FAMOUS COUPLES
PENGUIN BOOK DESIGN
THE PROJECT
For this assignment, I needed to create a book cover for a new Penguin series, “Famous Couples”, that fits within the confines of a traditional Penguin book design. The couple I chose is the iconic brothers Finn and Jake of Adventure Time. After coming up with a couple, I had to write out 30 adjectives, ten describing Finn, ten describing Jake, and another ten describing the two together. From here, they needed to be narrowed down into two metaphorical icons that represented them as a couple.
JAKE THE DOG
FINN THE HUMAN
DESIGN STATEMENT
Most of the project was spent on research and development and I learned to explore abstract concepts for concrete subjects. It was challenging to reduce the duo from Adventure Time down to two adjectives, but I enjoyed the process and forcing myself to think outside of the obvious. From this project, I figured out the importance of organization, constantly sketching, and writing out ideas. Visually, I wanted to create an image that is whimsical and quirky enough to fit into the show’s aesthetics so I designed icons depicting each of the kingdoms of Ooo.
THE PROCESS
Thinking of a couple that is iconic enough, but isn’t overdone, took some time but I settled on Finn and Jake because I’ve been an avid viewer of Cartoon Network’s Adventure Time since I was a kid. It’s also a TV show that is suitable for both kids and adults with an art style that is unique. Thinking of thirty adjectives for the two didn’t prove difficult since the characters burst with personality. I ended up choosing aggressive for Finn and protective for Jake because the two words, though different, complement each other (just like the duo). Finn is the preteen impulsive and heroic human boy while Jake is his wiser, yet lazy, older brother (a magical dog). Together, they are a force to be reckoned with against their evil adversaries and they strive to protect the land of Ooo.
My first phase of sketches ended up being unusable. The only idea I was drawn to was the sword and heart, but the medieval aesthetic wasn’t fitting for the bubbly and fantastical show. The sword did stick with me though and I ended up expanding on this by using the sword to represent Finn’s aggression while the sheath was Jake’s protective instincts. To further build on to the aesthetic that is Adventure Time, I wanted to depict the landscape of Ooo.
Some of the limitations of this project include the Penguin Books color scheme (Penguin orange, black, and white) and to use two abstract icons that personify the relationship of the characters. For the fonts, I went with Absolute Empire since it closely resembled the show title's type and Raleway for the body and headers because it's easily legible.
Originally, I wanted the sword to be vertical, but the critiques helped me see that it wasn’t as dynamic as a horizontal and continuous design. Once I settled on the structure, I tweaked minor details, such as using black for the text for more variety, sticking with a title font that best represents the show’s, and shifting the completely horizontal layout to a slight diagonal one to break up the rigid design.
Research sources:
FINAL DESIGN
REFLECTION
I think my final design effectively communicates the qualities of Finn and Jake and captures the fun and quirky atmosphere of the show. It also sticks with the traditional Penguin book design by using the signature orange and white colors and a simplistic layout. The hilt of the sword has contrasting orange and white to represent the two different characters intertwining and symbolize their relationship. The sword and sheath are separate entities, but are practically inseparable and complete each other. The words I chose appropriately define the two individually while the icon is metaphoric of their mutually-beneficial relationship. Finn and Jake are both fighters (Finn is more on the offensive while Jake is on the defensive) which is also why I chose a weapon to showcase their relationship.