Ventriloquism Promo art 1

When designing a scratchboard illustration, I'll try ideas in chalk on black paper first to see how the contrast will work, and these concept drawings, even when unused, can become stand-alone workable images. For a striking cover to Padgett's The Secret of Ventriloquism, I wondered about Death as the ultimate Ventriloquist- would the dummy be Death's mouthpiece? Or maybe every living human body is but a dummy, which is close to the book's theme, so in this chalk drawing the doll became more human, childlike and afraid.

When another design was chosen by the author for the cover, this image served as promo art to be shared on social media.