Illustrating "Noughts and Crosses" by doing the Penguin Archive Briefs

Illustrating "Noughts and Crosses" by doing the Penguin Archive Briefs

As an artist and book lover, I am always looking for ways to bring the stories that inspire me to life through my illustrations. As a paasion project I illustrated the book cover for Malorie Blackman's novel, "Noughts and Crosses." This gripping tale of love, friendship, and social injustice sparked my imagination, leading me to create a series of hand-drawn illustrations that reflect the essence of the story. The Heart of the Story "Noughts and Crosses" takes place in a world starkly divided by race and class, where Sephy, a Cross, and Callum, a Nought, navigate a landscape filled with tension and complexity. Their lives are intertwined in a way that highlights the struggles against societal norms. This dynamic of connection and division inspired my artwork, as I sought to capture the beauty and pain of their relationship.

I hand-drew the title "Noughts and Crosses." Using bold, expressive letters, I aimed to reflect the intensity of the themes within the book. The hand-drawn quality adds a personal touch, making each letter full of emotion. I used contrasting colors to represent their different worlds, blending them together in places to symbolize their deep bond. The book cover and the endpapers tells a story, infused with symbolism. My journey of illustrating "Noughts and Crosses" has deepened my appreciation for the themes Blackman has woven into this narrative. It has been a challenging yet fulfilling experience to translate the characters' struggles and triumphs into visual form.