THE ASSIGNMENT: I was commissioned to create the cover image for Aftermath, by author James Rickards. The book explores the collapse of global financial systems and the potential consequences of economic instability on a worldwide scale.

The challenge was to visually represent a catastrophic financial scenario in a single image — something that conveyed both the fragility of the global economy and the dramatic consequences of systemic failure.

The cover needed to feel cinematic, symbolic, and immediately readable on bookstore shelves and digital platforms.

The Concept:

After reading the brief and discussing the themes of the book, I began developing a series of sketches exploring visual metaphors for economic collapse.

Early ideas included:

• money adrift at sea
• currency stranded on a cliff edge
• floating bills in a lifeboat
• a meteor striking a landscape made of money

The concept that ultimately resonated most strongly depicted a cluster of dollar bills rising from a volcanic landscape as a meteor approaches, symbolizing the fragile structure of financial systems facing an impending global disaster.

The grouping of bills also subtly resembles a crowd or city skyline, reinforcing the idea that entire economies and societies are at risk.

The Process:

To bring the concept to life, I built a miniature volcanic landscape in the studio, using sculpted terrain, practical smoke, and controlled lighting to simulate lava and atmospheric conditions.

The set was constructed on a raised platform with powerful lights positioned underneath translucent surfaces to create the glowing effect of molten lava flowing through cracks in the earth.

A smoke machine was used to add drifting atmosphere, enhancing the sense of scale and drama.

The dollar bills were carefully shaped and arranged to appear as though they were rising from the fractured landscape, suggesting both resilience and vulnerability.

A meteor element was added during post-production to complete the narrative and heighten the sense of impending impact.

Final Cover

The final image shows a cluster of U.S. hundred-dollar bills emerging from a volcanic terrain as lava flows through fractured ground and a meteor streaks toward the earth.

The image translates the complex themes of financial collapse, systemic fragility, and global upheaval into a single visual metaphor.

By combining practical miniature effects with controlled studio lighting and digital compositing, the cover creates a cinematic scene that immediately communicates the high-stakes narrative of the book.