In my last blog post, I wrote about how I wanted my friends to tap into their creative reservoir. One of my friends who is doing just that is one TJ Tooley. TJ is the host of For The Love Of Story podcast, which I have designed for in the past. He has recently used the podcast as a vehicle to tell fantastic multi-part stories for your listening pleasure. The Author and Leapers are two such stories. Both stories were in need of artwork that I was happy to provide.
The Author is a story about a writer who must overcome and confront his fears and doubts standing in the way of his goal of being a published author. During the story, he is visited by some unexpected characters. Each of these characters inform each cover.
The knight of the kingdom is represented by the sword. The astronaut is represented by the space helmet. And the superhero is represented by the cape. The central theme of the covers is the writer’s pen in the center. I modified each cover to reflect the guest star of each episode. The behind-the-scenes episode saw each pen together, representing the complete story.
Leapers is about an investigative journalist, Carson James, trying to prove the existence of a secret organization. The main symbol left behind by members of the group is a wreath with 28 black roses and one white rose. With Leapers, I went for a different feel as this story would be darker than The Author. While The Author artwork is full of color, Leapers called for a more greyscale approach. The typography choice reflected the change in tone as well. The title in the center of the piece is in Trajan, a serif typeface. It is popular on film posters and completes the overall look of the cover. Leapers is more of a cinematic tale and I wanted the art to match the mood of the story.
Being able to walk in your purpose while helping someone else walk in theirs is one of the great joys of life. TJ has always believed in my work as a designer and I believe in him as a writer and all-around creative person. I love satisfying clients, especially when they are friends.
Make sure you listen and subscribe to For The Love of Story podcast on your favorite podcast listening platform.
~b.