Threw my hat in the ring for this year’s Penguin Cover Design contest, based on the exciting and compelling young reader book by Nazneen Ahmed Pathak.
I wanted to portray themes of resistance, the supernatural, and the haunting impact of colonialism. Indigo, symbolic of imperialist exploitation, was employed for the city and its metaphorical cage.
To capture the vibrancy of Southeast Asian culture depicted in the book, I used highly saturated colours throughout the illustration.
By the way, I highly recommend this book—it’s a captivating and thought-provoking read.
