Penguin Final Cover: Wonder

Overall the cover (see figures 1-3) successfully fulfils the brief as it focuses on one of the main messaged within the book, which is to stand up for what you believe in and not to judge people based on how they look. The use of focusing on the playground 'war' visualises how the majority of children within the book judged Auggie but by standing up for himself with his friends others learnt to not be so judgemental. The cover draws inspiration from a traditional playground due to the use of dark grey and white, as well as the crosses which are featured in many games played by children. These visual cues allow the cover to be engaging and intriguing to both children and adults whilst representing a key message within the book. Although the book is centred around Auggie and his disability I found the message of the book to be more focused on how we treat other people in general which is why I chose to not include Auggie or his disability within the cover as this has been the approach within existing covers. Overall the cover works well as the illustration draws customers attention to the book whilst the simple type allows children to easily read the key information within the cover. The only potential issue with this cover is the use of dark grey and white as it could be less appealing to children than more colourful colours, however when colour was explored the dark grey and white still seemed the most appropriate as it complimented the concept of the cover more. 

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Penguin Final Cover: Norwegian Wood

Originally peer-to-peer feedback found that figure 1 was a more successful cover as the red crated an eye catching design that drew attention to the cover and highlighted a key aspect of the book. However further peer-to-peer and tutor feedback found that figure 2 was more successful as the cover was more intriguing as it didn't look like a traditional book cover whilst also referencing a key element of the book. The only issue was that the black background slightly distorted the white type, making it appear thicker that originally thought. A different lighter weight was looked at (see figure 3) however this was too thin and would have been difficult to read from a far, lacking shelf impact.  However after looking back at the illustrator file, the type looks thiner this is due to exporting the artboard as a JPG as when its exported as a PDF the text looks thiner, similar to the weighting seen in illustrator. This will not effect submission as book cover need to be submitted via PDF therefor the weighting shouldn't be an issue. The final design (see figures 4-5) works well as the cover doesn't resemble a traditional book cover, creating an eye-catching and engaging designer as it draws the reader in. The use of black and white allows the simplicity of the design to be shown as the focus is the layout, inspired by the traditional letter format rather than readers getting distracted by the use of colour. The only potential issue with this cover is any confusion that might arise by featuring additional information, distracting from the name and author. However this hasn't appear to be an issue when feedback has been give and the use of having the title and author as the main contents of the letter also helps limit confusion as the other information its traditionally seen within a letter. Overall the cover effectively showcases a key element of the book without revealing any key information. Furthermore due to the interesting layout an interesting and unique cover has been created that would work both online and within a physical bookshop. 

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Penguin Final Cover: The Establishment

Overall the final cover (see figures 1-3) fulfils the brief as the cover showcases the key elements of the book without alienating those who may not share the political views within. The use of the red line symbolises Jones drawing a line under the old establishment within the book as he describes the 'new' establishment which is based on shared mentalities rather than who you know and where your from. Furthermore the line also symbolises the hierarchy surrounding the establishment as those at the top try and keep the power and wealth amongst themselves. Furthermore the colours and type have been heavily inspired by newspapers as Jones details there role within the establishment throughout the book. In addition the copy within the cover is all left aligned showing the political stance of the book in a subtle manner to not put of those who share different political views. The cover successfully relates to the content within the book without revealing any information whilst still being visually appropriate and appealing to the key target audience. The only potential issue with the cover is the alignment of the copy on the back which could be too close to the edgy of the book, however due to the amount of copy and the concept behind the design this was unavoidable as the width of the copy needed to be shorter than normal to emphasis the concept.

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Penguin: Norwegian Woods Initial Ideas

Based on research into Norwegian Woods I've developed various initial outcomes based on interesting aspects of the book. Initially I've explored the mental health focus of the book as many of those within suffer from different mental health problems. I've used my own interpretation to visualise the idea of feeling lost and unable to figure out whats going on inside your head. Initially this interpretation was inspired by the repetition within Torus actions as he often travels aimlessly after receiving difficult news, however this felt a little unrefined (see figure 1). Therefore I decided to create a more contained variation to represent how hard it can be to break through your mental health issues as you often feel confined by how you feel (see figure 2-3). In relation to the back cover, the alignment of the copy has been kept quite simple due to the large amount of copy included within the brief, this allows the copy to be read easily and the main focus to be the front cover. 

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In addition to the theme of mental health, letter writing has also been explored within the cover as this is a source of comfort for Naoko and Toru as they find they can explain and understand each other. Originally illustrations (see figure 4) of letter where used to represent this system however this felt a little childish and simple for the themes within the book. Therefore the system of letter writing was explored in order to inform the layout of type (see figures 5-9). The basic layout of a letter was used in order to represent the relevance of letter writing within the book, with the correspondents being Toru and Naoko as letter writing was particularly relevant to their relationship. Initially GT Pressura Pro Trial was used (figure 5-6) as the heigh x-height gave a typewriter aesthetic to the typeface, fitting a written letter as I wanted to avoid script type as this can look tacky and unprofessional.  However after realising that I only have a personal licence got GT typefaces I had to experiment with others such as Brandon Grotesk (see figure 7) which had been used in previous experiments. However  due to the small x-height of this typeface the type looks out of place within the cover making it look unfinished. This lead to the use of Source Code Variable (see figures 8-9) as the 'code' inspired type also resembled a typewriter but in a more obvious way than that of  GT Pressura Pro Trial. The heigh x-height allows the type to occupy the cover without looking lost or unfinished, due to the short nature of the letter. This approach to showcasing letter writing within the book is more appropriate than illustration as its more appropriate for a older target audience. I'm unsure if this typeface fits or looks too technical, therefor I plan to gain feedback in order to help aid development. 

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I've also explored the use of traveling within the book as Toru travels when he feels lost but also travels to visit Naoko at the Ami Hostel in Kyoto, which is a key location within the book. Therefor I decided to focus on the route between Tokyo, where Toru is based and Kyoto (see figure 10) to show the significants of the two cities. Initial looked to use the whole map, however when I looked up the route the line of the route seemed more relevant that just the map itself, therefore I focused on this. I wanted the illustration to be quite simple as having a detailed map may distract from the content of the book, giving a false impression to the potential reader. Initially I thought spreading the route across the front and back would be intersting as I've previously kept all designs on the front cover due to the amount of copy required on the back(see figures 11-12). However when the front cover is seen on its own, the design is very simple, making it lack shelf impact as the design makes sense when the cover is seen all together (see figures 12). Therefore I started to look at different ways to include the whole route within the front cover (see figures 13-15). On its own the route looked too simple, lacking impact which lead to the incorporation of the circle (see figures 14-15), inspired by the Japanese flag. The addition of a black base for the cover allows the red to stand out, boosting the shelf impact of the cover (see figure 15). This experimentation is the most successful as it showcases the elements of travel within the book whilst still having shelf impact due to the use of red and black. 

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Penguin: Norwegian Woods Brainstorm

Upon reading the book I've developed an understanding of the story. Therefor I've brainstormed some initial ideas based on key elements within the book, that I found interesting. The exploration of mental health and grief throughout the book highlights how difficult it is to deal with these issues, especially when you can't quite figure out whats wrong and feel lost. Throughout the book Toru and Naoka long for a sense of understanding which they work towards through there letter writing which becomes a key symbol of communication and comfort, as Naoka finds comfort in explaining herself within these letters to Toru.  Furthermore intimacy is a key theme that Toru searches for through multiple paterns and his inability to pick between Naoka and Midori. 

Initial Ideas:

• Explore the use of letter writing 
• Torus travels outside of Tokyo when he feels overwhelmed 
• Look at Japanese symbols 
• death  
• love
• wellbeing 

Penguin: Wonder Initial Idea x3

Henry Ward Beecher Medal of Honour:

In order to showcase the idea that kindness wins in the end, the medal Auggie receives for kindness and courage was explored within these experiments (see figure 1). I wanted to explore the use of a repeat pattern within this idea as my previous experiments have all been very simple, however the main issue faced when doing this was how to present the copy effectively (see figures 2-4). The use of a box covering the pattern allows the copy to be read easily, Poppins was used as the simple sans serif type allows the copy to be read easily without creating a harsh contrast against the patter. Blue has been used within these experiments as blue is traditionally associated with historic medals of honour. Although the repeat pattern is interesting, it can look a little busy and overpowering even at different sizes (see figures 3-4), leading to experiments featuring the illustration on its own (see figures 5). These are more successful as the illustration compliments the copy rather than distracting from it, as seen in earlier experiments.

Although these experiments are interesting, the most successful cover for Wonder is the one focusing on the idea of war between jack and julian (see figure 6). This focuses on the idea that everyone wants to be accepted and that its important to be kind and stand up for what you believe in. Furthermore this cover is very different from previous covers for Wonder which have focused on Auggie's disability, which although this is a main aspect within the book, personally I feel the main message within the book is to not judge someone based on how they look but on how they treat those around them. 

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The Gender Issue: Adonis

The Brief:
The theme for the upcoming issue to Nest is gender which can be interpreted in any way and in any format. The openness of this brief is intersting as it's up to personal interpretation so I can do whatever and focus on whatever issue I find appropriate. I've decided to make this a day brief in order to add some structure to quite an open brief. 

Research:
I'm currently looking at gender issue within COP3 and have previously looked at gender within level 4 and 5. This has given me a basis of research to build on. I've chosen to look at the adonis complex within this submission as I think this is a condition that needs to be discussed as I think its an issue many people aren't familiar with, as there is a stigma attached to men who have mental health issues as traditionally men are supposed to be unemotional and strong. 

The Adonis Complex/ Muscle Dysmorphia:
A specific type of body dysmorphic disorder in which a person, usually male, becomes obsessed with building muscle to the point where it impacts of his/her interactions with other, employment and self-image. 
TheFreeDictionary.com. (2018). Adonis Complex. [online] Available at: https://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/Adonis+Complex [Accessed 17 Nov. 2018].

The adonis complex is link to muscular dysmorphia which effects young men, they see them selves as being thinner/less muscular than they are resulting in excessive bodybuilding. This disorder is influenced by the overly muscular masculine ideals portrayed within the media. 

Designs:
Initially I wanted to demonstrate the kind of imagery portrayed within the media that contributes to the adonis complex, the portrayal of the ideal man who has a strong muscular physique. This image is often sold my magazines such as Mens Health who sell the idea of the ideal man in order to create insecurities (figure 1). However the mix of the magazine cover and typography is too much as the type gets lost against the type within the cover. Therefor I decided to focus on a typographic response in order keep the focus on the condition in order to spread awareness. I started to look at repeating the type to demonstrate the cycle of the condition as those effected never think they look muscular enough (figures 2-3).  The use of an expanded thick typeface (figures 2-3) demonstrates the extremes of the condition as the young men effected don't realise who 'big' they are, with thin outlines showing what they actually see when they look in the mirror. In order to explore this further I experimented with reflecting the type however this experiment was too busy, resulting in the type getting lost becoming illegible (figure 3). Therefore a simpler representation was looked at using a line to represent the mirror, however this lacked impact (figure 4).

The use of space was then explored in order to explore the drastic difference in appearance that those who fall within the adonis complex experience (figure 5-6). Experimenting with bold type at a small scale further shows the contrast between what is seen in the mirror and reality, however feel this more effective when outlines are used. However within these experiments the outlines get lost and look a little too simple (figure 5). This lead to incorporation of filled text reflected below the outlines to show the contrast more effectively (figures 7-10). The use of outlines version demonstrates what they see in the mirror, with the reflected filled type showing what they actually look like, however they can't see their real reflection due to the illness. In relation to the colours used, red has been used to highlight the dangers associated with this condition as it can lead to steroid overdoses and heart attacks (figure 5-6). The use of blue comments on the stereotypes associated with gender such as blue is for boys (figure 9). However the black and white (figure 10-11) allows the focus to be solely on the types and the effect of hiding the filled type is more successful on the black as its more difficult to identify than in other colour variations. 

The final submission will be figure 11 as this effectively showcases the the key elements of the adonis complex by highlighting the differences between what is seen in the mirror and what exists in reality. Although I thought the blue represented gender stereotypes more upon receiving peer feedback it was suggested the black was more masculine, showcasing the concept more as the type was more difficult to distinguish. 

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Penguin: Wonder Initial Ideas x2

Mr Brown - Be Kind
One of the main messages within the book is to be kind to everyone, as it's not difficult to just be kind. This is encapsulated within Mr Browns quote 'when given the choice between being right and being kind, choose kind'. I thought focusing a cover around this quote would be interesting as although this sentence sounds so simple its a continuing struggle within the book as people judge Auggie based on how he looks and forget to do the simplest thing and be kind. Initially I looked at the traditional formate of a quote through the use of italics to distinguish the quote from the copy of the book (see figure 1). However throughout these experiments it was difficult to layout the copy with the quote without the copy looking miss places or there being too much empty space (see figures 1-3). Reducing the quote to 'be kind' allowed for a structure to form within the cover as before the quote was too long to organise the copy around (see figures 4) . This also creates a more abstract reference to the quote, allowing the cover to comment on the tone of the whole book rather than focusing on a specific character. In relation to colour (see figures 3-4) it was difficult to decide on a colour as there was no reference point like in previous experiments so bright, gender neutral colours where explored in order to attract children, trying to stay away from the blue used in previous covers. The orange )see figure 4) is the most appropriate colour within these experiments as the warmth in the colour softens and compliments the message of being kind.

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Penguin: Norwegian Woods Summary

While on an airplane descending to Hamburg Airport, Toru Watanabe hears the Beatles song "Norwegian Wood" played over the speakers and is overcome by painful memories of his past. Toru grew up in Kobe with Kizuki as his best and only friend. Along with Naoko, who was Kizuki's girlfriend and childhood friend. However, their lives were torn apart in their second year of high school when Kizuki committed suicide. Independent of each other, both Toru and Naoko decide to leave their hometown for Tokyo to attend university, where they run into each other in 1968 in their first year.  Toru deals with his stuttering and eccentrically neat roommate, nicknamed "Storm Trooper," and gets to know Nagasawa, an upperclassman in the dorm. Nagasawa begins to take him out some nights to find random girls to sleep with.

On Naoko's 20th birthday, Toru comes over to her apartment, and when she breaks down into tears he comforts her and then has sex with her. The next day he tries to contact her again, but later finds that she has moved. Concerned, he sends her a letter. Meanwhile, Toru meets Midori Kobayashi, an underclassman in his drama class with a vibrant and quirky personality. A few weeks later Midori invites him over to her house, and while watching a house fire from her balcony they kiss.

Toru receives a letter from Naoko explaining that she has gone to Ami Hostel, a special kind of sanatorium, to recover from psychological problems. Toru visits her there and meets Reiko Ishida, Naoko's roommate. During Toru's stay, Reiko and Naoko separately tell him their life stories. Reiko was an aspiring concert pianist until a nervous breakdown derailed her career. Naoko tells Toru about how she witnessed her older sister's suicide. Upon returning to Tokyo, Toru feels disoriented, as though he left part of himself in the quiet world of Ami Hostel. However, Midori revitalizes him by taking him drinking. Later she takes him to the hospital where her father is dying of brain cancer, and Toru bonds with the man, who dies within a week. 

Toru makes another visit to Ami Hostel to see Naoko and then moves from the dorm into a house. Due to his ignoring her, Midori angrily refuses to speak with Toru, and this combined with news from Reiko that Naoko's condition is worsening sends Toru into a depression. He and Midori come to realise that they love each other, but they agree to wait while Toru tries to understand his relationship with Naoko. Toru receives news that Naoko has killed herself; he spends a month traveling alone aimlessly away from Tokyo. Reiko leaves the sanatorium to visit, and together the two hold a small funeral for Naoko. Afterwards, Reiko sleeps with Toru, and then the next day she leaves for a new life in Hokkaido. Some time later from some unknown place, Toru calls Midori telling her that he needs her.

Gradesaver.com. (2018). Norwegian Wood Summary. [online] Available at: https://www.gradesaver.com/norwegian-wood/study-guide/summary [Accessed 18 Nov. 2018].

Upon researching Norwegian woods and reading chapter by chapter summaries, interesting points have been highlighted within the book summary to aid idea generation. 

Penguin: Wonder Initial Ideas

The idea of 'War':
One of the main elements within the book is the war between Jack and Julian because Julian didn't want Jack to be friends with Auggie. Therefore I experimented with different ways to showcase this war, initially using straight lines (see figure 1) however I felt this look odd and didn't reflect the concept. This lead to the use of crosses (see figure 2) which are commonly featured in children's games, the three crosses symbolise Auggie, Jack and Summer as these where the only students to befriend Auggie until the end of the book. The balance of the three verses multiple others showcases the element of 'war' felt by the characters, but by placing Auggie, Jack and Summer on top it indicates that they win in the end. Experiments placing the three kids on the bottom looked too overpowering and daunting, failing to capture the message within the book (see figure 3) In relation to type I've used Poppins within these experiments as the simple nature of the type allows it to appeal to children and compliment the lines within the cover. Placing the line 'You can’t blend in when you were born to stand out' between the rivals shows indicates that its better to be different than follow the crowd, as this idea of accepting who you are is a key element within the book (see figure 4). However I wanted to try an alternative approach as I wasn't sure if the cover was too centrally aligned, leading to the placement of the line  'You can’t blend in when you were born to stand out' below the 'war' illustration as a comment on the situation (see figure 5). I think balances the cover more, making it look less centrally aligned however I plan to gain feedback in order to identify which cover works best. In relation to the colours (see figure 6) used within these experiments the white and charcoal where inspired by the traditional colours of a school playground as Auggie's school is the setting of this 'war'. I've mainly looked at primary colours for the other experiments, trying to avoid the use of blue as that has featured heavily within previous covers. However I think the use of white and charcoal is most appropriate (see figure 7-8).

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