This is the cover of my second novel, which is a sequel to my first, We Could Be Villains. I created it in much the same way as I did the cover for the first.
I started with another model from Daz 3D Studio. The finesse with which you can move even the smallest parts, like the fingers, is pretty remarkable.
Just as I did with the cover for the first book, I used Illustrator to create layers on top of the 3D model. (I gave the model blue hair, because why not?) The hands are two layers each, since part of each hand is in front of and behind the rope.
I processed the 3D model twice: once with this hooded jacket on, so I could get the hood and sleeves, and once with just plain white underwear, so I could get the lines of the body and legs. (The coat had a great hood, but it was knee-length.)
I created the city skyline from a bunch of blocks, then blurred it. (The scene this was taken from happens in Phoenix, Arizona. I originally tried putting some palm trees in there too, but simplicity won out.)
I tried some other colors, but ended up going with the same blue color scheme as the first book, as well as the same font to keep things consistent and tied together. (The blue makes sense, since when this lead character wears a mask, it’s blue.)
Hero image mockup: Covervault