Book Cover Redesign Proposal

Transcription

1 Book Cover Redesign Proposal Book Summary Objectives The Agony and the Ecstasy is a fictionalized biographical novel about Michelangelo Buonarroti written by Irving Stone. Set during the Italian Renaissance it based on Michelangelo s life one of genius, passion and struggle. Stone weaves a passionate tale of Michelangelo s carnal love as well as spiritual love, conflict with church and royalty, jealousy, power greed, and his most obsessive struggle the act of artistic creation. In The Agony and the Ecstasy,, the plot focuses on the close but abrasive relationship between Pope Julius II and Michelangelo and the outcome of their legacy, the painting the Sistine Chapel ceiling. This original cover [1961] of the Agony and the Ecstasy doesn t convey the rich literary and biographical components that exist within the novel. The use of type is weak. The title and the author s name seem to compete in importance and the font could be more relevant to the setting of the novel. The novel is about struggle and creation which is not visually conveyed by the existing design. I would like the redesign to include: the use of more appropriate type relevant to the historical context visual tension addressing the struggles outlined in the summary a recognizable representation of who the biography profiles perhaps by including Michelangelo s artwork or some other meaningful graphic element a color palette that conveys the richness of the artistic creations and of the period

2 Book Cover Redesign Roughs Thumbnails for the Cover Design In order to create the full jacket cover I thought through how I wanted to handle the typography for the cover. In doing so, I did some more historical type research and had to consider how I wanted to handle the book title. This book is renowned, as is the author. Both the title and the authors name need to hold powerful importance. I also saw the strong juxtaposition of the words agony and ecstasy, so I played with the dark versus light. I personally found the dark/light, compound path concept above too distracting and a little trite, so I eliminated it from the process. The clarity and simplicity of type should give the cover the most power. Consequently I worked four of the layouts into roughs which are on the following page.

3 Book Cover Redesign Roughs Roughs # 1 & 2

4 Book Cover Redesign Roughs Roughs # 3 & 4 As indicated all of these roughs include information about the author, book synopsis, promotional information and quotes about the book, and of course, the title. Along with the classic type, there is very powerful artwork that can enhance the design and make the content/subject matter of the book easily recognizable while making the cover aesthetically compelling.

5 Book Cover Redesign Roughs Thinking Out Loud Font Selection for the Cover Design Title Treatment When I started thinking about what fonts to use in the cover design I intuitively knew the aesthetics that would be appropriate and what I would like to achieve on the cover. I started to investigate on the internet and throughout The Elements of Typographic Style to see if I was historically appropriate with my selections. I selected full sensuous letterforms such as Garamond (page 230) reflective of the Renaissance period in which the book The Agony and the Ecstasy was set. One font selection, aptly designed during Michelangelo s era is called Jenson. This font was roman inspired in Venice in 1469 by Nicolas Jenson (page 233). Interestingly I also selected an inscriptional font, a set of serifed capitals, called Michelangelo. It is a titling face that is rooted in Renaissance scribal tradition. This face was designed to be compatible with Aldus and Palatino fonts. (pages 122, 281, 284) It is crisply cultured and works successfully for the book title. fonts that had the historical context of the setting of the novel. Since I learned that Aldus Manutuis, ( ) was considered the father of italic fonts, and that italic fonts at one benchmark of the Italian renaissance, I am confident that I can incorporate the use of Italics on the cover design and maintain the integrity of the combination of typographical elements. I have a style agenda that leans toward maintaining the integrity of the title treatment, as one would maintain the integrity of a logo design. I like to keep the relationship of the type recognizable and consistent throughout its usage on the covers, flaps, title pages and inside pages. As a result of this orientation, I repeated the same formatting of the title on the spine and back covers of the book jacket for The Agony and the Ecstasy.

6 Book Cover Redesign Tight Roughs Concept 1: Cover treatment visually appears black and white although marble backgrounds appear realistic and will be printed process color. The stark contrast of marbles and the hard edges emphasize the powerful opposing forces at play with the story line of the book, as well as accentuated with the title. Photo of author and blurb Dramatic black on black photograph of sculpture of David Black marble White Carrera Font treatment: Description background to marble background to & overlays the black about the book emphasize the emphasize the ecstasy and white marble darkness of the agony of Michelangelo s sculpting

7 Book Cover Redesign Tight Roughs Concept 2 and 3: Concepts # 2 and 3 are based on the contrast of passions. Paint and Marble. Like the contrast of words: Agony and Ecstasy. Michelangelo, cut a deal with Pope Julius to paint the Sistine Chapel in order to be able to carve marble, his greatest passion. The fresco at the top of the cover is the Creation of Man, apropos for a book about creation. The hand of God and the hand of man create visual tension and the appearance of opposites. Conflicting visuals are also created from the richness of color from this fresco contrasted with the purity of the white marble. Concept 2 Photo of author and blurb White Carrera marble background to emphasize the passion and ecstasy of Michelangelo s work Concept 3 Photo of author and blurb White Carrera marble background to emphasize the passion and ecstasy of Michelangelo s work Creation of Man repeated Fresco image of Eve

8 Book Cover Redesign Revision suggestions: Think about the placemement of the word THE. Keeping them consistent with each part of the title. Also, you have a natural diagonal with the foot of man which would be good placement for the and then you can tighten up the space between THE AGONY and THE ECSTASY. Right now they are too far apart. The authors name just seems to be floating there. Perhaps bringing it closer to the title and placing it in the same color as the ampresand would help. Revision suggestions: A few things. Same comments about the first idea apply here with the title. There is too much separation between the two grouping of words. Also, figure out consistent placement for the THE on the cover, back and spine. How wide is that spine? The & could be brought up more to sit on the same baseline as the other words. It s not more important then the words for the title but the placement being lower makes that happen. Switch the placement of the author and publisher. Authors are meant to be at the top. Reduce the size of his name as well. There needs to be hierarchy with the spine. The title is first, author, publisher. The back. The em dashes are hanging out not helping with the typography massage. Either bring up the next line, which would look much better, or use a colon instead.

9 Book Cover Redesign Version One Revised Placemement of the word THE. Consistent. Placement title at the natural diagonal with the foot of man Tighten up the space between THE AGONY and THE ECSTASY. Bring authors namecloser to the title and placing it in the same color as the ampresand. Version Two Revised Close separation between the two grouping of words. Placemement of the word THE. Consistent. Spine place & to sit on the same baseline as the other words. Switch the placement of the author and publisher. Reduce the size of the authors name as well. Hierarchy with the spine. The title is first, author, publisher. Eliminate em dashes and bring up the next line.

10 Book Cover Redesign esign The Agony and the Ecstasy by Irving Stone Final Book Covers with Crop Marks Version One Book Jacket FinalsREV.indd 1 Version Two Book Jacket FinalsREV.indd 2

11 Book Cover Redesign esign The Agony and the Ecstasy by Irving Stone Final Book Covers Jpeg Panels: Version One Back Flap Back Cover Spine Front Cover Front Flap Jpeg Panels: Version Two Back Flap Back Cover Spine Front Cover Front Flap