In designing the covers for the Lloyd Alexander's Westmark Trilogy, I focused on the key characters' evolving morality and sense of self in contrast to the greater machinations of a kingdom in rebellion, and the ripple effects a greater cast of characters has upon one another and the future of Westmark. 

Our hero, Theo, sees the world and his own place in it in black-and-white. But within the first pages of Westmark, he nearly kills a solider and is forced to flee, taking up company with a wandering band of rogues with questionable morals. 

As the trilogy progresses, Theo grapples with the consequences of choosing not to kill, and endangering many lives, and deciding to put aside his personal qualms to save a kingdom. The trilogy climaxes with our hero and heroine finding personal peace despite their past and leaving a kingdom that is in utter chaos.  

I chose to use a period-appropriate pattern, marbling, to symbolize the ripple effects of the large cast of characters have on each other, and additionally as a metaphor for those characters and kingdom in turmoil. I selected an achromatic color palette to represent Theo's personal struggle with black and white morality as he finds frustrating shades of gray at every turn in the story.