3 Conceptual Book Covers
Art 235 BYUI: Project 02
For this project, I was tasked with making three unique conceptual covers for a classic novel. One cover was to be made with typography only and one was to include physical materials. The third was the designer's choice. All three of these covers were to capture the essence of one key concept from the book and the author’s beliefs or point of view.
We were to design these covers for a hypothetical exhibit hosted by the Library of Congress. The exhibit would focus on the author of the chosen novel and included a "Looking Deeper" section featuring new conceptual covers of their famous novel.
The novel I chose to "re-design" was The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger. Salinger often expressed the importance of authenticity and, naturally, one of the messages of this classic novel is that the adult world is "phony" while the child world is real and authentic. Children aren't trying to be something they aren't. I feel these covers successfully combine the message of the book with Salinger's beliefs.
Typography
Because the handwritten title is at the bottom of the cover, it is as if a child has seen the repeating cursive title of the book and, instead, decided that they would write it their own carefree and unique way. The contrast between the repeating cursive “adult” writing and the child’s handwritten title communicates the idea that children are themselves and don’t try to be something they are not.
Physical Materials
This one also uses repetition and juxtaposition as the typographic cover did to communicate the same message: children are themselves and adults are trying to be something or someone they are not. Adults "wear" many versions of themselves, but are never truly themselves like they were when they were younger. The masks versus the absence of a mask on the boy helps symbolize this idea.
Designer's Choice
I used the symbolism of the mask again but, this time, the mask is really the adult’s face and the child is revealed to be behind the mask. Again, the message being insinuated is that children are real and adults are trying to be someone they are not. Our younger-selves are the real us.
Thank you for viewing my portrayal of J.D. Salinger's classic The Catcher in the Rye and I hope you enjoyed seeing the cover of the novel re-imagined.
