Behind the Cover Art: March, 2027

Rather than revisiting a traditional St. Patrick’s Day theme, I chose to focus on another hallmark of March—the arrival of spring. While the concept came easily, translating it into a meaningful design took some reflection.

Designing covers that clearly represent each month can be challenging, I have often used flowers to symbolize May, inspired by the familiar “April showers bring May flowers” idea, so I wanted to avoid repeating that approach. With March still ahead of me, I ultimately decided that flowers could still serve as an effective visual element.

The next question was how to use them. Gardens, vases, and floral backgrounds felt uninspired, and while I noticed some artists using flowers behind transparent lettering, the effect felt too predictable for my taste. I briefly explored forming words entirely out of flowers, but readability quickly became an issue. I eventually settled on incorporating a single floral letter—an “S”—which struck the right balance.

To complete the composition, I expanded the design with additional floral elements and a butterfly or two, a natural pairing that adds movement and interest. That choice did require learning how to paint butterflies, but the result was worth the effort.

With the March cover complete, it’s time to turn my attention to April—showers or not.