PENGUIN STUDENT
DESIGN AWARDS (2019)

It is an honour to say that I was shortlisted for the PSDA, for the Adult Non-Fiction category, for the book 'The Establishment' by Owen Jones. The covers concept was based upon reflecting the idea that Owen Jones is piecing information together for the readers, but also that ‘The Establishment’ is trying to hide information on ‘how they get away with it’.

The idea is realised in the act of physically shredding the paper, and re-photographing it. Almost as if it is corrupt evidence the establishment is trying to hide and Jones is laying it out for the public to see. Using the shredded paper concept across the whole cover, and keeping the colour palette minimal, made for a stronger finish.

This is of my other entry for the book 'Norwegian Wood' by Haruki Markamai. The concept for this cover was to reflect the story and setting off the book through symbolism. Using the flowers chrysanthemums, which represents grief in Japan, symbolises the three main characters stories within the book. I found after some experimentation that photocopying the flowers onto black paper worked well, it almost reflects the old Japanese Wood blocks, as well as capturing the dark, grieving atmosphere of the book. The pink and typeface choice reflects the 60’s setting, with the layout of text giving an essence of traditional Japanese design.