Using both primary and secondary images, I began to sketch out some appropriate illustrations. Initially, I only started with a few so that I could see how it was planning out, giving me the opportunity to add in and take away imagery as appropriate.
I wanted to achieve a playful visual, that created a contrast with what is actually quite negative content. I wanted to portray the cat's own perception of themselves as a wonderful character also. To do this, I chose vivid colours and a crayon effect for the stroke.
Choosing a stroke
A range of different stroke effects were applied to my initial illustrations to see which was the most appropriate. It needed to be thick enough to make the image clear, but still have that sketchy visual.
Illustration and colour development
Now that the stroke effect had been applied, I started to explore colour. Each chosen colour was vivid and playful, offering an alternative representation of the imagery.
Developing imagery
Above is some appropriate imagery that will be used for the book cover. As I am not a cat fan, a bit of research was needed to find out some of their "favourite things". These included:
Fish
Seafood
Mice
Catnip
Toys
Beds
Collars
Wool/string
A blank art board was created, and I began to develop a possible front cover using the illustrations. These illustrations were drawn up during this process so that I could assess and evaluate what would be successful.
The above screenshots show how the cover began to build up into an overlaid print. Block colour and simple stroke overlapping has proved successful and quite intriguing, giving it individuality. It also displays the wax crayon effect.
Using my research to inform my design, I felt that the most fitting text for my cover would be hand drawn type. This would compliment it's illustrative nature, and almost sort of reflect the idea that it is meant to have been produced by a cat. The type was kept solid black so that it would stand out against the busy background. A more clear space was also kept in this area so that it was legible.
Book Cover development
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