In Cold Blood - Starting Development. OUGD503

Designing The Book Cover -

Using the research undertaken designing the cover was the next step, having looked in depth at collage techniques used specifically for book cover design it was clear that the cover would be image heavy and have images which were related to the family at the heart of the book. Beginning by collecting a range of images related to the case, it seemed that starting mocking up ideas in a sketchbook was the best approach before moving onto a digital platform. 

Using images such as old Clutter family photos, and considering the research undertaken, it seemed clear to start cutting and manipulating the images to create more sinister images than the originals to go with the tone of the book. With the above, focussing on the eyes of the people this gives a feel that the slain family are staring from the book cover when viewed, this may be over the top and a bit darker than older versions of the cover but it is this sense of darkness which would make the book standout and be easily recognised as a crime novel. Playing about with the type and layout around the image proved difficult, it will be best to focus on the type when imagery and concepts are finalised on.

Continuing looking at different images which relate to the book, consulting the research undertaken it became clear that a re-occuring image was the clutter house, the eery farm house was the location of the infamous murders, with the majority of the images of the house being black and white they fit brilliantly with the theme of the crime novel genre, it can be used alongside a number of other related images such as above with the mixing of colour images of the Clutter farm land and the black and white farm house.

Starting with using the eyes cut out of old Clutter family portraits it left these unused parts of the pictures (Above). With these images in which the faces are taken out, it was clear that they would work well as cover visuals, with the faces missing it gave a sense of obscure they had been slain in there home in cold blood and had there identities taken from them in a sense. 

With these initial ideas and a number of concepts thought up (Collaging - the family, the house and the eyes of those involved) it seemed time to move onto digital development to work with type and imagery in better resolution.