EXTRACTS: Illustrators issue 11 © 2015 The Book Palace (96 pages PAGES in Full edition)

12 Mark Twain and Jules Verne's, Journey to the Centre of the Earth . As Donato says, “I could not have asked for better commissions for initiation into the field of professional illustration!” Over the intervening years Donato has built up his work within the publishing field, so that he can now look back with great satisfaction, having had the opportunity to illustrate texts which have been a source of inspiration since he was a teenager. Pre-eminent amongst these are his commissions for J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings . The first of these came his way in 1995 when he received a call from the art director at Iron Crown Enterprises inviting him to contribute artwork for a Middle-Earth card game that they were due to launch under the title of ‘Wizards’. Giancola sent his portfolio over and the art director was so impressed with what he saw that he offered Donato as many cards as he wanted to paint within the time available. Donato initially agreed to fifteen and once those were delivered the client was so captivated that more and more were commissioned for future decks. It was four years later that the Science Fiction Book ABOVE: The cover for the novel 'Otherness' by David Brin, published in 1994. Oil on masonite 14" x 30". ABOVE RIGHT & FACING PAGE: 'Inherit the Earth', Cover commission for the novel by Brian Stableford. 34" x 22". Oil on panel, painted in 1998.