Disclaimer: the purpose of this project is purely for research and school matters only. The realization of the cover has no intention of being part or competing with any related project of the editorial in question.
THE IDEA
Based on the book collection released by the editorial Austral called Singular I felt inclined to develop my thesis around their book cover design, passing through a series of interesting concepts that could help me analyze the making of these covers. The original idea of the project was purely investigation but there was an inclusion of developing a product to include fictionally into the collection.
Photos of the books of the Singular collection from the editorial's instagram account.
Photo of the various books of the collection Singular Austral.
THE PROJECT
This project is part of an extensive and thorough investigation for my thesis to obtain a bachelor's degree in graphic design. I develop this project from November 2019 to April 2020 investigating different concepts such as: semiotics, image, iconicity, levels of iconicity, perception, theory of form (starting from the Gestalt theory), composition, books, types, parts, covers, function, elements and types of covers. Once I covered the theory I got into knowing the Argentinian editorial Austral and the collection in question called Singular I analyzed the theory and related the various concepts with what is visual on the covers of this collection and made my own reflexion and connections that would help me with the creation of my own proposal of a book cover.
For the making of the book cover I choose one of my favorite books of all time, Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451 and I decided to go the extra step creating an interesting and "more complex" icon for the cover.
Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451 book published in 1953.
Fahrenheit 451 is a dystopian novel by the American writer Ray Bradbury. The book was published in 1953 and is considered one of his most famous works by Ray Bradbury, master of scientific fiction.
The novel tells the story of a grim and horrifying future, presents an American society in which books are banned and there are firefighters who burn them, contrary to those we know who put out fires, in this work they provoke them. Montag, the protagonist , belongs to a strange fire brigade whose mission, paradoxically, is not to put out fires but to provoke them to burn books. Because in Montag's country reading is strictly forbidden. Because reading forces thinking, and in Montag's country thinking is forbidden. Because reading prevents being naively happy, and in the country of Montag you have to be happy by force. A work full of adrenaline that makes one think, leaving the reader hoping that one day knowledge would end ignorance.
The title refers to the temperature at which the paper burns, 451 degrees Fahrenheit. The subtitle of the work is "the temperature at which the paper in books ignites and burns."
The novel has been the subject of interpretations that focus on the historical role that burning books has had to suppress dissenting ideas. The author described it as a comment on how the mass media reduces interest in literature.
CREATING AN ICON
SKETCHING IDEAS
The idea of a "complex icon" was to marry two or more concepts that represent the book (or are contemplated as the core subject).
The concepts I relate to the book are: fire, matches, box of matches, firefighters, firefighter's helmet, book, burning book, book with flames. I choose two principal concepts: fire and books. Both are the main concepts of the book's subject, the burning of books.
Notebook with sketches of the various concepts developed and thought through for the visualization of the icon.
STUDYING THE SHAPES
For a proper realization of the fire icon I studied the behavior of fire in different situations, with different conductors, forms and sizes.
Photos of the behavior of fire in different situations.
Sketching process of the study of the shapes of fire adapted to icon-like form and finally incorporating the book.
DIGITALIZING THE SHAPE
After the sketching progress I digitalized the best looking flame and started tweaking away and exploring shapes, sizes and proportions to get to the best result.
Exploring and moving the icon in different sizes, proportions and shapes.
BUILDING SOME STRUCTURE
With proper proportions for the icon I developed a quick series of circules to create a skeleton to make a better and more structured icon and fixing around lines and curves.
STRUCTURE AND GRIDES
The circle skeleton is formed by four circules of different sizes which are places in order of the icon and the lines where wrapped around these lines for a cleaner looking icon.
Corrected icon with the circle structure.
A simple structured grid of 1 x 1 cm squares to check size and proportions. The widest part of the icon, based on the grid is 8 cm and the height of the icon is 12 cm.
FINDING THE FINAL FIT
Final icon.
Icon in negative and positive.
As an experimental phase, details were added to the icon. In the end these details were seen as unnecessary and were eliminated.
THE BOOK COVER
RETICLE AND STRUCTURE
For the book cover, based on three existent book covers from the collection a grid was elaborated, considering the icon size, the structure of the text and the general size of the cover.
Considering an average and analyzing the sizes of different elements the reticule was made of rectangles (slightly).
Books used for measurements and icon placements.
ADDING IN THE ICONS
ADDING IN THE INFORMATION
COLOR STUDY
To obtain interesting and "straight forward" colors it was decided to take photos of paper being burnt to catch colores from the behavior of the fire and the burning in general.
To get these colors the app Adobe Capture was used and three main color palettes where selected.
Selected color pallets.
Selected colors with tone and hue tweaks.
Behavior of the icons in positive and negative with the selected colors.
Behavior of the colors with the book cover.
CHOOSING THE RIGHT COLOR
Behavior of the book cover in positive and negative form.
Final proposal of the book cover.
PUTTING IT NEXT TO THE BIG GUYS
Book photographs of the editorial Austral.
Mock up made based on the photographs of the Editorial Austral.
MOCKING IT UP
Mock ups of the book cover observing different angles and sides appreciating the whole cover as a physical book.
MAKING IT FANCY
Mock up made my placing different elements and taking a picture. This mock up was based on the Instagram posts places in the first part of this project.
Special thank you to a very special someone, here is his behance page, give it a lot of love, he is an amazing designer, a ridiculously awesome illustrator and an impecable and gorgeous human. Thank you J.
