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Design Category
Book design, 2003
Design firm
Pearson Custom Publishing (Boston, Massachusetts)
Collection
(2004) 50 Books/50 Covers of 2003
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This is a course guide for the abnormal psychology course taught by Professor Ken Elliott, Ph.D., a psychology professor at the University of Maine. When the project came to me, I was immediately challenged to develop a cover design that would evoke emotion but retain the dignity and importance of the course material.
Upon seeing the image—later used on the cover—for the first time, I was captivated by its power and grace. I immediately knew that I had found the perfect picture for the book. To enhance the image I opted to produce the cover in only two colors (Pantone 4645 and black). The two colors helped embrace the dignity of the pictures subject matter coupled with the book title.
For the cover typeface I choose Mrs Eaves because I felt that it maintained an air of dignity without conflicting with the cover image. To further enhance the typeface, I opted to use the small caps version.
To complete the book, a matte finish was selected to complement the two colors and the power of the image. This particular finish is subtle but enhanced the dark shades of the image while controlling the lighter areas.
“A strong idea/concept to express the contents of the book. Hopefully understood by ‘normal’ readers.” Lars Müller