CASE STUDY
Betty Akana is probably the most memorable person we have ever worked with. She had compiled a manuscript of her mother’s remarkable life (Alice Gagner) that is based on diaries and verbal accounts of her world travels as a divorceé in the early 1900s.
Betty wanted a book cover designed and brought a black and white photo of her mother to use on its cover along with a book cover sample she liked. Her request was that the book cover reflect the turn-of-the-century era in which her mother lived.
Betty Akana is probably the most memorable person we have ever worked with.
The challenge was using the antique photo of her mother. Due to its time-worn appearance, extensive image editing was required to mask its imperfections. Also, the height-to-width ratio did not fit the shape of the book cover. What’s more, much of the background’s building and bushes needed to be cloned to achieve the appropriate width necessary to fill the cover.
Once the image was manipulated to size, proportion and quality needed, it was run through several filters to create a sepia-tone effect. Typography also played a key role in carrying the tone of the era, and the use of filigree ornaments completed the look. The final artwork was forwarded to a local printer on Betty’s behalf.
