Mahawansa Pradeepikawa – Book Cover & Publication Design

Category: Book Cover & Editorial Design
Year: 2026
Author & Designer: Isura Wickramarachchi
Format: A4 | 650 Pages | Full Colour | Hard Cover

Mahawansa Pradeepikawa is one of my most extensive personal design and publishing projects, combining nearly ten years of historical research with book design, illustration and modern publishing technology. I was responsible not only for authoring the publication but also for developing its overall visual identity, cover design and complete presentation.

The premium hardcover was designed to reflect the historical importance and character of the subject, incorporating an elegant presentation with gold stamping and UV lamination. The interior consists of approximately 650 full-colour A4 pages, bringing together historical information with more than 170 genealogical/family-tree diagrams, 200+ reconstructed historical portraits, and over 200 full-page illustrations.

A major challenge was transforming a very large collection of historical information into a visually structured publication that remained accessible to the reader. Typography, page hierarchy, illustrations, family trees and other visual elements were therefore designed as parts of a single, consistent editorial system.

The publication also connects traditional print with digital technology through QR-based features, allowing the physical book to become part of a wider digital historical resource.

From a design perspective, Mahawansa Pradeepikawa represents the culmination of my experience in book cover design, editorial design, historical visualisation, digital illustration and print production—a project in which I worked simultaneously as author, researcher and designer.