The Brief
Design a visually impactful book cover for a new Penguin Publication of Nineteen Eighty-Four – George Orwell. For the cover, create a physical piece, then digitally photograph the artwork. Add text elements and logo.
The Approach
The book 1984, by George Orwell, describes a society in which slogans are repeated over and over to make people accept the nonsensical ideas they contain.
We know that advertising works because advertisers repeat their message day after day, year after year. Repetition is a truly reliable way to get a message across.
I used the flame of a candle to write the sentence '2 + 2 = 5' onto multiple pieces of paper to symbolise how an untrue statement can be burned into minds if repeated often enough.
The dark green background is almost black, but it has a slight brightness. The orange text has a warm colour that contrasts with the coldness of the dark background and draws attention. This contrast makes it easy for the consumer to notice and read the title.
For this project, I was inspired by Steven Spazuk, a contemporary Canadian artist who uses candle soot as a medium to create his art pieces.
