B O O K C O V E R R E D E S I G N
Designing Your Life
Book Cover Design | Illustration
THE PROJECT SUMMARY
Designing Your Life is a self-help book that teaches how to use design thinking framework to work out what we want – and how to get it.
My re-design concept is “Design your own path forward.” Here I show a paint brush painting an abstract path, with a person walking on it. The path is not complete, and is continuously being designed as the person walks on. I intentionally make the composition simple and abstract, in order to leave something for the reader’s imagination.
T h e P r o c e s s
/01 Discovery: Understand Goals and Audience
Since this is a book redesign, I researched the original book and came up with the following recommendations:
• This book is mainly marketed towards self-help book lovers. It's important for them to see themselves in the book, and picture themselves making progress.
• The redesigned cover need to stand out on the bookshelf, meaning the illustrations, colors and/or fonts need to be different from books in the same category.
• For this book, it's better to illustrate the topic, instead of showing pictures of the authors.
/02 Ideation: Key Words
Based on the goal and audience, I use mindmapping to come up with the following key words for design inspirations:
journey stairs zig-zag create road sign explore
path mountain winding draw crossroads nature
road bridge inward paint decide boots
hike solo sketchbook ladder pen fly
climbing free build puzzle experiment open
/03 Limitation & Preliminary Concepts
• One requirement for this project is to use use images photographed by myself (no stock images).
• Among the following concepts, #4 was chosen because of its clear message and simplicity.
• #1 was not chosen because a) Puzzle implies a close-ended game b) The graphics is cliche.
• #2 and #3 were not chosen because a) The meaning is not very easy to understand b) Too busy.
/04 Final Design with Print Marks
• Typeface: Raleway & Open Sans, clean and easy to read.
• Color: Pantone 7549 C, optimistic and cheerful. (2021 color of the year)
