From our in the studio feature from last summer.

PEGASUS IN FLIGHT (1990) by Michael Whelan, cover for the book by Anne McCaffrey.

Here we have a clear reminder that Anne McCaffrey was a science fiction writer. Sure Michael painted some gorgeous dragons for the Pern books, but even those were works of SF.

Interestingly, this illustration is one of the rare instances when the publisher Del Rey dictated what they wanted on the cover. Michael worked from a brief overview of the story. He never read the manuscript before executing the painting!

(via theartofmichaelwhelan)

Source: michaelwhelan.com

RENEGADES OF PERN (1988) by Michael Whelan for the book by Anne McCaffrey. Finished painting plus preliminary concepts.

Acrylic on Watercolor Board - 20” X 30”

Michael was in a frenzied state trying to finish up his jobs before the impending birth of his son, when he had a dream about this cover. The trees came to him exactly as you see here and he worked the rest of the cover design around them. Luckily Anne McCaffrey liked them too and she bought the original.

(via theartofmichaelwhelan)

Source: michaelwhelan.com

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