Different versions of front cover:
After getting the majority of my book together last week, the only thing that really remains for me to do is to try and create a front cover that I prefer to the one I have at the moment. As much as I like the hand embroidered title, I thought it would be good to play around with some different fonts. I typed into google medieval and pagan fonts and pictured to the left are my favourite results. It will be good to experiment with these and much like I've done with the book layout and page designs, do a bit of trail and error. Below are some pictures of pagan/pagan inspired books which I will be using as inspiration.
Here are my different experiments with different type faces, titles, backgrounds and layouts. For the first image, I printed out the title of my photo book in two different fonts and left them in soil outside overnight in the hopes it would make the paper and font look older and decayed, however I think they just look dirty. In order for this to work I think I would have to leave it for a lot longer, but sadly I don't have enough time left.
After trying this soiling method I was reminded of the poster for the film 'The Witch' which I watched a few weeks ago for research. I think this sort of type face and arrangement would be perfect for the cover of my book. I tried to draw one of my photos in the style of the illustration on the film poster and think it turned out pretty well. I just need to impose it into photoshop to bring it all together.
I tried multiple different fonts but below are my favourites options, especially the two on the right as they're the closest to 'The Witch' poster that I could find.
Here is the final version of my front cover. I decided to use a deep blue background in the end because I think it goes better with the colour palette of the rest of the book. It also looks more like a photo book cover than a spell book which it was starting to look like with the old parchment background. Compared to the cover I had before that I hand sewed, I think this version looks a lot more polished. I also decided to alter the title slightly so that the word 'Power' was really emphasised. I did this because my book is about power in it's many forms. The power of nature, losing and re-finding your own personal power, the power of Mother Earth, the power of Wicca, the power of womanhood etc. I also think the title sits a lot better on the page this way now too.
Now that I've created a front cover that I'm happy with, I can finally put together the final version of my photo book.
Photo book - Final Version
To view the virtual mock up version of my book, click the link below:
Why did I order the book the way I did?
Page 1
As aforementioned, I decided to title my photo book 'Power. You will not take mine." as I think it encapsulates the message of the book - reclaiming and championing female power. I decided to use this very medieval look for the front cover as I think it reflects the folk horror style of the rest of the book. I also wanted the cover to look like the front of a story book, because this photo book is very personal to me and tells my story through visually exploring my recovery from sexual assault through the lens of the folk horror aesthetic.
Page 2
This is the opening page of the book and I wanted to start off with a powerful political message. Although I'm explaining the visual narrative of the book here, I want it to be inexplicit to other audience members as I don't want this book to feel like an auto-biography but more of a message motivated piece. This is why I chose to have the occasional use of words and quotes throughout the book to keep it flowing and as a way to continually project my message throughout whilst leaving the imagery more up for interpretation. For centuries women's voices haven't been listened to, but I want to celebrate the power of our words and show that sharing your vulnerability doesn't make you weak, instead its an act of strength.
Page 3
This is the first photograph you see in the book. I chose to put this one first as the way that models are looking directly at the camera I hope will entice viewers into being more drawn into the book. The two figures also symbolise the Wicca Goddess, protecting the content of the book and looking out to all the women who have been abused or assaulted and giving them strength.
Page 4
I wanted to put this page towards the start of the book as it shows the very start of my journey, where it all began. I very bluntly state the date that I was assaulted because I don't want to be apologetic about it anymore. It's a fact that I've had to learn to deal with, and the way it's surrounded by empty space makes it impossible to miss, representing how that night has been on replay in my head and felt like it was impossible to avoid for months.
Page 5
This page represents how soon after I was assaulted I felt in utter turmoil and completely disassociated from my body, mainly represented through the overlapping movement on the right, not wanting it to define me but not properly processing what happened either, the denial phase.
Page 6
This page represents the darkness and utter low I felt when it finally hit me what had happened. I felt completely helpless and lost, having regular flashbacks and feeling completely overwhelmed by it all.
Page 7
This page demonstrates how I tried to hide away from what happened to me, doing anything and everything to distract myself and not think about it, hence the models on the left holding each other close and looking terrified.
Page 8
This page aims to represent me trying to piece together what actually happened that night. I was very intoxicated when I was taken advantage of, so I have very fragmented memories of what happened, some that are still only coming back to me now.
Page 9
This page visually represents where my healing began, when I first told someone that I'd been assaulted. Trying to recount what had happened to me was incredibly painful hence the very scribbly mind map on the right which I wrote to try and remember what had happened.
Page 10
This page shows how much lighter and free I felt once I began to tell people close to me what had happened. This was a big step in my recovery and I wanted to express that through the look of freedom and joy of the models on the left.
Page 11
This page contains two images featuring trees. This was a very considered choice as I wanted the end of my book to show where I'm at in my journey now, re-growth and building up my strength again.
Comentários