The 2013/14 Puffin Design Awards asked students to illustrate a book cover for the famous teenage novel The Outsiders.
There are many prominent events that take place in The Outsiders that could be wonderfully illustrated. But, some of these events were a little too obvious, and have been done before.
The ending of the book is particularly interesting. The last sentence of the book, is the same sentence that opens the story - it becomes apparent that it is Ponyboy who has written the story. After the traumatic events the Greasers gang endure, Ponyboy tries to return to normality and goes back to school. He has missed a great deal of school work, and is failing his English class which he was once an A grade student.
“Pony, I’ll give it to you straight. You’re failing this class right now, but taking into consideration the circumstances, if you come up with a good semester theme, I’ll pass you with a C grade.” His English teacher Mr Syme knows Ponyboy has been struggling, so he suggests he writes a story about “anything you think is important enough to write about… I want your own ideas and experiences.” This is where the story then starts, and Ponyboy starts writing the story of the events.
The ending of the book is particularly interesting. The last sentence of the book, is the same sentence that opens the story - it becomes apparent that it is Ponyboy who has written the story. After the traumatic events the Greasers gang endure, Ponyboy tries to return to normality and goes back to school. He has missed a great deal of school work, and is failing his English class which he was once an A grade student.
“Pony, I’ll give it to you straight. You’re failing this class right now, but taking into consideration the circumstances, if you come up with a good semester theme, I’ll pass you with a C grade.” His English teacher Mr Syme knows Ponyboy has been struggling, so he suggests he writes a story about “anything you think is important enough to write about… I want your own ideas and experiences.” This is where the story then starts, and Ponyboy starts writing the story of the events.
This book cover is intended to look like Ponyboy’s English schoolbook, which is based on an American composition notebook. This notebook is a little rough around the edges (much like Ponyboy’s character), and features doodles on notepaper that link to key items in the story, these doodles are made to look like Ponyboy has sketched them. These items include a switchblade, a comb, a Pepsi can, a cherry (for Cherry Valance) and keys to a Corvette car.
There is also a reference to the poignant line in the book ‘Stay Gold Ponyboy’. Small areas of text and ink drops are subtly coloured in metallic gold, to highlight this important quote.
There is also a reference to the poignant line in the book ‘Stay Gold Ponyboy’. Small areas of text and ink drops are subtly coloured in metallic gold, to highlight this important quote.
As illustration isn't my strongest skill, I designed a second book cover. I didn't enter this to the awards. The characters in The Outsiders are very particular about their hair, so this design is based on a graphic comb illustration. The comb is printed in metallic gold to re-iterate the most prominent line of the book, ‘Stay Gold Ponyboy’. When the book is held, it looks as though the reader is holding the comb in ther hands.
