For this exercise, choose either a still life approach, or a larger scale shot. If you choose to do a still life shot, take any book you like, and make a suitable cover illustration using two or three relevant elements.
I decided to research what Juxtaposition meant. Juxtaposition is to put side by side: to place two or more things together, especially in order to suggest a link between them or emphasize the contrast between them.
I decided to choose two of my favourite novels rather than just one. I chose The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald and The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini.
The Great Gatsby:
The Great Gatsby: Gatsby is a 1925 novel written by American author F.Scott Fitzgerald. The Great Gatsby explores themes of decadence, Idealism, Social Upheaval, Excess and creates a portrait of the Jazz age, and the American Dream in the 20’s.
This is the cover I have on my copy of the novel: It portrays one of Gatsby’s extreme parties.
For my novel cover, I decided to go with the still life approach. I chose some objects which I thought would be suitable in portraying the Gatsby themes. Its all about, diamonds, glamour, cars, pearls, the eyes of Dr.TJ Eckleburg and the breakdown of relationships. My objects are obviously more modern than items which would have been on a cover in the 20’s, however, I chose objects that sum up the novel, or would be recognisable to someone who has read the novel beforehand. I think the photograph has come out really well.
The Great Gatsby ( My Cover )
The Kite Runner:
The Kite Runner is a novel written by Afghan-American author Khaled Hosseini. It is based in Afghanistan, and tells the story of a young boy Amir, and his Hazara Servant Hassan. There are themes of Guilt, Redemption, Violence, War, Taliban and Love. The kite is very symbolic and it travels throughout the novel symbolising guilt, loyalty, redemption and lots more. Instead of a still life set up for my interpretation of the cover, I decided to make a silhouette. I wanted a simple cover, yet I wanted something powerful and striking, so that if you were to walk past a book store and see this on a novel, you would stop and look. I chose simple white paper for the cut out, and a plain black background. I photoshoped the white paper and made it more whiter so it would be bold, and stand out more.
This is the cover I have on the novel.
I got my influence from the DVD cover I have of the film.
The Kite Runner ( My Cover )
Original (Without Photoshop)
Chantelle Grace Photography 