The Eyes of the Dragon Art Portfolio

The Eyes of the Dragon is a novel by Stephen King that was first published in a 1984 limited edition via King’s personal imprint, Philtrum Press, and in a trade edition by Viking in 1987. Originally written for his daughter Naomi, the book is a work of fantasy.

Artist David Palladini was commissioned to create a series of new illustrations for the trade edition. Mr. Palladini created twenty-four original illustrations that were rendered in pencil and ink on Bienfang velour paper.

This is the first official art portfolio to be published featuring the illustrations from the Viking trade edition of The Eyes of the Dragon. It also marks the 30th anniversary of the original Viking publication of the book.

About the Edition

The portfolio is published in two editions, both of which are signed by David Palladini: a numbered edition of three hundred copies and a lettered edition of twenty-six copies.

Both editions include twenty-two black & white illustrations and two color illustrations. An afterword written exclusively for this edition by David Palladini is included in both editions. A previously unpublished drawing and a reproduction of the only extant copy of the Viking Title page illustration, hand-colored by David Palladini, are included in both editions.

The text has been set in Waters Titling and Warnock Pro typefaces and letterpress printed from photopolymer plates by Norman Clayton of Classic Letterpress in Ojai, California on his 18” x 23” Heidelberg Cylinder press. The text pages are printed on 100% cotton paper which has the feel of fabric. The papers used in these editions are environmentally responsible and acid free.

The numbered portfolio measures 10” x 15½”. The illustrations are printed on premium archival paper and are housed in a clamshell box of European linen book cloth over archival boards.

The lettered portfolio measures 12” x 18”. The illustrations are printed on 100% cotton paper. The portfolio is accompanied by a photogravure print that is numbered and signed by the artist. The photogravure was made by Jon Goodman at his studio in Florence, Massachusetts.

The print has been hand-pulled on Somerset Velvet 100% cotton mould made paper from St. Cuthbert’s Mill, England by Jon Goodman. Each print has been embossed with the printer’s mark. The illustrations are housed in a clamshell box of Japanese book cloth over archival boards.

Publication will coincide with the release of the movie adaptation of Stephen King’s best-selling epic, The Dark Tower. Two characters from The Eyes of the Dragon have a brief cameo appearance in The Drawing of the Three, the second book in the Dark Tower series, and the novel is set in the Kingdom of Delain, a location that is mentioned in the Dark Tower series a number of times.