Damnation - Cover Design
These are all the testing/trial images for the Damnation book cover project for my friend Steven Buckshaw (check out his blog here). Read more about the project here. Some additional notes on a few of these covers:
- 1-3: The first thought, referencing some cracked, dry earth taken from wood embers. The background and general feel also brings in some more classical maybe art-deco stuff. I like this look quite a bit, so it might show up in another project sometime.
- 4: A more deliberate cracked-earth approach, with a slightly ‘horror’ feeling typeface.
- 5: The final cover – a bit tighter and cleaner. This is also using a beat-up typewriter face to immediately link in the casual, direct narrative style.
Showdown_01-A
The first thought – dealing with Abstraction and the code of the Tapestry
Showdown_01-B
Highlighting the pixelization a bit more.
Showdown_01-C
An alternative, slightly monochrome approach.
Showdown_02
A retro nod to the “Machinations”. Not my fav.
Showdown_03-A
Bringing in some visual reference to the Starfish, and playing with a hopeful terrestrial sky
Showdown_03-B
Trying a more washed out look.
Showdown_04
Perhaps a painting of Showdown proper? I think this has been done, but I can’t recall the book…
Showdown_05
Played with some traditional type images. Don’t think it worked well in the end.
Showdown_06
Sort of a retro sci-fi take with some Starfish motion applied.
Showdown_07
A slightly abstract take of a terrestrial field with spacey-wacey elements for fun.
Showdown_08-A
I like this one, but I agree with Steve it didn’t fit right. It’s actually pictures of raw meat, fiddled with to look like sort of a planet surface
Showdown_08-B
I tried a few looks with this one. Might end up using it elsewhere.
Showdown_08-D
Showdown_08-E
Showdown_08-F
Showdown_09-1
More of a traditional, earth-like shot of Tarnation.
Showdown_09-2
Trying a different feel to the field.
Showdown_09-3
Showdown_10
Is it space? Is it Abstraction? Not sure, but I do like this one, and this is the one Steve chose in the end.
Showdown_11
I like this one, but Steve’s concern is that people wouldn’t get the Abstraction/pixelization going on. “Hey the image is broken!” So, moving on.
Showdown_13
I liked this one a lot at first, but it’s just a bit too obvious. A fun reference of the Machinations.
