the typographic treatment!

First thing to secure the newspaper style is of course the header, so that's the first place I started. I used a variety of fonts to try and simulate the look of a newspaper style, and here was what I've ended up with

These will be accompanied with body copy and images next, as well as some texture and colouring to make them seem more appropriate to their year of print

Newspapers

1800's newpapers, notably the gothic font used on the top one and the style of the printed image on the bottom

1950's newspapers, Grabbed these images for reference in the discolouring and fade on the top and the typographic style of the bottom

1960's newspapers. again for reference with style, layout and fading

1980's newspaper. here the style starts become more akin to that of today's newpapers. as well as the print becoming more defined and printing deeper black

current newspapers with the exception of broadsheets are dumbed down for for general public, heavy use of images and in your face headers. modern day printing has allowed images to be full colour, but I'm going to cheat a bit when it comes to designing one similar to current newspapers, because having one book in colour and the rest B&W would ruin the books as a set, making one stand out from the rest.

time related

NEWSPAPERS!

The best idea I had when thinking of something that can be designed for each era, it would suitably go within each of the book's decades, and in terms of the cover design they would work well by themselves or as a set.

The newspaper design could exploit the common use of bold header type for the title of the book, as well as using the sub headers and body copy as a small intro to the book or a summary to the story, I can also incorporate images relative to the book as a newspaper photograph

New idea

Referring back to my mind map I have moved on to try designs based on the decades or eras of each book

I again read into the settings of each book, and as luck would have it none of my chosen books are set in the same decade, which gives me a good foothold to start an idea on different time settings within the design

Blood Meridian - 1850

All the Pretty Horses - 1949

Child of God - 1960

No Country for Old Men - 1980

The Road - 2010+

mock up thoughts

Although I like the idea of using the sketches I think the book cover mock ups didn't really show off much to the story, and the colours seemed a bit dramatic. I could easily go back and revise this. but I want to try and take another idea on and see if i can develop something with a bit more substance

Mock up

I started trying out ideas on photoshop and illustrator based on my previous ideas and research. using my sketches and layout idea I have made a few variations of the same Idea

The guides are showing roughly where the image borders are. This is a basic layout for the road using some of my considerations, next I have tried to add some texture

Clearly this is starting to have a bit more impact, but still not nearly enough.

The use of this bold typeface (franchise) gives a better look to the whole piece, but it still needs more.

Texture

Mccarthy's books are well known for being harsh and unforgiving, and I think I might need to try and bring in some use of texture to emulate this. I don't know how yet exactly, but I need to consider paper stocks as well as the graphics themselves, could I do anything to make them look more 'rough'?

Typography Ideas

by this stage I am also considering the typographic elements to the books, and have tried to achieve a western look to the type. here are some basic layouts I have drafted in illustrator

I like the western style to the font (clarendon black) however I might consider trying something a bit more clean and modern, as maybe the western style may clash with the sketches if i use them

layout Idea

From my considerations earlier with the penguin books I considered trying the image being placed in the centre of the book, with a frame at the top and bottom of the book, roughly following a style similar to penguin books:

Object sketches

I have spent some time trying to sketch out objects for the covers. The sketches have been done in graphic pen and cleaned up a bit, and they do still look a bit messy, however I think a grungy style of illustration would suit the themes of the books, so I might try and keep to this style

Revolver from All the Pretty Horses

Old wooden shack from Child of God

money briefcase form No Country for Old Men

Scalping knife from blood meridian

4 of Cups tarot card from Blood Meridian

Old shopping trolley from The Road

Im not sure exactly how to lay these out to fit a book cover, but I will play around with them a bit and see where it goes