Type Experiments - The Door into Shadow - Live Brief

After speaking to the client, he preferred the initial set of designs, involving the bar at the top of the designs - this was bold and made the image stand out best. He also suggested the addition of the eye collage pieces was too childish in relation to the tone of the book. He was keen to have the publishing company 'Laptop Cat Books' logo placed on the cover and favoured it most in the bottom right hand corner.

At this point, I began experimenting with type and how this could be rearranged within the top section of the book cover. I was particularly considering how the quote 'How far will you go to save the ghost of your brother' would fit within the design. I struggled to place it, as within each experiment it seemed to appear misplaced.

I also experimented with having the authors name in yellow, which I thought could be something carried across each variation of the books within the series, expect with a different colour used. This added a little extra detail, enriching the cover's design.

I also experimented with having the quote at the bottom of the design in its own section, this did work better but I was unsure about blocking the triangular yellow beam, as it then seemed to appear 'cut-off' rather than free-flowing.

Finally, I then began experimenting with finer details. Since the book is to be written in a series of six, the author suggested that 'The Shadowland Hexology' could be written underneath the main title. I also experimented with having this written along the right had side horizontal, yet this looked out of place. Then I considered it would be interesting and fitting to have the number of the book in the series written on the right, in roman numerals. Of course this being the first book, it is just one dash; but I have made sure it is aligned with the Laptop Cat logo underneath. This again alludes to the classic nature of the novel.

After some more edits, a spine design was also experimented with. The Laptop Cat logo was place on a yellow background and the authors name was written in the same colour - this again would be something that would change colour for each book so that when placed on a shelf together, they remain consistent with the others in the series - but with a slight alteration and point of difference.