This book cover was inspired by Paramore’s hit single, “The Only Exception” . The project was an assignment for my Advanced Graphic Design class n which we were instructed to design an entire book cover, including the front and back flap, based on a song of our choice. The design must be driven by the visuals or message in the song. As I am a big fan of Paramore and have never gotten the chance to design something that delves into my more sensitive side, I decided on tackling a book cover for one of my favorite Paramore songs.
The Concept
The goal for this book cover was to create a visual that women can relate to. I instantly thought about the idea of scrapbooking and doodling. Younger girls like the idea of taking printed photos, cutting them out, and placing them in scrapbooks or diaries, which they will decorate with doodles, glitter, stickers, and magnets. I wanted to go for that feel to tie the front and back covers together. The heart cut-out taped on the college-ruled sheet of paper is the same exact shape that is cut out from the couple photo in the back cover. In its space, I added a musical review I pulled from the “The Only Exception’s” review page. The design is carried out to the front and back flaps, which provides information about Hayley Williams (the songwriter) and the success of the song, respectively.
The book cover was put together using InDesign, including the text and background elements. The photos were modified and stylized in Photoshop and then placed into the document.
The Color Scheme
I wanted this book to have a soft, romantic feel to it. Since this book is more likely to attract women and young girls, I wanted to go with a color palette that has a touch of femininity, romance, and playfulness. The coral pink, cream, and sea blues really harmonize well together and gives the book a “cute” feel to it. The cream and coral colors also go very well with the hard cover underneath my book cover, which is also a coral red with a beige color.
Thanks for stopping by and reading about my process! Comments and critiques are always welcome.