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Cover Illustrations

Each of these illustrations was created between 2017 and 2020, either originally made for use as a cover or licensed after their creation. They vary in technique—from compositing photography with 3D to entirely 3D-based artworks.

DIE ZEIT • German Newspaper

In October 2020, DIE ZEIT, a widely read German weekly newspaper, commissioned an artwork for the cover of its Discover section. The illustration explores the theme: Do we want to digitally resurrect?

The artwork was created by compositing a photographic portrait of the artist with a 3D model of herself. In the image, the live model’s eye is closed, symbolizing death, while the 3D model’s eye is open, representing resurrection in the digital realm. A Canon 5D Mark III camera was used for the physical portrait, while Daz3D, Cinema 4D, Octane Render, and Adobe Photoshop were used to create the final composite.

A 3D artwork for DIE ZEIT by Nicole Ruggiero, picturing a half physical human, half 3D avatar with one eye shut on the human side and one eye open on the avatar side.
DIE ZEIT newspaper, October 2020, Discover Section. The cover illustration displays a 3D artwork photo composite by Nicole Ruggiero, picturing a half physical human, half 3D avatar with one eye shut on the human side and one eye open on the avatar side.

Kunstforum International • Digital. Virtual. Posthuman? (Issue 265)

In 2019, Ruggiero was invited to license her artwork, The Artist At Work (2019), for the cover of Kunstforum International for Issue 265, "Digital. Virtual. Posthuman?" The 3D artwork depicts Ruggiero's 3D avatar posing a wireframe 3D avatar within an artist’s studio, mirroring what she does when she creates her artwork on her computer. This artwork was created using Cinema 4D, Octane Render, Marvelous Designer, Daz 3D, and Adobe Photoshop.

Nicole Ruggiero's artwork "The Artist At Work". The artwork depicts Nicole's 3D avatar posing a wireframe avatar inside of an artist's studio. In the background another avatar sits slumping, lifeless on the floor.
Cover of Kunstfoum International, Issue 283, "Digital. Virtual. Posthuman?". Cover displays Nicole Ruggiero's artwork "The Artist At Work", which depicts Nicole's 3D avatar posing a wireframe avatar inside of an artist's studio.
Side shot of Kunstfoum International, Issue 283, "Digital. Virtual. Posthuman?". Cover displays Nicole Ruggiero's artwork "The Artist At Work", which depicts Nicole's 3D avatar posing a wireframe avatar inside of an artist's studio.

Das Magazin Cover • German Periodical

In 2021, Das Magazin reached out to Ruggiero to license her artwork, Elegant (from the Crown Series), for the cover of their September 2021 issue. The artwork depicts a 3D avatar head, adorned with an abstract crown, floating in the sky. The read more about the Crown Series, including other artworks within the series, click here. Elegant was created with Daz 3D, ZBrush, Substance Painter, Cinema 4D, Octane Render, and Adobe Photoshop.

Cover artwork for Das Magazin. Artwork features Elegant from the Crown Series. Artwork depicts a beautiful 3D avatar head adorned with a crown, floating in the sky.
Das Magazin, September 2021 Issue. The cover features Nicole Ruggiero's artwork, Elegant, from the Crown Series. The periodical is pictured with a beautiful 3D avatar head adorned with a crown, floating in the sky, appearing on the cover.

Le Visage Original • Novel by Guillaume Morisette

In 2017, a reimagined version of the original artwork, blank stare (below), was created for the cover of Le Visage Original (The Original Face in English). The book follows an artist who creates on the internet while reflecting on love, life, family, and romance.

To align with the book’s narrative, the original artwork was adapted—transforming a feminine character into a masculine one and making adjustments to the phones. Below, the original artwork is shown first, followed by the redesigned version created for the book cover. Cinema 4D, Arnold Render, and Daz 3D were used in the creation of this artwork.

Blank Stare artwork by Nicole Ruggiero. 3D artwork depicts a porcelain figure sitting on top of a pick to blue gradient backdrop, with three foreboding phones towering over her.
Le Visage Original, book cover artwork. Artwork features a man, exhausted and on his knees looking downward with three foreboding phones towering over him.
Guillame Morissette's book, Le Visage Original, featuring cover artwork by Nicole Ruggiero. Artwork features a man, exhausted and on his knees looking downward with three foreboding phones towering over him.
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