PROCESS:
I wanted to create my own cover of The Comet by W.E.B. Dubois due to my love for sci-fi and the incredibly relevant social issues that are the driving force of the plot in the story. I really enjoy how this real-life scenario is coated in this disastrous sci-fi setting because it shows just how extreme these feelings can become when faced with adversity, survival, relationships and also individuality. It should not take a scenario such as a comet crashing down on your city to engage with another race, but the feelings that come along with detail and ignorance can be just as intense and impactful. The story was written in 1920, though the themes can carry through today. That being said, I still wanted to capture a more vintage style that would that could embody the time it was written, along with a clean layout that could also be quite contemporary. Specifically I wanted the comet I had drawn to lead the eye down to the story title, and the blue hue created the perfect focal point to contrast with a starker geometric background. I also created a “Midnight Version” that could create a really interesting inside cover or poster. This version darkens out the buildings and illuminates the comet even more to create a sense of dramatic tension in the design.
