ILLU 6030

Brief

Create a series of 3 book jackets (front, back & spine). Choose three titles from the following list.
1. Mystery Novel: 'Idiot Wind' by Robert Zimmerman
2. Historical Fiction '1922 Blues' by Charlie Parr
3. Sci-Fi: ‘Into the Great Wide Open’ by Tom Petty
4. Horror: 'Hells Bells' by Brian Johnson
5. Romance: ' Head over Feet' by Alanis Morrisette
6. True Crime: 'Sinful Woman' by Elmore James

Through research you should identify the tonal, stylistic and subject traits which will help inform your illustration/design.

Don't bother looking for existing book jackets for these titles, you won't find any, we made them up!​

'Hells Bells' 
Horror Novel

I chose a horror novela because Im a big fan of horror. Cheesy 80's slashers, ghost stories and cheap jump scare movies, the major difference between a movie and a novel is the tone. In movies tone is easily set up with good camera work, music and jumps scares added in. But with a novel it relys purely on the tension in the text, you have to build atmosphere with words and cant rely on cheap jumpscares. So I think that same tone should be represented in the book jacket.

Comparisons between movie's and novels
Stephen Kings It has been adapted once before the movie, in a mini series that covers what the movie does in a little more depth since they had the time. As a result the movie is fast pace but does a better job with scenes with scares in them considering the It series came out in the 90's. Though similar to the book alot of the promtional material, at least for the first movie prior to him being everywhere, Pennywise the clown seems to be hidden. This strikes intrigue and mystery. Though not exactly an intense horror, the feeling of unease because we can't see the clown sets the tone for the whole book
The woman in black was written in 1983 and the book cover left much to be desired featuring calligraphy as it's subject. The book is based in the edwardian times and the text and font used as the cover represents that rather well, but doesn't show a figure or character we can relate to or fear. It depicts a house on a hill which leaves you with a sense of being alone and isolated like the house. This works in its favour conisdering the main protagonist is isolated and alone, miles from the rest of civilisation and seperated from people by a marsh. The book cover did a great job at representing that. Though the movie poster has a sense alone and anonimity to it, its very sensationalised and clearly falls back on the movie and tone it sets actually as you watch it rather than before which does translate well to a novel.
Scart stories to tell in the dark was written in 1981, the book cover shows a typicall old rustic text and creepy clown head sticking out the top. The book is a series of ghost/scary stories that the movie adapted into a set narrative. But the book could focus on just one of its stories or ghosties so I think its choice to go with the basic but creepy solo image of the clown head was wise. It doesn't give so much of any of the tails away, but is inherently creepy, but the way its looking at the reader, its teeth, the pipe and the fact that this CREEPY face is imbedded and part of the scenery around it. Very poetic. The movie poster however focus's on one ghost, which is a struggle conisdering there are a handful of retellings in this movie. There are a few other pieces of promotional material that features the 'pale woman' but that seems to be a single example. Other wise they tend to feature the scarecrow, which is fine but could be a little misleading if you didnt know what you were getting yourself in for. To the movies credit however, they stay faithful to the orginal drawings of the creatures in the novel.

Ideas and visions

Intitially the images and inspiration that immedietly comes to mind is the 'Hellraiser' series and more specifically the iconic Pinhead and the other cenobites from the series. Though I dont have anything but a title and genre to work with my mind instantly went to 'Hellraiser'

Thumbnails and ideas

Reference

Thumbnails and ideas

reference

Thumbnails

Skeleton Reference

Figure/Face Reference 

Full Cover Thumbnailing

Final

'1922 Blue'

​Historical fiction​

I find history pretty interesting so creatng a book cover about a ficticious part OF history sounded fun. Since this novel will be based in the 1920's Im going to explore important parts of that era, take a look at media and illustration dated back then and take inspiration. Focusing more on the American 1920's rather with the fashion being kinda iconic. But 1922 is a few years before the great depression in america so it'll mean I can give the cover grandeur somewhat.

Things that inspire

Alot of media based around the 1920's seem to have elabroate bold boarders around them, for me those I always assosciate those boarders with the 20's. They always set the feeling of the 20's. The game Bioshock is actually arond the 1940's but the they use the 1920's themes as a way to set the 20's tone. In all their art and loading screens those thick clean boarders are used. It's all very blocky too, colours are solid and the layout is very simple.

Idea boarding 

Final

'Sinful woman(?)'

True Crime Novel

I notice that most true crime novels feature the images of people envolved IN the crime. Since this is obviously a fake true crime I would have to find substitute images but it shoulnt be a major issue. Im also going to take a look at more abstract covers too that have heavier illustration implements and now photos.

Abstract covers

There aren't many abstract or illustrative pieces for true crime novels, alot of them show case images of poeple involved which akes sense. I tried looking at really old cases that predate pictures but they weren't very well documented so there aren't many. 

Thumbnails

Thumbnails

Mock ups

Final piece