Inside the world of Skandar with Manuel Šumberac

We caught up with illustrator Manuel Šumberac to talk about his work on World of Skandar: The First Unicorn Rider. Manuel shares what it was like to join the Skandar world, his creative process, and how he brought A.F. Steadman’s story to life through his illustrations.

Congratulations on The First Unicorn Rider! How did it feel to enter the world of Skandar?

Thank you! I am truly excited to be part of this amazing series. Since the publication of the first Skandar book, I have been captivated, first by the book’s design and the front cover illustration, and then by the story itself. It feels wonderful to contribute to this world and help bring the story to life through my illustrations.

Tell me about your illustrative process. What was your visual starting point for this book? Did you look to the existing Skandar series for continuity, or treat this as a chance to create something new?

The whole project began with a brief from the publisher. I like to take my time with a story, immersing myself in the characters, the plot, and the world, and letting the impressions settle in my mind. I aim to capture the feeling of the story before translating it into an illustration.

I do look at existing artwork, but I try not to let it dictate my own vision. I start with rough sketches, gather references, and experiment with drawing, erasing, and refining as I think deeply about the characters, the story, and each chapter. I see it as collecting ingredients for a recipe. When I feel I have everything I need, I begin “cooking,” transforming all those ideas and impressions into the final visual narrative.

Were there particular scenes or moments that were especially enjoyable (or challenging!) to illustrate?

I really enjoyed drawing the unicorns. At first, I wasn’t entirely sure how to approach their design, but once I finished reading the story, a very clear image formed in my mind. I knew I wanted to capture a lot of texture in the final artwork, and some scenes really allowed me to do that, especially the unicorn stampede scene. That scene appeared instantly in my head while reading the story. It took some time to work out the composition and overall dynamic, since I had to depict a whole stampede of wild unicorns charging toward the main character, but I’m very happy with how it turned out.

I also really enjoyed creating the dragon scene. The tiny details, the dragon scales, the dark, scary wings, the smoke, and the energy the dragon consumes gave me the perfect opportunity to play with textures and really bring the scene to life. Both illustrations were incredibly fun to create.

Can you describe your illustration process — do you begin with sketches on paper or work digitally from the start?

My illustration process is consistent across all my work, and I create everything digitally. Before I start drawing, I spend time reflecting on the illustration I want to create. I think about the main elements, the characters, the scene, the storytelling moment, and the overall dynamic. Once that first impression is clear in my mind, I begin creating rough sketches.

Working digitally allows me to easily add, remove, or adjust elements as I explore different compositions. The first rough sketch is very loose and it’s only for my eyes. From that, I develop a more detailed sketch, which I can share with the client. I aim for a rough that communicates the idea clearly on its own.

Once the rough is approved, I move to the final stage, where I focus on refining shapes, textures, light, shadow, and overall harmony of the illustration in front of me. Since the composition and key elements are already defined in the rough, I can fully concentrate on making the final illustration visually compelling and cohesive.

What do you hope readers feel when they turn the pages and see your artwork alongside A.F. Steadman’s words?

I hope readers will feel the illustrations as a natural extension of the story, so they align with what they imagined while reading. I also hope they enjoy observing the illustrations as much as I enjoyed creating them.

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World of Skandar: The First Unicorn Rider is available now in the UK, get your copy here.

To work with Manuel, get in contact here.