Lettering Covers
These three book covers incorporate lettering and hand-painted illustrations to create a cohesive yet visually striking series based on the Winternight trilogy by Katherine Arden. The trilogy’s setting of medieval Russian forests as well as the formidable yet beautiful creatures of Slavic folklore greatly influenced the final visuals of the covers. Rough application of paint, ink, and graphite pencil convey a landscape of magic and danger.
Lettering
Throughout the project, various mediums and tools were used, including calligraphic pens, India ink, gouache paint, and charcoal. The narrative and setting of each book were considered during this process, where I ultimately drew back to the stark yet rich beauty of the Russian forest in all its wild, untamed roughness.
Illustration
Illustration was added to the covers to complement the lettering as well as create a cohesive aesthetic across the trilogy of books. Black gouache paint was brushed, dripped, and spattered across large sheets of paper to create a sense of wild, restless energy. The front and back covers contain imagery from the books, from the striking nightingale, to the fierce firebird horse, to the elusive female demon Midnight.
