No matter how many new and exciting stories delight our hearts, there will always be a special place for the classics. Works like Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll or Dracula by Bram Stoker have captivated readers for over 100 years.

That’s why one of our favorite tasks here at Stela is taking these classic works and paying them tribute through updated formats and, in many cases, entirely new images to bring them to life.

Ever wondered how we go about selecting and working on these famous stories? Have a quick look inside the Stela studios to see the process at work.

Picking the Perfect Story

Believe it or not, choosing which novel to recreate within Stela Unlimited is a long and complicated process. As much as we’d love to take all of our favorite classic stories and get right to work, there are several factors that must be taken into consideration before a novel can enter production.

We at Stela have developed a long list of contenders, those with everything from public domain availability to popularity and suitability for mobile reading. From there, we look at the roster of works we already have on the Stela app and search through the list for works that will bring something unique to our collection.

But once that selection is made, that’s where the fun begins.

Dotting the I’s and Crossing the T’s

Actual production on our illustrated novels begins with a review process by our writing team. Our writers pore over the entirety of the piece, searching for the best, most dynamic moments of the story that deserve recreation through a specialized image. In some cases, they even pinpoint spots where the novel’s original format can be broken to create creative new interpretations with mobile reading.

Then the writers will meet with our visual design team to brainstorm over how these images can be presented. Style is also discussed here, determining whether a given story would benefit from photorealism, more symbolic images, or treading out into uncharted visual territory. From there, designers take the reins and set about bringing this shared vision to life.

From lineart to coloring and shading, each image is meticulously crafted into the polished art you eventually see on your screen.

Finally, once the images, format, and design are complete, the entire novel is handed over to our tech team, who complete the final touches and publish the piece on the Stela Unlimited app.

Looking to see some of these classics for yourself? Check out everything from Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Grey to The Tales of Beatrix Potter, all at Stela Unlimited!