All Men Must Die

With one illustration an episode for the four seasons that have been broadcast, he’s got 40 illustrations doing rounds on Facebook, Twitter, Buzzfeed, Mashable and private blogs. Ball includes subtle yet powerful symbols in this project, for which he collaborated with 360i, a New York-based digital agency. For instance, while depicting the Red Wedding — a wedding that became the venue for merciless slaughter in the series — two hands are shown playing the violin. Blood dramatically drips down the instrument’s bow, as the cuffs of his armour peep from under the attacker’s fine robe.

Deaths in Westeros (the fantasy realm where all the action takes place) are shown with multiple design tools including Adobe Illustrator, Manga Studio, Photoshop and Indesign. “In an environment where your life expectancy is as short as it is in Westeros, how you die is as important as how you live,” he says, even as his recent posters have been shared over 200,000 times on Facebook.

While fans talk about unexpected deaths, Ball works at making them unforgettable. Says the designer, “Everyone will remember the death of Oberyn Martell; I can’t ‘unsee’ that scene now.” One of his favourites is the picture of Arya holding up Jaqen’s coin. “I thought with that one I managed to say something about the character — the little girl has gone, her life has been taken over by dark forces, and her obsession with revenge,” says Ball. As audiences across the world immerse themselves in the books, the GOT-themed quizzes, and wait for the fifth installment of the TV series, these illustrations are withdrawal therapy, urging one to find the subtle symbolism within.