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Here shows the two fold out seconds that would be on my dust cover where the blurb, title and authors name are.

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Final Cover

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Final Cover

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Final Cover

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They would also have the printing equipment and paper;

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The studio bee workshop layout

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Before entering the workshop I’d have A stand outside where the guest would pay the admission fee, pick which poster they’d like to create and then receive a t-shirt to wear during the activity. The colour of the t-shirt would depend on what poster they were making for example if they were making a top for the tears book then they’d received a blue top. The front of the top would simply say the books name with the back having the design on.
The admission fee would be £4 as this would cover the manufacturing of the top while also staying affordable for those who wish to participate.

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In the studio space I’d have around 10 tables with two people working on each table with a chair for each person. Alongside this I’d have posters around the space of the three book cover designs so that people could clearly see what they were re-creating. I’d also have several quotes from the books written on some of the posters as this could again highlight the genre of the books.

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Many poetry books use simple, clear fonts for the writing on the cover and this is something that I also wish to do. By using a clear font I feel like it will prevent the reader being distracted from the illustration. Poetry is often simple but also evokes a emotional response through the language choice and I feel like having the correct type face really reflects this.
A couple of fonts that I really like are:
- Hoefler : I feel this font captures a traditional sensibility while keeping a modern look.

-Bodoni: I like the sharp contrast between the thick and thin lines as I feel it makes it look elegant and reads well.

-Caslon: to me this font has more of a retro feel and I feel it would look amazing on a front cover.

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Each guest would receive a sheet of Lino with a pre-drawn stencil of the image from their chosen book on the front. They would also be given two different sized cutting tools, one thin and on thicker so that they could explore different ways of cutting. Once they finished cutting out the Lino they’d have two different colour options to choose from for the inking, which they would be able to use both for different sections.
In order to collect their work they would have to upload a picture of it onto their social media, hashtagging the books name as this would get the word out successfully about their release.
After inking the work would be dried and then once finished the guests would come collect their work that they could then gift to friends or use as personal posters.

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To begin planning the workshop Ive started thinking about where it could be held. I’d like it to be held in Manchester as I feel like it’s the perfect city for people wanting to get active and creative and therefore many people would be up for attending.
I’ve decided that I’d do two workshops, one based in the student union in Manchester City centre and the other in studio bee Manchester.
I’ve chosen to do it in the union as this is social hub for students of all different career paths and therefore this would instantly appeal to a very wide audience range. I also feel like many students are interested in poetry especially those that student English, art history and other relevant subjects so not only would the workshop appeal but the book themselves too.

Studio bee Manchester is a renown creative space located in northern quarter. They often hold life drawing classes there and always have live bands playing all different kinds of music. Unlike the union, there tends to be a wide age range at these events, ranging from 20 year olds to 70 year olds. I feel like this would be a great place to hold the workshop a I believe that the people who have been before are often regulars and go every week, no matter what artistic event is being held. I think holding a workshop where there’s a different target audience is a great idea for the promotion of the book as then I would be reaching as many different people as possible, many of whom I’m sure would be interested in reading poetry.

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For the promotional side of this project have been looking at what other books releases have done and the kind of attraction that they received. Many books have been promoted through the use of a poster or billboard but I don’t feel like this would be as effective for my poetry books.

After practising making a gif In a workshop and researching other people that have promoted their work this way I feel encouraged to explore this. If I were to make the Lino printed covers in real life I would take multiple clips as I cut away the image which when put together would slowly show the image come to life. As I don’t have time to do the whole linos I’ve decided to just do a small section of it to reflect how I would carry this out.

Another idea I wish to look into is the idea of having a ‘workshop’ to promote the books, where each person has a stencil of the Lino print and the tools needed and they cut out their own personal print of it, following the lines already drawn on the Lino board. After cutting it they could then choose their own colours and make print of it to take home which in turn would leave them with a lasting memory of the book while promoting it themselves when they take home the posters and/or show their friends and family.

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Design change: I decided to change the design of this illustration from a hand holding onto the tear to two hands cupping it. I feel like this imagery shows more about the book and the hands are almost caring for the tear, looking after it and protecting it, something we as humans do to other when we see them crying.

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After finishing my designs and looking at them as finalised cover designs I decided that I didn’t feel like the layout of them being just in the front was particularly eye-catching and started to explore what they would look like if the illustration was spread across the back and front of the book. I expanded the drawings so that on either spine there was a key image, I feel like this will look amazing once all three spines are next to one another. For the first one I used the image of the women on the spine as the book itself it about feminism, the second image is of a leaf as the book revolves around nature and the third image is one of a tear, highlighting the ‘crying’ part of the book title.

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Design:
After receiving feedback after completing my initial illustration, I had people tell me that they didn’t feel like the washing line was something they considered to be nostalgic and I therefore had another look at the book description. Turning more towards the nature side of it I decided to change the clothing on the line to leaves as this still kept the washing line idea while also incorporating another image, making the cover more intriguing as well as more reflective of the inside of the book.

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I’m considering using imagery on the spine with the outlines of the detailed front prints. I feel like this would make the books stand out on the page especially if I use a colour for them as the rest of the book I’m intending to be in black and white ink.

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For the blurb I’m considering using a pull out flap attached to the front cover rather than put it on the beck cover. I want to do this because I think it would continue to the push importance of the illustration. As it is a poetry book I feel like I can explore the artistic license that surrounds this genre, focusing on explaining the storyline through the Lino prints.

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After sketching up my final designs, I started considering the placement of the text. As one of the titles is very long I feel like the location of it is key, whether that is the size, format or place on the book.
The illustration is the key part of the cover and the thing I want most of the focus to be on so therefore I’m considering removing the text from the from page all together and placing it on the spine only. I feel like this will encourage people to take a longer look at the print rather than being distracted by what the words say. I feel like the images illustrate the title well enough for it not to be necessary to have them on the front as well as the spine.

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‘The book of tears’ is about why people cry, talk about many different people instead of one group.

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‘The book of tears’ is about why people cry, talk about many different people instead of one group.

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I wanted this to be clear on the cover of the book so used a repeated image of a hand holding a tear. I adapted this by making the hands a different colour but then decided I wanted to do Lino print. I then changed it to have a hand holding a tear, I really like how the hand ended up being monochromatic as I feel like this shows that it could belong to anyone.

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For this book I wanted to illustrate the hardships of being a black women as that’s a key idea the book highlights

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For this book I wanted to illustrate the hardships of being a black women as that’s a key idea the book highlights

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For this book I wanted to illustrate the hardships of being a black women as that’s a key idea the book highlights. I explored having a repeated Image of the outline of a black women but decided this didn’t have enough strength or reflect that the book talks about the issues surrounding racism. I explored this further by again us using the outline of a black women but putting it in the middle of a person opening their chest. I feel like this better portrays what the book is highlighting as the image appears aggressive and as though the chest is an open wound where the women is standing, indicating emotional and physical struggle.

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For the illustration of the book ‘A thousand mornings’ I wanted to draw something that gave people a sense of nostalgia. I began by asking some of my peers what reminds them of home. Here are the list of answers I received:

my dogs

A cup of tea

A roast

Clean laundry

A fire

My mum

The sound of the radio

I then thought about what reminds me of home and came to the conclusion that the thing that reminds me most of home is watching my mother hang up laundry in the garden. I’ve decided to use this theme to create my illustration, having hands holding a washing line. I feel like this would bring a sense of nostalgia to a lot of people as it’s something that is done universally and usually at ones house.

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I love the bright children’s illustrations on these books. The details really catch my eye.

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I absolutely love these vintage storybooks, the bright reds and worn away spines bring me comfort and make me want to sit down and read them.

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This was the poster I decided to create for the idea of producing a piece that is based off who I am as a graphic designer.
Within my art I want to explore  and experiment with different materials and ways of working as I often feel my work is quite ‘safe’ and In my comfort zone. The idea behind this piece was to use the imagery of dice as they are an image that people relate to chance and luck. I then decided to add a quote and create my own typeface. I like the way I edited the type to have all the lines joining up as I feel like it really ties the work together.

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As I’m interested in doing Lino printing for my cover work, I want to explore what the best colour palette would be. I want my book to stand out on the shelf and feel I could do this more successfully if I were to use bright colours. Although I want the cover to be coloured, I’d ideally like to stick to a monochromatic pallete as not to make the book seem too ‘busy’. Poetry is simple and beautiful and these are two things I’d really like to encooperate into my work. Through my research I’ve found I really like when a cover has one bright bold colour and another lighter more neutral colour as I feel like they both compliment one another without being too over-powering.

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I personally much prefer holding a book compared to reading off an electronic device. The initial thrill of searching for the book in a bookshop, feeling the crisp pages and smelling the ink off the pages is, for me, a big part of the process of choosing a book.
Through doing some research I realised I’m not the only one who feels this way, with physical books still being more popular than e-books.
I was gifted a kindle when I was about 10 years old which I would often take on holidays due to saving space. Although they are more convenient as they can hold hundreds of books, I feel they lack the satisfaction that a paperback holds.
When reading books I feel the font size is very important and this is one of the reasons I will sometimes switch to a kindle when reading. I think it’s important to consider who your audience is as if it’s directed to a more older group of people then the font size must be considered in order to avoid eye-strain and general discomfort where on a kindle you’re able to manually change the size and zoom in and out.

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I really like this Lino-print due to the sketchy lines and how the entire thing is made up of one line, with them all joining to create the image. I really admire how the artist has created the image out of simple shapes and lines, highlighting areas with shading.

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My idea behind this poster was to illustrate the issues with fast fashion within our society. I am an avid promoter for using second hand clothes rather than constantly buying new from un-sustainable brands.
I have recently discovered a brand that uses materials found in trees to create clothes sustainably and therefore decided to create a poster for their business.
Unfortunately, as I just got my I-pad, I only have paint so therefore was quite limited in what I could create. Although this restricted me, it also seemed to create a style to my work, making both posters look similar and the artwork clear. The type in the background ‘Clothes could grow on trees’ is a play on the quote ‘money doesn’t grow on trees’, something that is ingrained into our minds from a young age. I feel this quote holds just as much importance and is also quite memorable and catchy so therefore feel it fits well into the idea of the poster.
I decided to use shoes for the plants to grow out of as an underlying message of ‘carbon footprints’.

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I’ve found that many old books have the writing embossed into the spine, personally I really like this technique as I feel like it is very eye catching and makes a book look expensive. I also like it because I feel like it makes it feel authentic and that not only the inside written by hand but the outside made by hand too.
I like the cover of the book above, ‘how it works and how it’s don’t’ because of how little information the spine gives away about the book, encouraging you to pick it up and read the back. I also like how the colour of the embossed part is the same to the binding, bringing all the spine together to work in harmony.

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Over my weekend I decided to use my free time by venturing into Stockport to find a vintage book store my mother had told me about. I wanted to go here in order to compare the differences between old books and newer books and to evaluate what interests most when it comes to creating a gripping cover.
I absolutely loved being in this bookstore due to the wide variety and range of books, from old hand written novels to child’s books, the store had it all.
A lot of the books had illustrations along the spine, something that newer books seem to have less of. Many of the newer books in Waterstones had photography rather than illustration whereas many of the vintage books had detailed, beautiful picture illustrations all over the cover and spine.
As I’m doing poetry books I feel an illustration may reflect my own interpretation of the books I’ve chosen rather than me having to create how it makes me feel in an image.

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As ‘Alice in wonderland’ is a very popular, renown story, there are many different book covers for it. This story means a lot to me as it was favourite childhood book so I found it very interesting to look into how different artists approached making a cover for it.
As it’s a child’s book there are many versions of detailed, illustrated covers, a art form that I’m personally very drawn to. The first cover I’ve chosen is full of colour and bright fonts which is perfect for the target audience which for this book tends to be young children. This made me think about how important it is to appeal to the certain audience of the book genre and got me thinking about how i’m going to do this for the poetry books I’ve chosen for my project.

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Alice in wonderland book cover comparison 

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Alice in wonderland book cover comparison 

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When I was looking at books in the charity shop I decided to try find some book sets to give me some initial ideas on how other artists have made books link to one another.
First I found three red books and before even reading the titles I knew they were part of a set. Although the books were just dictionary’s I felt inspired by how eye catching they were on the shelf, the bright red colour instantly made them stand out and the way they all carry the same font, colour palette and style made is very obvious that they are supposed to be bought as a set of three.
Another set of books I found is the very popular ‘fifty shades of grey’ series. I really like the way these three book covers link to one another through a similar style of photography. The blue and grey colour pallete indicates that the books may be slightly risky and dark and the imagery also helps to highlight this. I like how the title and authors name doesn’t stay in the same position of the book in each cover as I feel this adds a bit of dimension instead of all the books being in an identical format.

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I really wanted to explore and research older books and thought the best place to find some would be in a charity store as everything is second hand and therefore less likely to be brand new.
I found a book named ‘The saga of Asgard’ that I decided to flick through. The book itself was clearly very old as the pages had yellowed and it was very fragile. The corners of the pages were flimsy, reflecting all the hands that had turned the pages. This really interested me and made me feel invested in reading the book as so many people before me had clearly enjoyed it. The cover itself was another part of the book that I felt connected with. The blue and yellow toned background made the black sketchy illustration stand out. In the background there was a faint pattern which looked almost like it could be a child’s drawing where as the sketch below it clearly had been done by someone with artistic talent. I really like the contrast of the two images and feel like although they are very different, they end up complimenting each other.
After researching the book online I found that it was released in 1960 and is a book of poems and tales and therefore though it fit to have a glance at some of the pages. On a few of the pages, a few words were highlighted and notes were written around the text; although some people may find this ruins the book, I feel like it bring even more life into it and mirrors the history the book has been through.