The Wind in the Willows: Book Cover

I've finished that essay, so here is the post with my submission to the Penguin Design Award for the Puffin Children's prize. I didn't get shortlisted which I'm not surprised about because the shortlisted entries for both prizes are AMAZING but I might as well put it up here.

As I mentioned in my last post, I  was thinking about paper cutting so set about planning something relatively simple that I would be able to complete.

I then set about cutting some nice bits o' green paper with the intention of layering them over each other. (There is a MASSIVE error in one of the cuttings which is very humiliating, I'm sure you'll be able to spot it - that's just the result of late night paper cutting when you are a bit like this).

The effect isn't too bad, but the text is a little messy, so I scanned the paper cuttings into the computer and had a bit of a fiddle on Illustrator (which I am beginning to be able to use without crying) with changing the colours and neatening things up and this was the result...

Another mistake on the blurb here, no excuses for that other than I should have proof read it one final time (I will learn).

I'm not sure how I feel about the final outcome. I like the colours, I wanted to represent the changing in the seasons and the contrast between the happy bits during the day and the sadder, more scary bits at night time. But overall - could do better.

I think I got a bit stressed out about this project, I'm happy that I experimented with paper cutting but I don't think that comes across in the final cover. Also I'm not really sure if it looks like a Willow tree, possibly more The Wind in the Jungle?

Oh well, I'll try again next year!