A Little Princess
Service
Book Cover Illustration
Page Publications approached me to create a new illustrated cover for 'A Little Princess', a beloved classic centered on endurance, kindness and imagination. The story follows a wealthy girl sent to boarding school only to later face poverty and servitude but maintains her dignity, empathy and belief in magic.
Page Publications commissioned me to create a new illustrated cover for the classic 'A Little Princess', a story from my own childhood. The brief was primarily technical, requiring not only illustration that reflected core themes of the book but also a strong understanding of print-ready artwork and production requirements.
The final design balances decorative illustrations with symbolic storytelling that reflect the books melancholic yet hopeful tone, balancing moral depth with imaginative storytelling, while meeting all technical specifications for print.
Concept Development
I began with loose, hand-drawn sketches, exploring visual metaphors tied to the book's themes of resilience, inner nobility, and transformation.
The final concept centres on a crown being overtaken by botanical growth. The crown represents Sara's inner nobility, while the foliage reflects time, hardship, and emotional growth. By focussing on symbolism rather than the character directly, the cover feels timeless and reflective.
Several hand-drawn lettering options were explored for the title. The goal was to balance legibility with visual integration. The final lettering echoes the curves and rhythm of the foliage, allowing the title to feel embedded within the illustration while remaining clear and legible on the page.
The final artwork was created through carefully layered, hand-drawn illustration, with decorative details inspired by gilded Edwardian picture frames to reinforce the classic nature of the book. Foil lettering was used for the title, with additional foil accents applied to the jewels within the crown. Elements from the cover illustration were also adapted for the back cover and title page, creating a cohesive visual system throughout the book.