The Art of Erika Mariah Santos

Titled "Beyond the Doorway" this portrait styled illustration captures the curiosity of looking beyond the familiar. A dark stairway covered with green shrubbery leads to an open archway. Just beyond the arch, a willowed tree stands, its roots holding onto the top stair, yet it shines in the warmth of the early sunrise. Beyond is a hazy, green garden.
BEYOND THE DOORWAY
c. 2022
A mock-up cover for the children's novel "The Bad Beginning" the first installment to Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events. It features three children standing in front of a large looming house in dark red shadow. Above the house ominous clouds circle the house creating an unwelcoming and uneasy feeling. A grimy and unkept hand holds the children and house in its palm as if the children are now in its clutches, and there is no escape.
THE BAD BEGINNING
Book Cover c. 2024
An alternative book cover for Lemony Snicket's second installment of A Series of Unfortunate Events. It features all three Baudelaire children trapped in an oversized cage. The incredibly deadly viper has is black scaled body wrapped around the cage.
THE REPTILE ROOM
Book Cover c. 2024
Three storefronts. One lilac with pink windows, the second green with blue windows and the third a rich red with dark burgundy windows.
An alternative cover for the 1957 Regency Romance novel "Sylvester or the Wicked Uncle" by Georgette Heyer. Featuring a couple turned away from us as the man wearing a suite and a beaver hat holds a book behind his back. The girl wearing a bonnet is gazing up at his lovely face.
SYLVESTER
Book Cover c. 2024
An illustrated gothic romance cover featuring a couple embracing while standing knees deep in water. The man holds the woman's hand away as she holds a sharp thin blade. A dark and eerie manor stands on a hill under a bright full moon.
THE BONES WE HAUNT
Book Cover C. 2025
An alternative cover for the Natasha Pulley stand-alone prequel "The Bedlam Stacks." The cover features two male hands reach for each other. Behind them is a backdrop of cinchona flowers.
THE BEDLAM STACKS
Book Cover c. 2025
The final draft. The background is a stark, dark green to signify the green wall with stylized lighting in the form of bright green streaks to indicate light emanating from the laptop screen. In front of the wall is an office chair and a desk. On the desk is an open laptop (the light source), chips and a milk tea.
Three bookstore fronts. One blue one green, one pink.
Titled "The Pier" this portrait illustration provides a view beyond a gazebo standing on a remote lake. Green mountains stand in the horizon, beyond the lake and a zigzag walkway provide ample room to reach the vine covered gazebo.
THE PIER
c. 2023
A recreation of the beloved official art from "My Neighbor Totoro." This redraw features a mother with her four children in place of Satsuki and Mei on a large branch. Totoro sits in the middle of them with small totoros litter around.
GHIBLI FAMILY
c. 2023
A french patisserie's storefront. Many yummy french pastries and bread are on display.
LA PETITE FLEUR
c. 2023
Three illustrations of harvest mice. The first is of a mouse hanging by its tail while holding a flower. The second sits on a large mushroom. The third rodent sits nestled which the petals of a yellow tulip.
HARVEST MICE
c. 2021
Main Background for short teaser trailer, "The Manor." A fully rendered landscape that features an empty birdbath in the foreground. A willow tree's branches hover above the bath and behind the bath is an overgrown garden. The soft warm light of the early morning create warm highlights over everything.
The illustrated story of three little cats. The first image consists of three cats varying in color and size peaking out from behind a flower pot. On the second they tip the pot over causing soil to fall out and the pot to crack. On the third each silly cat holds their favored flower.
THREE SILLY CATS
c. 2023
The colored version of the establishing background for short film "Fish Bowl." The picture depicts a living room with a recliner in the left corner, long curtains next to it and a decorative table which holds a fish bowl. In the foreground of the picture is a table with a child's tea set and candy wrappers laying about.

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Illustrator | BG Artist | Visual Developer | Writer

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