By Arren Joseph-White
Joseph Bradford’s Graphic Design II class was given the task of redesigning the covers of a book. The project was simple; choose a book you have read or had personal experience with, then redesign the cover to something of their liking. In all 13 posters created, each student chose a fictional book. Now, their completed projects decorate the walls of the library.
Some of the students chose their books because of the emotional connection or interest they had in it. Kathy Hast-Otero decided to redesign A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sara J. Maas. She said she struggled a bit, but eventually she created something she was very proud of. “[So] When I was designing it, it looked kind of flat for a while,” she said when she was asked how her process went. “There were a lot of fun things happening everywhere.”
Hast-Otero said she messed with typography for a bit before coming up with her final result, with burgundy lettering and gold accents. When asked why she chose the book, she was happy to talk about her obsession with the series. “I love it. It’s fantasy, [it’s] romance—really fun.”
Others wanted to represent the story in a new way, like Ken Burrell, who chose the book Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes. “I just kinda took a different look at it,” stated Burrell, when asked about his inspiration. “Gave it more of a contemporary feel.” His work is placed in the large study room downstairs in the library. It is simple but effective in relating to the story and leaving its viewer curious about the book’s contents.
The students all had their own special reasons for choosing a book, and they worked hard to make their visions come to life. They were able to take their design skills to the test. They showed their teacher their abilities while also finding something they connect to and find interest in. Their interests in the books and their own personal touch made for some phenomenal and personal art pieces.
Dr. Bradford’s class had a blast being able to redesign some of their favorite books. They were able to put their own personal spin on the poster, keeping in mind the original integrity of the story. Each poster is hanging up on the first floor of the school’s library and anyone is welcome to see them. Some of them are in the study rooms, others are by bookshelves. Overall, their art can brighten up our library with nods to their favorite pieces of fiction.