Lucy Rose illustrates the cover for The Foundling for Bonnier Zaffre.

Lucy Rose has illustrated the cover for The Foundling, the second novel by Stacey Hall, published by Bonnier Zaffre Publishing. The cover perfectly encapsulates the heart-breaking story of a woman who has to leave her baby at the Foundling Hospital, promising herself that she will come back and reclaim her daughter as soon as possible.

Lucy began the project by brushing up on her knowledge of the Foundling Hospital, and then moved onto initial sketches. Creating assets that presented the concept with clarity but also be rearranged to differentiate the hardback and paperback, the imagery of ornate cages, locks and motherhood are framed by delicate florals, reflecting the tenderness present in the story.

“It was such a brilliant project to work on as I love creating decorative illustrations that have depth to them when you look a little closer.”

The most challenging part of the project was creating a colour scheme, one that could balance all the elements without overpowering the title and text on the cover. The final design in both variations features Lucy’s signature muted colours that help push the type to the forefront, encouraging the reader to look deeper to reveal the story that awaits them inside.