Objective
Design a new book cover for Jonathan Livingston Seagull, a story about a young seagull finding his independence within his flock.
Challenge
Create a book cover concept that highlights the themes of individuality, the joy of flight, and the journey of the spirit.
Creative Direction
Airy
Abstract
Youthful
Concept overview
The final design features abstracted silhouettes of seagulls soaring over the ocean on a sunny day, with Jonathan flying solo on the front cover and his flock flying together on the back cover to reinforce the central themes of the story.
Rationale
The brief for this project was to select a novel and create a new cover design for it. For my selection, I wanted to highlight the story's primary themes through visuals that matched its tone and message. Jonathan Livingston Seagull is an allegory that has universal appeal, but it specifically speaks to younger audiences and those who want to challenge norms. The abstracted forms of the seagulls and ocean waves capture the essence of the story’s characters and location. This was one of the first graphic design projects completed as a student, and this book cover design demonstrates some of my earliest attempts at thinking like a designer.