One of my favorite design projects was creating a series of book covers. The design problem was to create three book covers and dust jackets in a series of related books by author or concept. The covers must be handmade and using original or public domain artwork. I chose the classic Jane Austen novels, Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility, and Persuasion. My first step in this design challenge was creating imagery with purpose that related to the story and feelings in the book. After many concept sketches and prototypes, I decided to use real illustrations from the time period of Jane Austen to create a symbolic collage. Each cover has an illustration of a flower collaged with an object that holds symbolic meaning relating to the characters' experiences in the story. I knew I wanted the collection to feel like a group of love letters, so I used my own calligraphy to write quotes from the book on an opaque dust jacket. When the dust jacket is removed, a specific quote is revealed on the back cover and the titles can be seen more clearly on the front. To complete the project, I wrapped the collection in twine and sealed it off with a wax stamp, just like how Jane Austen would.
