For this project, the objective was to take a book and redesign it’s cover with a design that is based on the story being told rather than using imagery related to the title. To do this, I chose to redesign Jeannette Walls memoir, “The Glass Castle”, taking concepts from the story and creating an abstract version of the events happening in the book.
Overview
I started by sketching out ideas for the book cover that were connected to the book title and it’s story, eventually going for a design that aimed for more of a symbolic meaning behind the book while connecting it to the concept of glass, using broken glass shards and designing the cover with the hero image of two hands in the gesture of a pinky promise breaking, representing the idea of broken promises, which is a significant aspect in the book.I wanted to focus on the concept of broken promises, one that is a major theme with the complexities between the main protagonist and her father.
Below, on the left is the book’s original design, followed by my sketches and chosen typefaces, my first digital iterations and the final design.
Process
Ultimately, the final redesign for the book is true to the memoir’s events and themes, such as the theme of broken promises. The new main image of the cracked glass pinky-promise, allows for the cover to work effectively and to be meaningful to the memoir, as it relates to the relationship between the main character and her father. Overall, the cover allows for a new cover that stays true to the story and allows for an engaging appearance that will have potential readers wanting to read it and learn the meaning behind the cover’s illustration.
