![[School Festival] Cover Illustration Ideas](https://i.ytimg.com/vi_webp/VFHKxGnK2Rk/maxresdefault.webp)
[School Festival] Cover Illustration Ideas
The cover illustration for the school festival is often chosen from many submitted works.
Some of you are hoping to be selected this year.
Here, we introduce cover illustrations that were actually chosen, works created for submission, and tips on how to draw illustrations.
It’s perfect if you’re thinking, “I can’t decide what to draw,” or “I want to see other people’s work.”
Use this as a reference and try creating a one-of-a-kind illustration of your own.
You can enjoy the process of drawing, too.
Turn your ideas into reality and have fun taking on the challenge of the cover illustration!
[Cultural Festival] Cover Illustration Ideas (1–10)
An illustration made with Copic markers
https://www.tiktok.com/@jadmt09/video/6879536973107694849A cover illustration using Copic markers that highlights overlapping colors and soft gradations to convey the warmth unique to hand-drawn art.
As water-based, opaque color markers, Copics can produce depth by layering even the same hue, allowing for three-dimensional shading on skin and clothing.
With thoughtful ordering of application, bleeding and unevenness can be embraced as expressive textures.
Gradients in the background are effective for evoking expanses like sky and grasslands.
By varying nib widths, you can both emphasize contours and render delicate patterns, adding narrative quality to the illustration.
Finish with white Posca or gel pen highlights to enhance reflections, completing a cover that brings the expression to life.
pen drawing illustration
https://www.tiktok.com/@jadmt09/video/6877518221050776834A pen-drawing-style illustration that achieves a striking impression through line weight and composition.
Draw characters and backgrounds inspired by students, then add shadows and patterns with a pen as you refine the details.
Using speech balloons and action lines to add dialogue and movement can create an excitement that makes readers want to turn the page.
Depicting the school building or festival booths in the background will convey an authentic school-festival atmosphere.
Since you can draw it all with a single pen, it’s also fun to finish while enjoying the contrast with the rough sketch.
By varying ink density and tone, you can achieve powerful expression even in black and white.
Once it’s finished, making copies and posting them is also recommended—it will become a cover that catches many people’s eyes.
A portrait of the teacher
https://www.tiktok.com/@kansaiarts/video/7414045807172783361The idea of incorporating a teacher’s portrait on the school festival cover is a unique way to express everyday gratitude and familiarity.
Observe features like the face shape, hairstyle, glasses, or beard to capture their individuality.
For the expression, recall their usual demeanor—such as a smile or a thoughtful look—to create a natural finish.
Adding a background like a blackboard or a classroom scene will enhance the school atmosphere.
Use mostly bright tones for coloring to give the overall design a cheerful feel.
After drawing the portrait, include the teacher’s catchphrases or hobbies in handwritten text to create a friendly cover that’s sure to make viewers smile.
Recommended for choir
https://www.tiktok.com/@srkmnnmn.7/video/7291631204888055042A cover illustration with a choir theme is a great way to express both the appeal of music and the warmth of school life.
Depict students standing on stage and place a piano at the center to create a composition that conveys a sense of unity in performance and the atmosphere of the venue.
By carefully distinguishing expressions—such as open mouths while singing and focused gazes on the sheet music—you can spread a quiet, moving mood across the page.
Adding lighting effects and the texture of curtains to the background will make it feel more like a recital.
Using warm tones overall will gently communicate their dedication to the choir and their bonds with friends.
By aiming for a composition that almost lets the sound be heard, you can create a striking cover image.
promotional poster
https://www.tiktok.com/@unkokko0624/video/7485621661148990728A promotional poster can be made in many ways, such as by hand or with a smartphone app.
Place the school name and event date prominently in the center, and draw illustrations of food stalls and stage events around them to convey a lively atmosphere.
By adding hand-drawn-style lettering and speech bubbles, you can help the information catch the eye naturally.
It’s also recommended to set a theme—for example, draw an illustration of a male conductor and the festival’s theme text.
This can help stop passersby in their tracks when the poster is displayed.
It’s a perfect first step to build excitement for the school festival.
Anime-style character illustration
https://www.instagram.com/p/CHFHkrWj7q5/Among character illustrations, how about trying a style inspired by anime films, like the works of directors Makoto Shinkai or Mamoru Hosoda? Anime-style illustrations are friendly and highly recommended.
In particular, if you create digital illustrations using a computer or tablet, I think you’ll find a different kind of appeal compared to hand-drawn analog works.
If you decide on the characters’ clothing and the background to match the cultural festival’s theme, the poster will likely convey its concept more clearly.
Colorful, pop-style illustration
https://twitter.com/sky_dj_/status/1669943683142266881Posters that build excitement for a school festival are wonderful, aren’t they? One idea I’d like to suggest is to finish it with a colorful, pop illustration.
For example, how about placing a large character in the center and surrounding it with lots of items related to the festival exhibits? Including many objects will make the colors more vibrant and give it a lively feel.
In that case, I’d also recommend paying attention to the typefaces you use.
A pop-style font should match the illustration nicely.
