take a moment of special mention for this soundtrack and what it means to me.
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One of my biggest loves (and frustrations) of a show or video game is the music. When it’s done right, it’s one of those things that gives you chills, and you can’t wait to return to that universe, can’t wait to hear that title card music at the start of the next episode. (Like launching the original Mass Effect and hearing that menu music.) On the flip side, it can derail the whole experience for me… or at least make it far less memorable, because music often sets the scene for me.
This extends to when I’m writing, as well. Depending on the mood or the emotion, I’ll find different songs that fit that character or scene. And then lots of times, I’ll have that selection on repeat for a few days. Haha.
So being able to collaborate with a composer on the sound of this dark cyberpunk universe I’d been writing for a handful of years, trying to pull on all those ambient/sci-fi/industrial influences but also create something that felt new, something that could be listened to while you’re reading or on its own… it was really an amazing experience, and I couldn’t be prouder of what we came up with!
It all started with just two images that I sent to Josh; I said, “This is the vibe.” (He hadn’t read the book at that point, and I was thinking he was just going to make a single promo song for me.) When he came back to me with about ten different options, making it super difficult to choose, I knew the project had to be a full album. Iterating back and forth with him and seeing his process, taking some of those initial hooks and tying them together… so much fun!
The title track “Color of a Mirror” was one of those original concepts that I just couldn’t get enough of. The sound for the rest of the album was really born there, I think.
All in all, it’s such an honor to see my vision of this novel through someone else’s skill and expertise in an entirely different discipline. Such a pleasure, and I cannot wait to work on Vol. 2 together!
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Check out the soundtrack on Bandcamp to give Josh some love:
(Also available on major streaming platforms.)
And if you want to check out the book as well, head over to my website.
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Thanks for reading!
-Daniel
Full moon today... looking up at a full moon is always one of those times when I feel the scale of the solar system and planets more acutely, and naturally it gets me thinking about science fiction and outer space. For those in the northern hemisphere, we're also a month into very warm summer, which has me dreaming of somewhere dark and cold more often than not.
Put these two things together, and we have the first ever sale bundle for my debut novel Color of a Mirror and its accompanying soundtrack! Set on the moon in a subterranean cyberpunk city, it's the perfect antidote to too much heat and not enough jacket weather. Add in the dark ambient soundtrack, and it's as close as you can get to actually being there.
And so... The Full Moon Bundle.
If you purchase the Hardcover Novel, the Vinyl Soundtrack, and the E-book all together, you automatically get 25% off all three! No sign-ups or anything necessary; just go to the purchase page for any of those three items, and you'll find an option to purchase the bundle.
If you want a psychological noir sci-fi mystery that Kirkus Reviews called "intricate, next-generation cyberpunk, with a head-spinning finale," check out the link below! There's never been a better time to wander into The Dive.
It’s always nerve-wracking submitting writing for review, especially with the understanding that not every book is for everyone. Not to mention, some of my favorite books I didn’t finish the first time I picked them up. So yeah, reviews are very subjective.
So when I got my first critic review last week for Color of a Mirror from Kirkus Reviews, I was prepared for it to be some mixture of bad and good—and hoping for more of the latter. I’m so stoked to say that their final verdict was “Get It,” even going to on to call this unusual noir sci-fi story “Intricate, next-generation cyberpunk with a head-spinning finale.”
Just wow. Talk about head-spinning.
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A little about the book for those of you who may be new to this project: it centers around a cybernetically-enhanced musician who just wants to be a rockstar—which is apparently too much to ask. When one of her songs is used as the soundtrack to a viral homicide, she’s catapulted into the spotlight, only not like she’d imagined. Instead of following an action-heavy plot, the story is more focused on the interior dilemmas and relationships of the characters, as they strive to make it in a world that will crush them without a second thought.
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Check out the full Kirkus Review for a really good, spoiler-free write-up.
Sample the original soundtrack on Spotify and other major platforms.
And if all this makes you think you’d like to read the book, drop by my site here.
Physical 3D artwork for Kickstarter rewards. Made entirely of paper. And glue.
(The little corner dots were late additions and really brought this design together.)
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Check out colorofamirror.net to buy the book that was funded by these amazing backers!
A first look at the soundtrack element of this project! So excited to have Josh McCausland’s massive talent creating the moody sounds of this dark sci-fi universe!
This song is entitled “Sensory Deprivation” and will feature on the Color of a Mirror original soundtrack, as part of my multi-disciplinary novel/soundtrack/design experience.
(Motion graphics and design by me.)
If you like what you see and hear, there’s only 10 days left in the Kickstarter! Check out the link below, and thanks for looking!
Feels like it was just a couple days ago I was saying 1/6, and now we’ve jumped past the 1/3 mark! The support this past week has been absolutely stunning, and I can’t say thank you enough.
Still a ways to go to make this happen, but I have no doubt we can get there!
As always, link included below if you’re interested in learning more:
Building some strong momentum over the last few days, and we’re now one-sixth of the way there! So many thank yous to everyone who’s already joined!
Let’s keep it going! Join the independent publishing party, and show your support for non-traditional science fiction storytelling experiences! Check out the link below:
A brief excerpt of the main character in my upcoming novel COLOR OF A MIRROR.
Now on Kickstarter. Check it out below!
Some stills from the minimalist intro/title reveal video I created for the Kickstarter.
Had a lot of fun learning about After Effects while working on this, and I hope to make more abstract art videos like this in the future!
Within the first 48 hours, the project was already past 5% funded, which I’m super pleased with! Still a ways to go, but it’s a great start.
(If you wanna check out the full video complete with 75 seconds of the epic soundtrack, follow this link: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/artificelux/color-of-a-mirror-dark-science-fiction-novel-and-soundtrack )