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For this project, I was tasked to create three different book covers for Mary Shelley's classic gothic horror novel, Frankenstein. I created a cover that utilized handmade materials, a typographic cover, and a third design of my choice. I was told to use deep, thematic elements in the visuals of these covers as opposed to illustrations of scenes or common imagery associated with the novel.
The main motifs I chose to implement in these covers are the symbols of an apple and a flame. The apple symbolizes the act of creation and the forbidden fruit in the story of Adam and Eve, and draws the parallel to Victor Frankenstein's dangerous search for knowledge. The flame motif is a direct allusion to the ancient myth of Prometheus: Prometheus stole fire from the Gods to give to humans, and was doomed to eternal punishment.
THE MODERN PROMETHEUS
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HANDMADE MATERIALS
For this composition, I created a woodblock carving and a subsequent relief print as the base of my design and I hand drew the "Frankenstein" typography. I placed the design on a bold chartreuse background to symbolize lush greenery of the garden of Eden. The creature's eye peeks out of the fruit to symbolize its unfortunate creation.
TYPOGRAPHY
For this composition, I decided to focus on dark, moody colors to portray the dark themes of the book. I use red to symbolize both the blood shed throughout the novel and the rosy, biblical forbidden fruit. I used jagged angles on the typography and the apple shape to create a tense mood.
DESIGNER'S CHOICE
For this design, I focused on meshing the ideas and symbology of the ancient myth of Prometheus with Frankenstein. The creature's hand is reaching for the fire, a symbol for the light and truth he seeks after being turned away by his creator. The fire also symbolizes Victor Frankenstein's quest for knowledge, and the dastardly impact of his acquisition of that knowledge.
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