Project 5: Package and Packaging

After this weekend, I decided to go with a snack box I found in H-mart [it's very similar to an Asian version of Wal-mart]. While Asian packaging is usually known for it's cuteness and craftiness, this package seemed to avoid those qualities:

The packaging isn't so bad, but it's not creative, either, so I want to work on that, if I can. I actually browsed through quite a few packaging templates, and found two that I like. I haven't really gone through the tutorials, yet, so that's my next step in trying to figure out if this will be an actual thing I can do.

Here's one of the packages, called "the impossible box":

And another is one I found from Christmas-themed tag:

Tomorrow, I plan to bring paper, scissors, and glue, and it's gonna be a craft day!

Meanwhile, for the digital design aspect of the box, I haven't really thought of, yet. I know that I want to redo the mascot entirely, and give the English text a different font. The stripe across the box might be kept, however, as well as the original Thai characters.

Project 5: The Final Stretch

I must say, I'm feeling a little intimidated for this last project. I went over the project brief, and I'm about to go to the grocery store and look through some packages! Hopefully it'll give me some ideas about what I want to do...

Project 4: Book Cover Final

This is the final result to my book cover! I'm fairly satisfied with it, I just had problems with the font for the synopsis. I know it isn't the best font, but when I have more time, I will try to find a more fitting one. 

Other than that, I'm happy with it.

Now, onto the final stretch!

Project 4: Creative Brief

I will put up the finished product later in the day, but for now, I present to you the creative brief!

***

Neil Gaiman’s The Graveyard Book is about a boy named Bod who grows up amongst supernatural creatures—his adoptive ghost parents, vampire caretaker, werewolf educator, and witch friend all help the toddler grow into a fine young man. Meanwhile Jack—the man who murdered his human family—is on the loose and in search of him. The readers get to witness and, in a way, simultaneously experience Bod’s life lessons as he learns them. Neil fills the pages with spooky adventures, tender moments, and rich characters.

In my cover illustration, I reference Bod’s adventures with the ghouls and their way to Ghûlheim. Throughout the book, there are many important moments that helped Bod develop a sense of self. However, it’s through the ghouls that he learns to distinguish good beings from bad. He also begins to understand the importance of memories. I find this to be a pivotal point that gets to the core of the novel and exhibits what the book is about.

Because of the macabre nature of the book I find a cut-out silhouette approach to be appropriate. The ghouls areunappealing, shriveled and ragged; I treated the ghouls with rough cuts to their clothing and enveloped them in wispiness to convey the idea that they are spirits. Bod, however, is a living boy, and so he’s represented as a solid being. The scene is the tail end of the ghoul gate (which is surrounded by a wall of graves) that leads into the desert trail to the crooked ghoul city Ghûlheim. Even though the scene is a scary moment for Bod and the readers, it still maintains wit and a child-like quality with it. With these factors, I tried to incorporate those ideas into the cover with the handwritten font and the simple details into the graves and desert.

Project 4: WIP

Currently, I'm working through the base layers, trying to decide if the graveyards will be one big silhouette or many separate ones that are layered over each other. 

We'll see what I come up with. 

Project 4: Sketches and Scan For Cover

Last week, I was collecting information for the book cover. I didn't have my book with me, so it was a little difficult to find text online. But, I managed. So, here's a page of mostly writing. I divided the scenes, the ghouls, their mannerisms, and Ghulheim.

Then, I did start sketching out vague ideas. They're very light, so I had to mess with the midtones and contrast and brightness. Apologies for the wonkiness. 

Today, I finally figured out how I want the cover to be. I think I also want the illustration to kind of be a wrap around, so the graves continue on the back cover, underneath the synopsis.

I want the illustration to be made up of mostly silhouettes, and if I figure it out, make the ghouls kind of wispy and see-through.

The description for this scene is that the ghoul gate is met with a wall of graves. eventually the wall ends and an open desert is met, scattered with bones and rocks. The sky is a sickly red and the sun is small, cold, distant. The three ghouls toss Bod back and forth and the make their way over the graves and road. 

Project 4: Update

I'm so sorry, guys! Blogging totally slipped my mind last week. I think it's just from the workload that's recently kind of been extra heavy. 

I unfortunately have anything that I'm willing to show, yet, because of said workload, but! After everything today, it just got a little lighter, so I'll be working on it diligently until critique day Thursday.

Here's what I can tell you about the book cover:

I've acquired a book with the right measurements to use for the critique. I've also figured out what I want on the cover. I've narrowed it down to Bod and the ghouls. It will either be the scene where the ghouls are flying and carrying Bod between them, or it'll be the other scene where they are all huddled around a fire, and Bod is looking up to the sky in search of night gaunts.

Here are some of the artists' renditions of the ghoul [UK and US book versions]: