Norwegian Wood Past Cover Designs - Penguin Books - Competition Brief

I began by looking at the previous covers of Norwegian Wood, thinking about their aesthetic choices and individual merit.

The first image shown uses a pop art technique created by John Gall in 1997, which was applied to a series of Murakami books. The designs also showed romanticised nostalgia and Japanese symbolism. 'Gall collages design elements from Pop art, such as benday dots and brightly-colored shapes with vintage Japanese artwork and photographs to achieve a fascinating blend of Western and Eastern visual styles.' From this design you can see either Nako's or Midori's face, looking directly at the reader - giving a strong sense of Toru's experience.Although the design is intentionally dated, for me it still does not quite reflect the stark symbolism and emotion throughout the story - it almost feels too playful when serious themes of sex and death are concerned.

The second design, by Suzanne Dean, uses a simple approach. It references the Japanese flag in its shape and layout - linking to the Japanese symbolism throughout the book. The sets of trees in the center of the design are to convey the 'Norwegian Wood' song and the natural environments Toru and Nako travel through. It can also be viewed as three sets of legs - two facing ahead, one facing behind - linking to Toru and his love of two different women throughout the book.

The third cover image design I've sourced also makes reference to the Japanese flag - with the circular symbol over Nako's head. It also conveys the fact shes kind of caught in her own bubble - isolated from the outside world. The red tone feels harsh and dangerous, almost like blood - hinting at the darker themes of the novel. This is an interesting concept and using the black, white and red colour scheme will be definitely something I should try for my own design work. Although I often think books are better without photography of the main characters, as it means the reader is allowed to imagine their own idea of how the character looks.

The final design I looked at was this blurred design, most likely an edited photograph. I believe this is to convey the blur of scenery seen whilst traveling on trains - as the characters often travel on trains to get around the area surrounding Tokyo. It also conveys the fleeting feeling of youth and life which is paralleled throughout the story. It also juxtaposes with Murakami's gentle and steady writing style showing almost a harshness. This more ambiguous style of cover is something I could consider exploring, although often the Penguin judges prefer a more definable concept.