A Fresh Take on a Classic: James and the Giant Peach

OVERVIEW

A creative reinterpretation of the beloved James and the Giant Peach using watercolor art style.

For this university project, I was given the creative freedom to design a new cover for the classic book James and the Giant Peach. Embracing this opportunity, I chose a watercolor style to create a cover that resonates with both children and adults, capturing the book’s timeless appeal.

CREATIVE APPROACH

I chose watercolor painting to give the cover a unique feel. The giant peach sits atop the Empire State Building, with warm-toned clouds and cityscape surrounding it. I included references to the bird from the story to tie the design to the book’s magical elements.

DESIGN ELEMENTS:

• Illustration: The cover features a watercolor painting of the peach on the Empire State Building, surrounded by warm clouds and a detailed cityscape, creating a captivating scene.
  
  

• Typography: The title is integrated into the artwork, complementing the watercolor style and maintaining a balanced look.
  
  

• Color Palette: Warm colors enhance the painting’s magical feel, drawing readers into the story.

IMPACT

This cover offers a fresh take on James and the Giant Peach, appealing to both new readers and longtime fans. The watercolor style adds a unique touch, making the cover stand out.

ROLES

Illustration, Layout,
Typography, Animation

TOOLS

Procreate, Illustrator, InDesign, Photoshop, Sketch

MOODBOARD

I began by brainstorming and sketching various design concepts for the book cover. From these initial sketches, I selected my favorites and refined them into a more cohesive and detailed concept.

IDEA RUNDOWN

I made a mood board to help me determine the art style and look I wanted for the book cover. After looking at many redesigned book covers of J.G.P, a lot of the new covers are cartoonish with bright colors and strong outlined illustrations, so I wanted to try something different, I found myself drawn to the watercolor art style.

PREVIOUS DESIGN

REFINED FINAL DESIGN

This was an experimentation of my design, where I illustrated what I was imagining, practiced with the clouds, did small details on the building, cropped resized etc.

This design is improved by implementing feedback from my course lead and peers. Notice how the spine of the book blends seamlessly instead of having a gap and refined other details.

GIF CHALLENGE

As a final touch, students were assigned the task of creating a GIF of the book cover to bring it to life.