The Artist Behind the Spark
To celebrate our Locked Library Classics edition of Frankenstein, we spoke with illustrator Denver Balbaboco about their lifelong fascination with portraiture, the dramatic power of light and shadow, and the creative journey of crafting illustrations as unforgettable as the story itself.
Your portraits feel incredibly distinctive and expressive. Was there a particular point where you felt you’d really found your artistic voice?
I’ve always been drawn to faces since I was a kid. I’d like to believe my artistic voice started there, because I’ve never truly mastered anything else apart from pursuing portraiture. The condescending expressions of Disney villains inspired me the most, and as I grew older, that fascination evolved into an admiration for the portraits of royals and nobility.
Cold and soulless as their stares may seem, but stories and statements are meticulously told through their poses, garments, and colors, and that is something I’ve always tried to achieve in my own work.
There's such a beautiful balance between light and dark in all these pieces. How did you approach lighting in these pieces?
I’m a huge admirer of dramatic chiaroscuro lighting. For me, a single light source can be incredibly powerful. I apply that principle to nearly all of my artworks to achieve the baroque inspired mood and theatricality I’m drawn to.
Can you share a behind-the-scenes moment or challenge from creating this edition - something readers wouldn’t see in the finished book?
One of the biggest challenges was creating my own interpretation of the scenes while consciously distancing myself from the visual influence of the well known film adaptations. I wanted the imagery to feel faithful to the spirit of Frankenstein, yet still distinctly my own.
I also wanted the illustrations to be unforgettable, much like the illustrated books I had as a child that remain vividly imprinted in my mind to this day.
Did you listen to music, watch films, or build any kind of moodboard while working on the project?
Yes, with all my projects, whether passion driven or commissioned. I listen mostly to classical music or epic movie soundtracks, which really helps shape my emotional state while working. I actually revise and adjust pieces depending on the tempo or feeling of the music (which definitely happened with these Frankenstein illustrations).
For moodboards, I stayed faithful to a visual archive I’ve built over many years, largely gothic, dark romantic, and Addams-esque aesthetics. I wanted to remain within that visual lane because it aligns closely with my artistic identity.
Which illustration took the longest to complete, and why?
The illustration of the ship stranded in the North Pole took the longest. I ended up redesigning almost everything. The ice formations and cracks went through countless revisions until they achieved the flow and composition I was aiming for.
And then there was the ship, especially the ship. I’m not a nautical artist, so this piece required extensive research into historically accurate ship design and period details. I even sought guidance from a friend who specializes in sea vessels. I consulted him about everything from the number of sails to whether they would realistically be folded or flown. Accuracy mattered deeply to me, and I wanted the scene to feel convincing despite being outside my usual subject matter.
Our Locked Library Classics edition of Frankenstein will feature:
⚡ Jacketless hardback illustrated by Denver Balbaboco with foil
⚡ Beautiful digitally sprayed edges by Denver Balbaboco
⚡ Illustrated endpapers by Denver Balbaboco
⚡ Imitation quarter-bound spine, matching The Locked Library Classics collection
⚡ Printed ribbon marker
⚡ B-format hardback
Sale dates:
🗝️ 7th July, 2pm BST: early access for current subscribers (you MUST be signed up to the newsletter to receive your early access code)
🗝️ 8th July, 2pm BST: general sale
