CONCEPTUAL BOOK COVER PROJECT
BRIEF
Design three book cover variations for a book of
my choosing (Les Miserables by Victor Hugo), as
follows:
01—Type Only: Only typography is allowed for
this. The concept itself should be typographic.
02—Handmade: This cover has to be
made using physical materials. 95% of the book
cover should be created by hand. Final touches
can be added in Illustrator.
03—Designer’s Choice: This cover can be
designed in any style or format but should use a
creative strategy.
Other requirements include:
- Size: 6 in. x 9 in.
- Presentation: use a realistic mockup
- Content: Only full title and the author’s full name. No other text is allowed.
- Fonts: only use approved fonts unless a strategic design decision can justify something else.
BOOK: LES MISERABLES by Victor Hugo
I chose this book because it's one of my favorites and offered many different elements, concepts and themes to play with.
Summary
Les Miserables is a novel by the french Romantic writer and politician
Victor Hugo, which was published in 1862. It is considered one of the
most important works from the XIX century. It is a tale about good and evil, law and
mercy, politics, justice, love, ethic and religion. It follows the internal and
external struggles of Jean Valjean, a convict who attempts to become
a respected member of society, while escaping from the relentless
policeman Javert. This becomes even more difficult when he pledges to
care for little Cosette. Will he be able to put his past behind and raise his
little child? Will they be able to rise above the poverty and injustice of
the early nineteenth-century french society?
Main themes
- Redemption and change of heart through love
- Justice vs. Mercy
- Social unease & Revolution
Final Images
Cover 01 - Type only
A barricade is made of just letters. In the mess of it, the title of the book can clearly be seen. Using just the glyphs, both an interesting shape and a nice concept was created. Firstly, it represents the barricade made by the June Rebellion on that night, but also the many different voices, beliefs, lives and experiences of the characters of the book and the french people in 1800.
Cover 02 - Handmade
A black printed flag starts a revolution, the red flags follow, but the red
and blue flags are all around trapping them. It is meant to represent the
revolutionary thoughts held back then and that fateful night, as well
as the compassionate actions carried out by the Bishop, which influences
Jean Valjean, who then helps Fantine and therefore Cosette, who in turn
changes both Marius and Valjean, who ultimately saves Marius' life and forgives
Javert.
Cover 03 - Designer's choice
One of the Bishop's candlesticks that change Jean Valjean's life is burning
bright. At the same time, the fire is France, and it is burning through the "miserables",
all the wretched people who are suffering in the dark.
That's all for now. Thanks for stopping by and checking out my project. I hope you like it :)
