A Crown of Embers & Ivy
Client: Personal Project
Month/Year: May, 2026
Industry: Publishing & Literature
Project Overview
A Crown of Embers & Ivy is a mock book cover created for an imagined dark romantasy novel about a fire-wielding outcast and a forbidden forest prince forced into an uneasy alliance to stop a corruption spreading across their lands.
Inspired by the rich atmosphere and symbolism often found in modern fantasy publishing, the project explores themes of beauty, danger, mystery, and magic through a cover that feels both enchanting and foreboding.
The visual direction draws upon ancient ruins, enchanted forests, weathered royalty, and ember-lit foliage to create a world that feels alive beyond the edges of the page. Rather than focusing on character portraits, the cover uses symbolic elements to hint at the story's central figures and the fragile alliance that binds them together.
Designed as a portfolio project, A Crown of Embers & Ivy allowed me to explore atmospheric storytelling, fantasy typography, and cinematic compositing while creating a cover intended to spark curiosity and invite readers into an unpredictable world of wonder and danger.
Design Process
I wanted A Crown of Embers & Ivy to feel mysterious, dangerous, and intriguing—the kind of fantasy cover that invites readers to step into an unknown world.
Rather than using character portraits, I focused on symbolism. The crown represents the forbidden forest prince, while the ember-lit ivy reflects the fire-wielding outcast. Together, they hint at the uneasy alliance at the heart of the story.
One of the key challenges was balancing atmosphere with clarity. I explored several concepts before refining a composition that allowed the crown, vines, and typography to work together without overwhelming the cover. Careful attention was given to movement, spacing, and visual hierarchy to create a sense of depth and immersion.
The Gothic-inspired architecture, weathered textures, and drifting embers help establish an ancient fantasy setting, while the glowing foliage introduces a touch of magic and danger. Inspired by the idea that something beautiful can also be dangerous, the ember leaves became one of the defining visual elements of the piece.
The final cover combines symbolism, atmosphere, and cinematic detail to create a world that feels both enchanting and unpredictable—one where beauty, mystery, and danger exist side by side.
