Alena Webber

Alena Webber – Designer

Illustrator crafting immersive, emotion-driven visuals for contemporary fiction, YA, magical realism & more. Let’s bring your story to life!

Overview

Hello! I’m Alena, an illustrator and artist based in Vancouver, Canada, with a passion for visual storytelling.

I create vibrant, emotionally rich artwork for book covers and interior illustrations across genres like fantasy, young adult (YA), romance, contemporary fiction, and LGBTQ+ literature. My work is inspiring, playful, and concept-driven, blending fine art with bold narrative clarity to support powerful stories and memorable characters.

I hold a BFA from Emily Carr University, where I explored the intricate relationship between text and image, a foundation that now fuels my work with authors. Whether it's hand-drawn lettering, expressive portraiture, or layered visual metaphors, my goal is to translate intangible feelings, themes, and stories into impactful, visually striking artwork that captures the heart of each story.

Before going freelance, I was an art director at a graphic design studio, where I developed expertise in composition, branding, and typography. I’ve also worked in the film industry, specializing in scenic painting, set decoration, and prop design, which has given me a unique approach to crafting immersive worlds, whether on the page or on screen. I work with my clients to bring their vision to life, balancing creativity and marketability and ensuring the artwork speaks to the target audience.

If you're looking for an illustrator who can bring artwork that is full of life, rich in depth, and beautifully yours, let’s work together to make something that speaks volumes.

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MY PROCESS:

Preparation — I begin with in-depth research and close collaboration, pulling key themes and emotional cues from your manuscript to create artwork that’s meaningful and aligned with your story.

Illumination — Within 5–7 business days, I’ll share 3–4 initial concepts to explore the visual direction together.

Evaluation — Once we choose a direction, I refine it into a detailed sketch. You’ll have the chance to review and suggest revisions before we move forward.

Elaboration — Here’s where the magic happens. I transform the finalized sketch into a polished, fully realized illustration. Midway through, we’ll regroup to ensure the piece is aligned with your vision and make any final tweaks needed before delivery.

Services
Fiction
Coming of Age Contemporary Fiction Fantasy LGBTQ Fiction Literary Fiction Magical Realism New Adult Young Adult
Certifications
  • Fine Arts Degree - Drawing Major, Typography Minor
  • Art Director
  • Graphic Designer

Work experience

Film Industry

Nov, 2020 — Present
In the film industry, I work as a scenic painter, graphic designer, fine artist, and illustrator, contributing to set design and visual storytelling. From painting large-scale backdrops and designing on-screen graphics to creating detailed props and atmospheric artwork, my work helps shape the visual worlds seen on screen.

Ecstatic Graphic Design Studio

Mar, 2018 — Mar, 2020 (about 2 years)
As an art director and creative producer at a graphic design studio, I led creative projects from concept to completion, ensuring compelling, high-quality visuals that met both artistic and strategic goals. My experience managing designers, overseeing branding and marketing materials, and translating client visions into striking visuals gives me a sharp eye for composition, storytelling, and marketability—key elements in crafting powerful book illustrations

Self-employed

Jan, 2017 — Present
As a freelance illustrator and artist since 2016, I’ve worked across editorial illustration, company branding, product design, and fine art. From creating compelling visuals for publications to designing logos and selling fine art prints, my work blends storytelling with strong design principles to bring ideas to life.

Alena has 4 reviews

Professionalism

Quality

Value

Responsiveness

Ariane G.

Ariane G.

Jul, 2026

Working with Alena has been an incredible experience from start to finish. I wasn't in a rush to complete my book cover, and she was incredibly understanding and flexible with the timeline. Throughout the entire process, she kept in touch regularly, checked in to make sure everything was going we...
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Kyle M.

Kyle M.

Jul, 2026

I hired Alena for a full cover design and illustration. Having a strong foundation on what I was looking for, I gave her extensive descriptions for the front-cover illustration, and we were seemingly on the same page regarding the processes. I had no issue when she came to me with her first amend...
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Alena W.
I'm disappointed this project wasn't completed, but I respect that Kyle and I ultimately had different expectations regarding the illustration process. My workflow is structured around exploring m...
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Sabina M.

Sabina M.

Jun, 2026

Working with Alena was a dream. She took my notes and guidance and turned them into my dream book cover. She’s easy to work with, responsive, and a truly talented artist. I’d work with Alena again in a heart beat.
Sarah Z.

Sarah Z.

May, 2026

I was captivated by Alena's art immediately, and thrilled she was available to work on a custom cover for my novel. From beginning to end, working with Alena was a pleasure. She's extremely responsive and professional, and her art is so authentically original. I would work with Alena again in a h...
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Alena W.
Sarah, I truly loved working on this with you!! Your vision was so beautiful and intentional, and your openness and encouragement made the creative process feel really rewarding. It was such a smoo...
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