Bao Quyen
Illustrator & Storyteller
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Metal Slinger — Fan Art & PR Merchandise
Project: Fan art illustration for book promotion
My role: Fan art illustration
Fragment — Fan Art
For Metal Slinger, I created a fan art illustration inspired by the fantasy romance at the heart of the story. The artwork was later used as part of the book’s PR merchandise and as an overlay included with the book.
About the Book
Metal Slinger is the first book in Rachel Schneider’s Fire & Metal series. The story follows Brynn, a young guard raised among the Alaha, whose encounter with an enemy soldier begins to unravel everything she believes about her identity, loyalty and place in the world. Romance, magic and shifting allegiances are central to the story.
Creating the Fan Art
For the illustration, I focused on the romantic tension between the two central characters.
Rather than illustrating a large action scene, I chose an intimate moment between them. Their faces are close together, with the surrounding environment fading softly into the background so the characters remain the main focus.
I wanted the image to feel tender and cinematic while still belonging to a fantasy world. Details such as their clothing, belts and accessories hint at the setting, while the warm light and textured finish give the scene a softer, almost dreamlike atmosphere.
From Fan Art to PR Merchandise
The illustration was created as fan art, but it later became part of the promotional material surrounding the book.
The artwork was used across PR merchandise and was also produced as a book overlay, allowing the illustration to physically accompany the novel.
Seeing the artwork move from a standalone digital illustration into a tangible object was an especially exciting part of the project. The overlay creates an additional visual layer for the reader, while the merchandise gives the illustration a life beyond the book itself.
Bringing a Fictional Relationship to Life
What I enjoy most about book-related illustration is translating something readers first experience through words into a single visual moment.
For Metal Slinger, the focus was not only on how the characters looked, but on capturing the closeness, tension and emotion between them. The final piece became my interpretation of their relationship—and, through the PR merchandise and overlay, another way for readers to connect with the world of the book.