Written By Nosheen Ahmed

How I Illustrated the Hunger Games Series — Symbolism, Process & Creative Decisions

As a British Muslim, South Asian illustrator, storytelling has always been a way for me to process the world — visually, emotionally, symbolically. When I decided to illustrate The Hunger Games series for my portfolio, I wanted each cover to feel deeply connected to the themes of rebellion, survival, and human resilience that define Suzanne Collins’ world.

This blog post breaks down my full creative process — from colour symbolism to hand-drawn motifs — and shares the hidden details behind each illustration.

My Visual Approach to the Hunger Games Universe

Keywords: Hunger Games book cover illustration, YA book cover design, symbolic illustration, hand-drawn book covers

I approached the series with one main question:

How can illustration capture the emotional weight and political commentary of Panem?

To answer that, I leaned into:

  • Hand-drawn elements to create intimacy and human vulnerability

  • Symbolic borders to represent confinement, control, and rebellion

  • High-contrast colours to mirror tension, destruction, and hope

  • Layered lettering to embed narrative clues into the titles themselves

Black backgrounds became the grounding motif — representing District 12, coal dust, and the oppressive darkness of the Capitol’s regime.

Book 1: The Hunger Games

Keywords: Hunger Games symbolism, mockingjay berries, rebellious lettering

To capture the brutality and beauty of the first book, I used a rich black background for District 12 — the coal mines and the ever-present shadow of survival.

Symbolic Elements

  • Borders: tightly drawn to represent the Capitol’s control and how the Games trap its tributes

  • Lettering on fire: a visual metaphor for rebellion igniting for the first time

  • Poisonous nightlock berries: threaded through the design to hint at defiance and sacrifice

  • Bow + arrow: a direct link to Katniss’ identity and growing agency

Everything is hand-drawn to keep the artwork raw, human, and rooted in emotion.

Book 2: Catching Fire

Keywords: book cover design catching fire, rebellion symbolism, force field illustration

For Catching Fire, I wanted the illustration to feel explosive — like something breaking open from the inside.

What I focused on

  • Lettering breaking through a force field: symbolising Katniss’ discovery and the shattering of Capitol control

  • Flames woven into the title: showing rebellion spreading beyond the arena

  • Borders beginning to rupture: representing cracks in the system

This book is about escalation — fire as revolution — and the artwork reflects that energy.

Book 3: Mockingjay

Keywords: Mockingjay symbolism, dystopian illustration, District 13 design

The final book is a collision of love, war, trauma, and hope. I wanted the design to be emotionally conflicted — just like Katniss.

Symbolism included

  • A burning heart: representing Katniss and Peeta’s love, enduring even in darkness

  • The pearl: a soft, delicate motif symbolising memory, comfort, and connection

  • Hovercrafts + pipes of District 13: showing the underground, industrial, hidden world

  • Dark colour palette: evoking loss, devastation, and the cost of rebellion

It’s a design about the weight of leadership — and the fragile hope that survives in the ruins.

Book 4: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes

Keywords: Snow backstory, songbirds snakes symbolism, YA prequel illustration

Snow’s story required a colder, more strategic visual language.

Design choices

  • Snakes + songbirds forming the border: representing manipulation, charm, danger, and innocence

  • A crown-like composition: hinting that Snow always lands on top

  • Subtle metallic touches: to suggest prestige masking cruelty

This cover needed to feel elegant yet unsettling — a warning more than a celebration.

Book 5: Sunrise on the Reaping

Keywords: Haymitch Hunger Games art, prequel illustration, Hunger Games symbolism

For Sunrise on the Reaping, I leaned into themes of cruelty wrapped in spectacle.

Key symbols

  • A burning candle within the lettering: representing that on his birthday, Haymitch is thrown into the Games

  • White + glitter details: showing Snow’s power still shadowing Haymitch’s life

  • Bold, oppressive typography: symbolising a tribute’s lack of agency

This cover is about inevitability — fate sealed by a system designed to crush.

Conclusion: Why Symbolism Matters in Book Cover Illustration

Keywords: cover illustration process, meaning in illustration, symbolic book design

Every cover in this series is built from:

  • symbolism

  • emotional nuance

  • narrative meaning

  • hand-drawn texture

My goal was not just to recreate scenes — but to capture the soul of each book through symbolic storytelling.

If you're a publisher, editor, or art director looking for hand-drawn book cover illustration with emotional depth and strong visual storytelling, I’d love to connect.

Website: nosheendesigns.co.uk
Instagram: @nosheendesigns
Email: hello@nosheendesigns.co.uk

Nosheen Ahmed
Previous
Next