COVER DESIGN
A self-initiated project to re-design covers for recent reads.
Small Things Like These - Claire Keegan
“It was a December of crows. People had never seen the likes of them, gathering in black batches on the outskirts of town then coming in, walking the streets, cocking their heads and perching, impudently, on whatever lookout post that took their fancy, scavenging for what was dead, or diving in mischief for anything that looked edible along the roads before roosting at night in the huge old trees around the convent.”
This beautifully melancholic novella explores small moments and the way in which they add up to whole lives. It also explores the importance of kindness, morality and standing up for what is 'right' despite the consequences
There’s an ominous feel to the crows in Keegan’s story - much like the Catholic convent, they sit atop the town ever-watchful, sinister and predatory. But I also love the idea that crows remember kindness and cruelty, both of which are relevant in this book. This old painting conveyed that nicely - the crow feels both sinister and friendly, ominous and playful.
To me the book felt incredibly personal, almost like reading Furlong’s journal. I used handwriting for the title to emphasise this sense of tactility and intimacy. Coal dust is another constant in the book, represented here by the use of a gritty overlay texture.
All artwork used is available in the public domain.
Manacled - Sen Lin Yu
‘Harry Potter is dead. In the aftermath of the war, in order to strengthen the might of the magical world, Voldemort enacts a repopulation effort. Hermione Granger has an Order secret, lost but hidden in her mind, so she is sent as an enslaved surrogate to the High Reeve until her mind can be cracked.’
My first foray into the world of fan fiction. One word. Obsessed.
Manacled themes; Imprisonment / Oppression / Good vs Evil / Light vs Dark / Memory Loss
Favourite use of imagery - the folding of paper cranes. referencing the Japanese legend of Senbazuru where folding 1,000 cranes grants a wish. The act also feels like it symbolises hope, healing and defiance.
All artwork used is available in the public domain, or created by myself.
The Housemaid - Freida McFadden
"Every day I clean the Winchesters’ beautiful house top to bottom. I collect their daughter from school. And I cook a delicious meal for the whole family before heading up to eat alone in my tiny room on the top floor. But I reassure myself: the Winchesters don’t know who I really am. They don’t know what I’m capable of…"
The general idea for this was to create an illustration that prompts feelings of unease / discomfort / suspense and hopefully intrigue.