Having collaborated with Art Storia for the book cover of a new edition of Edgar Allen Poe’s classic tale, The Murder in Rue Morgue, concept artist Rita Yuwei Li found modern ways of highlighting both the period setting and the creeping terror of the original detective fiction masterpiece. Here, we take an in-depth look into how she did it

Concept artist Rita Yuwei Li has received praise and won awards for her work on the cover art for a new edition of Edgar Allen Poe’s classic short story, The Murder in the Rue Morgue.

Often dubbed “the first modern detective story,” many editions of Poe’s defining work have been published over the years, but few book covers have captured the sense of intrigue, mystery, and historical resonance of the tale as well as Rita Yuwei Li’s cover art has done.

Rita Yuwei Li, who is a well-known concept artist based in Los Angeles, collaborated with the book publisher, Art Storia, and worked on the idea for the cover art with them. She began researching the detective story on her own merit. The book introduces the by-now famed detective C. Auguste Dupin and his investigations of a pair of grisly murders in a small Parisian neighbourhood. Poe’s story became a template for many other detective and mystery stories that followed it.

In considering her ideas for the cover art, Rita Li decided to focus on the historic nature of the text, as well as imagery that highlighted the fact that the story is considered to be among the first “murder mystery stories.”

Li explained: “The cover art I created is inspired by 1800s historical style and detective novels. Set in a small Victorian room, with a piano tucked in the corner, the scene portrays a lady lying on the ground, and a detective enters, examining the surroundings.”

But what makes Li’s work distinctive is her photorealistic rendering of the scene. Unlike many other covers which feel static and dull, Li’s art is dynamic and involved. She further elaborated that this was the point saying: “The artwork creates an immersive experience that engages readers, drawing them into the intriguing narrative.”

Behind The Book Cover

Li’s work with Art Storia received critical acclaim, which the artist herself was grateful for considering she undertook a lot of research to make sure her work was both evocative and historically accurate.

She said: “I researched the architectural styles, and art styles of the 1800s. This allowed me to accurately depict the interior design of that era. In addition, I explored historical clothing trends to ensure the characters were dressed appropriately for the time period. This involved understanding the fabrics, Colors, and styles that were prevalent during the 1800s. I also investigated the set dressing of that era. This meant understanding the types of furniture, decor, and other elements that would have been present in the scenes I was illustrating.”

The pay-off is in the cover art itself. Much like the Poe story, every detail about Li’s cover matters; there are rewards to be found from investigating the meticulous nature of this cover and stepping into its rich interior.

In addition, Li goes to surprisingly great lengths to make this cover bridge the gap between classic and modern. Li - whose visual aesthetic often focuses on video game imagery, design, graphics, environments, and concepts - makes sure that her imagery for this cover isn’t dull or dated; she seems to imbue this cover with her established video game aesthetic, giving it a 3D design style that invites the reader in and completely resonates with a modern audience.

Considering that Edgar Allen Poe’s classic story is in danger of being forgotten about by contemporary audiences - and that Art Storia prides itself on publishing books with “enduring cultural influence” - Li’s art plays a major role in enlivening Poe for the modern reader.

From Methodical Concept Artist to Award Winner
Rita Yuwei Li’s work has not only been appreciated by readers and lovers of literary fiction, but she has also received awards for her stunning cover of The Murder in the Rue Morgue.

Li won the 2023 Vega Awards for her cover, winning in the category of Digital Illustration (Single) - Editorial - Cover / Page / Spread.

Complimenting Rita Li’s work, the Vega Awards said on their website: “The photoreal rendering of this illustration creates an immersive feeling that draws interest from the readers.”

This marks one of a number of awards Rita Yuwei Li has picked up over the course of her artist career. She has also won an Iron A’ Design Award (2024); an AIAP American Illustration Award (2024); and a JIA Illustration Award Silver Award (2023), as well as several other achievements throughout the course of her career.

Rita Yuwei Li continues to work as a concept artist to this day, with her main focuses being environment design, prop design, and graphic design.

Find out more about her on her website (https://ritaliart.com/)
Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/ritayuweili/)
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Writer Sherry Lee,
Hollywood Legends Editor in Chief