New Cover Art for "What My Destiny is Telling Me", Courtesy of Harwick! · 6:50pm Jun 30th, 2023
This is just utterly incredible.
So for a lot of my fics, I appreciate the value of a simple visual. The one I commissioned from daOtterGuy for The Final Conversation, for example, is very nicely minimalistic, using simple outlines and colors to convey the emotions at play in the story. Sometimes, less is more.
But other times, more is more. What My Destiny is Telling Me, the first story I wrote as part of my "Siblings" story continuity, was inspired in part by a striking generated image, which I used as the cover art up until now. But this is probably the story of mine that, out of all of them, I most wanted to see realized in a highly detailed way. More than most of mine, it's a story built on a particular image and setting, and one where the look of the scene really does factor into how things play out in the story.
Harwick has done an outstanding job rendering that.
So, without further ado...
There's a lot I can say about this, but really, this feels like it speaks for itself, so I won't elaborate too much. If you're not aware of the story, it's set in an AU take on EqG in which Sunset, fresh from the portal, ends up in the care of Rarity's family, rather than on her own, and finds herself on a different path. And in this image, set as Sunset considers what the loss of her presumed destiny in Equestria means on a sunrise controlled by no alicorn, we see that aimlessness, that vulnerability, looking on at a world she doesn't understand -- while Rarity looks at her, and tries to figure out how to help her in this new life. The seeds of Empathy and Generosity, blossoming.
Sadly, Fimfic's formatting does a disservice to this piece, so it's cropped on the main page for the fic itself. But for the full-resolution image, check it out on Deviantart here: https://www.deviantart.com/harwicks-art/art/Commission-What-My-Destiny-is-Telling-Me-969614816.
Harwick does a lot of excellent cover art pieces, probably most famous in this regard for his collaborations with Estee on Triptych, Twilight's Escort Service, and many more; he's also done cover pieces for SockPuppet and Moproblems Moharmoney, among others. You can commission him yourself through direct message on Fimfic and DeviantArt! He's great to work with and keeps you informed at every stage. If you don't need a commission, he also has a Ko-Fi that you can contribute to here.
And if you haven't read the original story, you can see it here:
The story also has a sequel, which you can read here:
I'm hopeful to do more work with this setting down the line, though for now I'm a bit preoccupied with Together from Canterlot to Canterlot. (Which has some really nice cover art of its own from Avery Day!) But thank you all for reading, and I'm really honored that I can justify getting such a wonderful piece for this story.
Harwick makes some amazing art! This cover for your story really brings out the emotions in the characters. Even before one reads a word, it conveys the tone and gives the reader a sense of what is happening. It makes me want to read and find out what is going on with Sunset and Rarity.
Authors and artists bring emotion to their work in different ways, but each is just as powerful. Thank you for sharing this with us.
That's a heckin' fine piece of cover art! Harwick really does good work.
Frankly, it's unfair how good Harwick is at this stuff. Dude is a cheat code.
Gawjus