A Poster Series Inspired by Six of Crows
A personal illustration and poster exploration inspired by the world, atmosphere, and characters of Leigh Bardugo’s Six of Crows duology.
This project began as an attempt to translate the emotional landscape of the books into visual storytelling. Rather than recreating scenes directly, I wanted to focus on mood, symbolism, architecture, and the feeling of moving through Ketterdam itself.
The series explores three different elements of the story:
1. The city of Ketterdam
2. Inej Ghafa, known as The Wraith
3. The iconic phrase “No Mourners, No Funerals”
2. Inej Ghafa, known as The Wraith
3. The iconic phrase “No Mourners, No Funerals”
The intention was to create posters that feel atmospheric and narrative-driven while maintaining a cohesive visual identity.
The City of Ketterdam has always felt larger than a setting. It carries atmosphere, history, trade, conflict, ambition, and mystery. This illustration became an exploration of that identity. The scene combines: Mountain silhouettes, Forests, Ships and industrial structuresVillage forms, Religious architecture and Layered environmental elements. Everything was arranged to create depth while preserving the silhouette style used throughout the project.
This piece centers around Inej Ghafa, one of the most compelling characters in the duology.
The composition places her above the city, observing from the rooftops while remaining partially hidden. The elevated viewpoint reinforces her identity as The Wraith, someone who moves through shadows, watches from a distance, and exists between visibility and disappearance.
The surrounding architecture was designed to frame her rather than compete with her. The warm sunset palette creates tension between beauty and danger, mirroring the duality present throughout the story.
The composition places her above the city, observing from the rooftops while remaining partially hidden. The elevated viewpoint reinforces her identity as The Wraith, someone who moves through shadows, watches from a distance, and exists between visibility and disappearance.
The surrounding architecture was designed to frame her rather than compete with her. The warm sunset palette creates tension between beauty and danger, mirroring the duality present throughout the story.
The final piece explores one of the most recognizable lines from the series: “No Mourners. No Funerals.” Unlike the earlier posters, this composition moves into monochrome. The reduced palette was intentional. I wanted this piece to feel colder, quieter, and more symbolic. Rain textures, fragmented shapes, crows, barren trees, and fading city forms create an atmosphere closer to memory than location. The typography becomes part of the image rather than an overlay. Everything was designed to support the emotional weight carried by the phrase.
FINAL THOUGHTS:
This project was created as both a tribute and a design exercise. The goal was not to recreate official imagery but to reinterpret the world of Six of Crows through illustration, atmosphere, and poster design.
Working on this series became an exploration of narrative environments, symbolic storytelling, and how visual language can translate literary worlds.
Ketterdam remains one of the most visually inspiring settings I have encountered, and this project was my attempt to give that atmosphere a graphic form.
