Hansel & Gretel

Personal Interpretation of a Book Cover for the Brother Grimm’s tale Hansel and Gretel.

For this personal interpretation of Hansel and Gretel, I envisioned a house with a bitten shape, symbolizing both the literal and metaphorical sense of being devoured, and of course the witch’s candy/gingerbread home!

The house is surrounded by shadowy elements and faint background text (picked from the famous witch’s lines), creating a trapped, eerie atmosphere. This feeling extends to the title, which feels enclosed within the house, directly reflecting the story's themes.

After experimenting with different treatments, I settled on a textured 2D look that I particularly love. The handwritten title complements the tale’s folkloric roots, while the dark greenish-black tones, paired with the glowing, almost ethereal house silhouette, evoke a sense of mystery. This contrast draws the viewer’s eye toward the center, emphasizing the title as the focal point.