Step into the dark mythology of Ancient Rome with this book cover designed for a historical, fantasy story featuring the vestal virgins, intrigue, mystery and more.
My latest request involved roman myths, statues, and ruins, calling on the cover to at once depict dark imagery of a forgotten past and staples of gothic imagery. Pulling from medieval paintings as well as statues of draped figures, I created the cover for Vestālēs with both art and darkness in mind. Some of the process can be found on my TikTok in a post and a video.
Like with many of my covers, this is an example of a cover that has a lot of detail, despite only some parts of said detail clearly visible in the cover itself. May it be the columns in the corners or the cracked paint in the background, the cover has many hidden details that you can only see if you look very, very closely. Even the font, Praetoria, is meant to evoke the feelings of dark and hidden stories.
Beyond its many details, what makes this cover special (at least to me) is that it’s for a work in progress. I don’t often make covers for writers still in the process of writing their stories anymore, but every now and then, it makes me really happy to provide a writer on Wattpad or elsewhere with a cover that they can see when they update it. It still uses all commercial free resources (I always do!) but it brings me back to my roots and making covers for my friends. You can read Freighaa’s story by clicking here.
Making the cover brought to mind all of the mythology that I learned either in college or as a child. The imagery, the symbolism, the characters– all are ripe for story-telling but also for art. This got me thinking.
If I were to make a series of book covers relating to mythology, which myths should I make book covers for? Are there any styles you’d like me to experiment in?
Have a different idea for me or want to request a cover? Leave a comment below or request via the link in the button.
Sarah Penney Designs 