Client: Harper Collins.
Brief: To create a striking illustrative style for an audiobook series.
Brief: To create a striking illustrative style for an audiobook series.
This is the original proposal for the art style.
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/0128e71b2f12be7045d1cb557a18e876/dfabe825-17ae-472e-88e0-538674cccb32_rw_1920.png?h=30baa25cacc854591d0e9fe1701f969e)
I restricted the colour swatch to four colours, yellow, teal, black and a muted grey background. I continued the yellow circle as a series identity throughout, apart from 'Family Classics' which needed a background for the hurricane, and 'Our Amazing Planet' which I needed to use the yellow for lava.
With the first proofs I included two ideas for the 'Children's Gothic Horror Collection' as I was aware that the first idea may be too mature or dark for the age group. Although still imposing, I felt a crow in a tree less threatening than a haunted figure. I was surprised how little changes were made to the initial designs. Just a few tweaks to the text.
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/0128e71b2f12be7045d1cb557a18e876/ffa33de9-b3ac-462e-9b29-2f1c244ee817_rw_1920.png?h=c87f2407742ca8cda393471151af16bd)
After further discussion, the publisher and editors decided that, as the covers were also to be used as thumbnails online, there was a need to give more emphasis on the titles for clarity. This unfortunately meant that some artwork detail would be taken out. It was a challenge, but I think the covers still have the spirit of the original art condensed down. I utilised the yellow circle further for uniformity but still kept the terrain for the 'Family Classics' cover.
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/0128e71b2f12be7045d1cb557a18e876/6b05cf82-116b-4bcb-b30f-c6966eaf6ea8_rw_1920.jpg?h=4bdef0b37c0bbbfe9c66c6574a777395)
I'm still pleased I got the chance to create the more detailed artwork for this series. I received great feedback for this series from different departments of Harper Collins.
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/0128e71b2f12be7045d1cb557a18e876/fb469431-9a27-403a-8e54-debd23713a23_rw_1920.png?h=51c287de278b9b2f4c73ebc96b647284)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/0128e71b2f12be7045d1cb557a18e876/60f71a0e-c187-4434-80f0-063361439da9_rw_1920.png?h=9e2d88d043997f447ec4accb3534b42f)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/0128e71b2f12be7045d1cb557a18e876/a8cc28c0-2fa4-4323-b024-054f4583a323_rw_1920.png?h=af68dbcdb0339f83a914e2f82fdc623b)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/0128e71b2f12be7045d1cb557a18e876/577955ee-4646-4807-8ebd-0c48dc21251f_rw_1920.png?h=dcde11b4b16ef8db13e37fd30a51de6a)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/0128e71b2f12be7045d1cb557a18e876/7ca18719-e411-4dd0-b5ee-81f592de6c3e_rw_1920.png?h=e36bff424ab3f961b86d22a0e1f45c26)