The illustrations for the Folio Society edition of War and Peace are a new visual contribution to the world-famous novel. For this series, a complex narrative along with Tolstoy’s philosophy required resolution with elegance, recognizability, and novelty. I searched for a fresh approach–to me, the key to creating effective visuals was to mix traditional illustration techniques with modern inventive compositions, and to depict both realistic scenes and the dreams and memories of the characters. I largely focused on human themes–personal stories unraveling against the tragically morphing historical canvas.