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1984...
A book cover design and illustration for George Orwell's 1984.
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The inspiration behind the cover design came from old soviet and nazi era propaganda posters as seen above. This same era of government is what inspired Orwell's dystopian world in the book.
01a rough portrait sketch was the first step, this laid the ground work for the proportions as well as the beginnings of the cross hatch style of shading that was used.
02 Very rough cross hatch shading was used to mirror the harsh nature of the world portrayed in the book. No ears, lips, or eyes were drawn given totalitarianism controls what citizens saw, heard, and what they could say.
03An ink roller was used to block the eyes and mouth. this gives the cover a bit more texture. The title and Orwell's name were written with a paintbrush. The ink roller and the paintbrush retain the continuity of a protest poster getting vandalized.
04 The color palette of red, black, and white was chosen to keep simplicity and keep the focus on the title and drawing. These are also the colors of the third reich as well as the Soviet Union.
final...
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