Laura Barrett brings Mr Darcy back to life in latest Book Cover Illustration

Laura Barrett has illustrated a stunning silhouette of the much loved Jane Austen character, Mr Darcy, for a new book by Garbielle Malcom, commissioned by Imogen Streater at independent publisher Endeavour Quill.

We spoke to Laura, asking how she approached such an exciting project. Laura told us, as with any illustrated project, this one started with extensive research. “The silhouette was to be used as a placeholder for the title and author, as an iconic figure, so I started by researching the many interpretations of Darcy in the media; Colin Firth and Matthew Macfadyen on screen, and the many book covers already published. I wanted my version of Darcy to hint at the well known actors but stand alone whilst still being iconic and instantly recognisable”. Laura then created the artwork on Illustrator, starting with a very rough version to begin with “before refining his features and adding additional detailing- his hair and Regency era collar.”

When asked if Laura faced any challenges, she said “The tilt of his head! We agreed that he needed to look slightly foppish but have a strong jawline and an air of superiority- in order to balance these things I created several ever so slightly different versions to choose from- moving his features just a millimetre at a time until we finally got there.”Despite this, Laura told us she was over the moon to re-imagine her favorite fictional character. “I loved the BBC adaptation from years ago, so it was a joy to get to work on this fictional character that I almost grew up with!”

I think I can safely say we are all excited to see the return of Mr Darcy!