BOOK COVER
PROJECT SUMMARY
CONCEPT
The concept of this project was to design the cover for a re-issue of an existing book. The book cover design was to be conceptual, unique, and sport a fantastical or surreal theme achieved through seamless photographic compositing with multiple perspectives, lighting and colours without the use of illustrations.
PROJECT
Develop a fantastical book cover, spine and back cover, complete with author bio, testimonial and bar code.
ROLE
Design.
SOFTWARE
Adobe Photoshop
DESIGN RATIONALE
INSPIRATION
My book of choice was INFERNO, by Dan Brown, one of my favourite authors. Dan Brown has a gift when it comes to combining history with the suspense of mystery, and INFERNO is no exception.
INFERNO is the underworld as described in Dante’s Alighieri’s epic poem “The Divine Comedy,” which portrays hell as an elaborately structured realm populated by entities known as “shades” – body-less souls trapped between life and death.
IMAGERY
The imagery on the front cover depicts the hell of Dante’s world. Considering lost souls between life and death, and unable to find rest, the imagery is intense and upsetting.
Beings in between universes, unable to find rest due to their past crimes and questionable actions. Rivers filled with blood, red and various shades of the same illustrate their discomfort, and that of Dante’s own journey through inferno.
COLOUR PALETTE
The colour palette is bright, dark, and full of suspense. You can’t mess with the colours of fire. Or the darkness of solemn.
TYPOGRAPHY
The typography for Inferno is inspired by medieval times, the times from the 1300s, which was Dante’s time. His poem “The Divine Comedy” was a time piece for Italian literature and a major trend setter.