Book Jacket Design
Client
HCC Professor
Role
Graphic Designer
Work
Editorial Design
Brief
Redesign the front cover, spine, and back cover of an existing published book while creating a fresh visual interpretation of its themes, tone, and audience. Use intentional typography, imagery, color, and composition to communicate a clear concept. The final design should include all necessary book cover elements and demonstrate strong hierarchy, readability, and visual consistency.
My Process
For this project, I chose to redesign Vinland Saga, a popular manga series, by reimagining it as a single collected edition that combines the volumes into one book. I began by examining the existing manga covers and brainstorming ways to create a more mature visual direction that could appeal to a wider audience. From there, I researched Icelandic and Viking history, then sketched ten different cover concepts exploring layout, typography, back cover copy, and illustrative elements.
After the sketching phase, I moved into digital drafts and developed several versions before choosing the direction that best matched the tone I wanted. While keeping the original story and audience in mind, I designed the cover to feel appropriate for readers ages 18 and older. My goal was to create a bookstore-ready design that felt modern, mature, and visually compelling. The final layout transforms the cartoon-like manga style into a refined book cover that better reflects the serious themes, emotional depth, and overall message of the story.
.jpeg)