So many people who frequented this forum over the years have impacted my life as an artist. From the first time I came across SVS (searching for advice as a newbie illustrator and finding @Will-Terry ’s YouTube channel a treasure trove of help), it has meant a lot to me. The people here have always been willing to help me, in the most constructive and encouraging ways. I hope I’ve been able to give back even a fraction of what you all have done to help me grow!
Seven years ago, I started sketches for this book called “Who Is God?” by Kurt Asplund. Life threw some hurdles in the path that slowed everything down, but the author and I inched our way along for all of these years until finally…. It’s done.
The cover went through dozens of iterations and ideas. The interior pages were done in watercolors and acrylics (and then edited digitally), but some of the paintings got thrown out, replaced, or added to. This is the first painting I did for the whole book, but it’s one of the few originals that hasn’t changed a lot since then:
This process may sound like a horribly inefficient one, and it was, but it was such a good teacher. I learned a lot about detachment and how, through consultation and advice, art for a book can get much better (some of my originals were, well, pretty rough!)
The images show a story of their own while the text talks about the light of the sun and other analogies that could help the reader think about what God is like. The book is intended to be inter-faith and inclusive of science, so it seemed important to make the pictures non-denominational and actually quite detached from any one point of view.
The story told by the illustrations is of a boy who loves a beautiful flowering tree in his yard very much but has to go through the heartbreak of seeing it cut down so that a road can be made in its place.
Through the love from his family, reflection under the stars, and seeking inspiration through prayer (“Create in me a pure heart, O my God, and reveal unto me Thy path…”) he comes to see the tragedy as an opportunity.
He rallies his family and a couple friends, and together they plant new trees and flowers along the edge of the entire road. In the last scenes of the book, the fruit of his labors are shown after he has grown up into a young man.
The illustrations certainly show a seven-year journey… I think they came together pretty well after editing in Procreate, but there are plenty of things I would do differently now than I did when each painting was created. However, I’m so happy it’s a real book now - and not just an idea - that I’m excited to show it to you anyway.
If you look at the Amazon listing right now, it shows an old version of the back cover. We quietly self-published this book a few months ago, but this week we will update the back cover to include a better illustration and a QR code that will link to a film of the book being read by actress Erika Alexander (
). Soon after the video is done, we’ll promote the book with more vigor.
The film might be more exciting to me than the book actually. The illustrations are shown with sound design and even an original score. I wish I could link it here but it’s not finished yet. I just didn’t want to wait to post this since free access to the forum will soon be gone…
I’m going to try to list all the people who I can find who have responded to posts I’ve made asking for help with this book. Thank you all a million times!
@LauraA @Asyas_illos @davidhohn @Kevin-Longueil @demotlj @AngelinaKizz @Pamela-Fraley @Miriam @carlianne @Jeremiahbrown @mag @jenn @Kim-Hunter @burvantill @ContinuousLines @aprilshin @jenithornhill @RachelArmington @Melissa-Bailey @Nyrryl-Cadiz @Lize @braden-H @theprairiefox @NessIllustration @TessaW @animatosoor @sigross @Whitney-Simms @robgale @Eli … and if I missed your name, please forgive me but your help is still appreciated and a part of this project.
By the way, I’m in the process of making a video documenting the process of designing and painting the cover of this book. If you’d like to see it when it’s done, please private message me before Dec. 31 (when this forum becomes private) with your email address and I’ll send you a link when it’s finished. 
Congrats 
Congratulations! Your paintings are really beautiful and the images very memorable. As soon as I saw these pages, I remembered the work you posted and the conversations about it, and I'm so glad that you have finally brought this project to fruition. The film sounds so exciting and a real bonus to what you have already managed to accomplish. Great news!
Laurie DeMott
instagram.com/demotlj
@KathrynAdebayo Gorgeous work, Kathryn! The lighting, composition and the colours are stunning. You should feel so proud- congratulations! 
@KathrynAdebayo Wow! It looks great! Congratulations!
@KathrynAdebayo Congratulations!! My goodness, this is one of the most gorgeous books I have ever seen. As they say, good things take time! Phenomenal work!
Congrats, and beautiful work!!
Congratulations! So beautiful!
@KathrynAdebayo These paintings are beautiful! This is such a lovely post. Great job sticking with this project!
@KathrynAdebayo congratulations Kathryn! This is beautiful. And the fact that you made this with watercolor blows me away. ️
@KathrynAdebayo I can see your improvement!! What a journey
@evka8D Thank you.
@demotlj Hi Laurie, thank you so much. I really appreciated your feedback. I can picture some of your art as well! Best wishes with everything in the future.
@Yogita-Chawdhary Thank you so much for the encouraging words. I appreciate your comment!
@LauraA Thank you, Laura. 
@NessIllustration Wow, thank you! I appreciate all that you've done to help me and other artists too!
@StudioHannah Thank you, Hannah! By the way, I like the story writing wheel you shared the other day!
@Enni-Heikura Thank you for the encouragement.
@Miriam Thank you! What a relief it is to have it completed!
@Nyrryl-Cadiz Thank you, Nyrryl! You've helped me with my art on more occasions than one! It's been great to also see your own style progress over the years. Best wishes with everything in the future!
@Sarah-VanDam That's good news! Yes, a journey for sure.
@KathrynAdebayo
Kathryn,
This was such a wonderful post to read. Thanks so much for sharing it and your truly beautiful illustrations. I particularly loved the one of the boy lying on his front with the ladybird on his finger. So lovely! You're so blessed to be able to produce work on this topic.
It was good to hear what you said. Especially your comment "there are plenty of things I would do differently now than I did when each painting was created". That made me smile to myself. I'm sure we've all been there!
It was really special that you took the time to list all the people who helped you too.
I wish you all the very best for the book.
Adam (UK)
@Adam-Thornton-0 Hi Adam, thanks so much for the message. It made me reflect on how grateful I am to have been able to work on this book. Best wishes for everything to do with your own art!
@KathrynAdebayo said in Seven years later, my first book is done: a HUGE thank you for all the SVS support (I’ll miss you, SVS forum!):
So many people who frequented this forum over the years have impacted my life as an artist. From the first time I came across SVS (searching for advice as a newbie illustrator and finding @Will-Terry ’s YouTube channel a treasure trove of help), it has meant a lot to me. The people here have always been willing to help me, in the most constructive and encouraging ways. I hope I’ve been able to give back even a fraction of what you all have done to help me grow!
Seven years ago, I started sketches for this book called “Who Is God?” by Kurt Asplund. Life threw some hurdles in the path that slowed everything down, but the author and I inched our way along for all of these years until finally…. It’s done.The cover went through dozens of iterations and ideas. The interior pages were done in watercolors and acrylics (and then edited digitally), but some of the paintings got thrown out, replaced, or added to. This is the first painting I did for the whole book, but it’s one of the few originals that hasn’t changed a lot since then:
This process may sound like a horribly inefficient one, and it was, but it was such a good teacher. I learned a lot about detachment and how, through consultation and advice, art for a book can get much better (some of my originals were, well, pretty rough!)
The images show a story of their own while the text talks about the light of the sun and other analogies that could help the reader think about what God is like. The book is intended to be inter-faith and inclusive of science, so it seemed important to make the pictures non-denominational and actually quite detached from any one point of view.
The story told by the illustrations is of a boy who loves a beautiful flowering tree in his yard very much but has to go through the heartbreak of seeing it cut down so that a road can be made in its place.Through the love from his family, reflection under the stars, and seeking inspiration through prayer (“Create in me a pure heart, O my God, and reveal unto me Thy path…”) he comes to see the tragedy as an opportunity.
He rallies his family and a couple friends, and together they plant new trees and flowers along the edge of the entire road. In the last scenes of the book, the fruit of his labors are shown after he has grown up into a young man.
The illustrations certainly show a seven-year journey… I think they came together pretty well after editing in Procreate, but there are plenty of things I would do differently now than I did when each painting was created. However, I’m so happy it’s a real book now - and not just an idea - that I’m excited to show it to you anyway.
If you look at the Amazon listing right now, it shows an old version of the back cover. We quietly self-published this book a few months ago, but this week we will update the back cover to include a better illustration and a QR code that will link to a film of the book being read by actress Erika Alexander (). Soon after the video is done, we’ll promote the book with more vigor.
The film might be more exciting to me than the book actually. The illustrations are shown with sound design and even an original score. I wish I could link it here but it’s not finished yet. I just didn’t want to wait to post this since free access to the forum will soon be gone…
I’m going to try to list all the people who I can find who have responded to posts I’ve made asking for help with this book. Thank you all a million times!
This is such an inspiring journey—seven years of dedication, growth, and storytelling beautifully captured in your illustrations. The message of turning loss into opportunity is powerful, and I love how inclusive and thoughtful the artwork is. Huge congratulations on bringing this book to life—I can’t wait to see the final film!
@Bloxyfax Thank you so much for this message. It was a lovely surprise to find your kind words today.
Congratulations, the scenes are so radiant and glorious!
Congratulations! Your paintings are really beautiful and the images very memorable. As soon as I saw these pages, I remembered the work you posted and the conversations about it, and I'm so glad that you have finally brought this project to fruition. The film sounds so exciting and a real bonus to what you have already managed to accomplish. Great news!
