Our goal for this exploration activity was to design and create three book cover jacket proposals for a book regarding the work of April Greiman. Each jacket would be 26.5 x 10 inches in size, including the dust covers that fold over. The three proposals included the tasks: one with type and color only, one with type and portrait images of April, and finally one with type and images that related as metaphors to April and/or her work/methodology. To combine type with these images and color we began by creating hierarchy using typeface sizes and the help of a modular grid. We were not only designing and using what we know about type/typefaces but also educating ourselves about a highly influential artist that has unorthodox, charming and influential work that remains relevant to this day. You can see some of my process here.
I saw April's work as energetic, explorative, transitional and explosive. I tried to emulate those descriptors in my own work throughout this process.
Type and color only proposal: To add energy and excitement I used this bright yellow as a background for explorative type. Some of the design wraps around the dust covers such as the "Greiman", "Published" and "New". Playing with opacity, hierarchy and levels of grayscale in the type I created what I hope draws attention to any book sitting on the shelf. Creating an exploration experience for the reader or viewer to find the title was another goal I tackled. Finding the small fun details should draw the viewer in and encourage more interaction than a plain book jacket.
Type and portrait proposal: Two images of April have been incorporated into this design with the image on the right wrapping around to the front dust cover. Playing with color I found that using the traditional or close to the traditional CMYK color palette to be very reminiscent of April's work. This palette also created the energy and room for play I was hoping to achieve. Using texture is one of my favorite parts to any design, using polka dots and this almost pixelated image of April adds to the interest and flow of this design proposal. Using some of the letters backwards is something I would never had experimented with if I had not seen how unorthodox yet pleasing her work is.
Type and metaphor images: This propal was the most difficult for me to achieve. Using the words "explosive" and "transitional" were the main inspirations to lead me to the images I used for may metaphors. The bright colored train tracks are my favorite part of the design, leading the viewer to explore not only the images but the surrounding type. Words such as "Imagery" and "1990" wrap around to the front dust cover. Sticking with the CMYK palette gave me lots of room to explore (similar to my other proposals) and create another exploratory experience for the viewer in my different hierarchies of type.
Here is the entire cover of my third proposal.
Close detail of third design proposal: This is a close up of the lower left hand corner of my third design. This area contains my most innovative type that I find the most intriguing. Having "of" vertical versus the traditional horizontal and "fusion" being split between two lines rather than just staying on one gave me the most unorthodox exploration. Enjoying the process of playing and thinking outside the box pushed me further into my design and type work as a digital artist.
Third design proposal display mockup: My overall goal and theme for this piece was to emulate a fun and unorthodox investigation into type itself and April Greiman's work. Creating designs that pushed me out of my comfort zone was incredibly challenging, however I feel very successful in what I have created and the goals I have achieved. As a designer the tools I have gained from this project I will carry with me, remembering to think outside the box and innovate where I have the ability to.
