Cover art by

Sid Thaly

I paint book covers and characters for self-published fantasy, romantasy and sci-fi authors. Every piece is made by hand, from first thumbnail to final render. No AI at any stage.

Epic fantasy book cover by Sid Thaly: a lone figure before a vast mountain range at dawn
Epic fantasy mock cover, 6 × 9 in paperback

Selected work

Covers, characters and card art. Select any piece to see it full size.

Romantasy coupleMock cover, 6 × 9 in
Epic fantasy heroMock cover, 6 × 9 in
Character sheetTurnaround, expressions, colour options
Space operaMock cover, 6 × 9 in
Oracle cardCard art, 70 × 120 mm
Mahabharata retellingMock cover, 6 × 9 in
Ajira, SURI: The Seventh NoteGame character, Tathvamasi Studios
Dark fantasy villainMock cover, 6 × 9 in
SURI environmentGame environment, Tathvamasi Studios
Series set, book oneMock cover, 6 × 9 in
Trading card illustrationCard art, 63 × 88 mm
Series set, book twoMock cover, 6 × 9 in

Commissions

Prices are in US dollars. Every package includes full-resolution files and commercial rights to use the art for your book and its marketing.

Ebook cover art

from $220

  • Painted front cover at ebook size
  • One character or key object
  • Simple atmospheric background
  • Two rounds of revisions
  • About two weeks

Full print wrap

from $650

  • Everything in the illustrated cover
  • Front, spine and back for paperback
  • Ebook and audiobook versions
  • Three rounds of revisions
  • About four weeks

How a commission works

  1. Brief. You send the form below. I reply within two working days with a quote and a timeline.

  2. Thumbnails. Three rough compositions. You pick one, or mix them.

  3. Colour. A colour study so we agree on mood and light before I render.

  4. Final render. The full painting, with your revision rounds.

  5. Files. Typography, then files sized for ebook, print and audiobook.

Payment is 50% to start and 50% before final files are delivered.

Portrait of Sid Thaly

About

I’m Sid Thaly, an illustrator based in Goa, India. I spent six years painting characters and worlds for games, most recently SURI: The Seventh Note, a hand-drawn rhythm platformer set in a mythical India.

Now I paint covers for authors who want the outside of their book to feel like the story inside it. I’m strongest at colour, light and metal, and at designing characters that hold up across a whole series.

I studied Game and Interactive Media Design at Rubika. I work in English with authors in the US, UK and Australia, and I can overlap with your working hours for calls.

Request a quote

Tell me about your book. I reply within two working days. You can also email hello@sidthaly.com.

Is it part of a series?
Formats you need