Alphonse Mucha Book Design
aroberts (262 pencils) | Fri, 2009-10-09 02:28
Heyheyhey, so I'm working on another design project for a book cover. I had to choose an artist and a quote by them and then design a book cover that expresses those elements.
Artist: Alphonse Mucha
Significance: Began the art nouveau movement
Quote: "Art exists only to communicate a spiritual message"
In the left corner on the cover, there is a little building looking icon, we had to put that on our design (like a logo for the publishing company)
I really liked what I turned out, I'd love opinions on what works and what tweaks can be made, thanks guys!
Commenting on this Image is closed.
Do something to make the title more prominent and the front is ready to go, imo. The back looks like you just tossed the two elements on there without mucha thought. They don't go together particularly well, they're competing for attention and the woman is clipped funny at the head. Do you even need her? Maybe just adding some frills to the dude's photo and the background will be enough.
PS: Did you catch that? "Mucha" thought? :-)
P.S.S. www.sadtrombone.com
Leaky Penny
Check out what I've been up to lately!
http://petersonjoseph.com
I'm going to print it out and eat it.
-Unknown Artist
LOL!
I want the Deliverance tshirt..."Paddle faster, I hear banjos"
"Art -- the one achievement of Man which has made the long trip up from all fours seem well advised." - James Thurber
you know what???
....I totally agree with you. lol thanks
I like several elements of this design, but when put together they look too crammed up. A bit of white space would do good. Overall it's not a bad job, but can be much better.
ivan's right. let it breath a little bit.
thanks for the comment! Maybe you're getting that feeling because the front, spine, and back cover are all side to side on one plane. I think it looks a whole lot nice when it's printed out and everything has it's own plane- you don't get that visual confrontation of elements that is seen here.
I think you should tone down the cross concept a bit....looks too much like a religious book and not an art book.
Well the the cross was suppose to emphasize the quote I used. ((Art only exists to communicate a spiritual message)) Mucha was a deeply religious guy that grew to hate alot of the fame that his commercial art had produced. Resources touched on his work before and after the art nouveau stuff and it was deeply concentrated on concepts of religious and nationalistic interests. If this book was real, I was thinking the content would explore his personal and artistic reactions to the art nouveau movement- his disdain for a culture that glorified his commercial art and pushed aside his religious works.
Hope the elaboration helps!
No, I get it. I just think it should be de-emphasized a little bit. Maybe make the religious symbolism more abstract? Or in a Mucha-style?
Actually, maybe just the colors need to be changed. The gold and red combo says religious to me, which makes it look too much like a book on religion.
Just thoughts.... :-)
The cross enhances the concept, imho. The art is framed by the cross - a compelling metaphor for the man's life story and his conflict between religion and art. The book is not only about art - it's about the influence of religion and art - therefore the cross is quite appropriate. Don't pick up this book unless you want some religion too. Honesty in advertising.
Sidebar: Has anyone ever considered the idea that Michaelangelo and the other great "fine" artists of the past were really the commercial artists/illustrators of their day? Something to ponder while you're waiting for your pop tart to pop.
I thought of that often, and was always jealous of the generous deadlines their clients gave them! Wonder is they had to deal with spec work?
And while we're at it, how are art historians going to interpret illustrations in the future? Will they really believe that there was a man dressed as a bat beating up criminals?
Leaky Penny
Check out what I've been up to lately!
http://petersonjoseph.com
I'm going to print it out and eat it.
-Unknown Artist
Yes... let's see that statue of David before deciding whether or not I want to pay for it. You don't have to do the whole thing - just the waist up should be enough...
Being a huge fan of Mucha, I`m gonna go hard on you with this one!
I love the cover, but the word 'Mucha' should be bigger. Not a fan of the portrait in the back though. The cross is way to close to the edge and as others have said it needs to breath more.
That logo seems to be lost too. Are there any other logos are icons going on?
Good job.
Leaky Penny
Check out what I've been up to lately!
http://petersonjoseph.com
I'm going to print it out and eat it.
-Unknown Artist
Yes, the cross could be a printing problem. Shrinking the interior to make the yellow border a little larger would solve that. Then you could bleed the yellow off the page.
"Spiritual" doesn't necessarily mean "Christianity." I am not a Christian and I can't tell you how often I find this kind of presumption unamusing.
The little publisher's mark you're talking about is called a colophon. It's typically placed somewhere on the spine, and sometimes repeated on the back, near the bar code.
The female art nouveau figure on the back of the book is a stylistically awkward note. I would get rid of it entirely. Or at least get her ta-tas out of biting range. ;-)
I think Mucha's self portrait would be a much better selection than this photo. If you know the painting, you'll agree that the palette would blend perfectly with the cover art. If you made that change, I would still encourage you to remove the drawing of the lady.
Mara
thanks for your comments, it's appreciated! Unfortunately I can't incorporate his self portrait in the final for class because I returned the book I got the images from, but looking back at it, it does have a more appropriate palette. I think I'll change it and put it in my portfolio. Thanks for the note about the colophon, it will work way better on the spine.
Mucha was mos def a christian so the cross works well. I thought about having a more perhaps 'universal' concept of spirituality, but idk, I got this domineering fervor-like feeling in looking at his religious and nationalistic works- I wanted to emulate that intense and most certainly politically incorrect views he had worked into his personal works.
Haha, i'm responding to everyone here, I need to get a life.
I know nothing of Mucha's personal beliefs. Sounds like I should keep it that way. :-)
Mara
I know this post is old, but I am hoping that some one could tell me the name of the print that is of the girl in front of the photograph of Mucha on the about pics, the left one I guess, I have been looking for it and have not had much luck until now, if any one could pleas pleas tell me the name of the print and?or have a link to the whole pic it would be really appreciated, thanks