Moby Dick - Herman Melville
I wanted to powerfully bring out the essence of Moby Dick without being overly obvious and expected. Thus in this design you will find no ship, no whale, no seamen, no harpoon. Present only is a contextless image of the raging sea; an all-encompassing icon representing the all-encompassing mania with which Captain Ahab devoted himself to the destruction of The White Whale. The sea expands across and completely envelopes the cover, as the whale completely enveloped Captain Ahab's will. Contrasting with the natural forms of the sea is the sharply angular diamond which hosts the title and author.
Frankenstein - Mary Shelley
Mary Shelley's Frankenstein constituted the second book in the Courter Classics line. Maintaining the theme from Moby Dick, I here again chose an iconic element with which to craft the dark and forboding visual gateway into this classic story. The clouds, as was the image of the raging sea, are a turbulent, intense, and adventurous force of nature; just enough of a spark to ignite the flame of imagination.
Quiet - by Susan Cain
I never thought that the cover given to the bestselling book Quiet, by Susan Cain, was adequate. It featured a harsh red on an ashy gray backdrop--both displeasing to the eye and out of harmony with the subject of the book. Perhaps the silence of introversion and the loud red of the book's title was an attempt at an ironic juxtaposition. Either way, I do not think the current design is worth its salt. Thus for this redesign project I went in an utterly different direction, reaching more boldly for the direct characteristics of quietude and peace. While much more classical in look, I think my re-creation of the cover holds more true to the timeless virtues inherent in its message, and instills us with a piece of that beauty that is missing in a "world that can't stop talking." Painting credit Frank Benson.
Selected Poems of Edgar Allan Poe
I really enjoyed doing this book cover for Selected Poems of Edgar Allan Poe. The photograph I took of the branches came out perfectly, having an entirely natural flat and monochromatic appearance to it. For this project, as in the Moby Dick project, I wanted to powerfully (yet gracefully) portray a mood and atmosphere. In the foreboding and up-cast shot of the tangle of black branches, I think we get exactly that. One is almost tempted to search for the raven, hidden among those shadowed limbs. Enjoy.
