Uncorked: A Wine Tasting Journal

My design for a wine tasting journal. It is bound by hand; stitched into four signatures of four sheets of paper each (16 pages per signature for a total of 64 pages) and glued along the spine. Included is an area for the information of the wine being tasted and an area below for wine tasting notes or personal descriptions and review. Also included is a box to score the wines just like a professional wine reviewer does. A page is provided at the beginning to guide with the rating score.

Back Cover

Book Cover Design

I think this book has tremendous appeal to "rock 'n' rollers" and the casual pop music listener, not just the classical music aficionados and theorists. The author's style is easily accessible to all. My hope is to capture the rock 'n' roll meets science approach with the imagery; the marriage of the energy and excitement of rock music with the the sophistication and intellect of neuroscience. Initially I thought the look should be clean and simplistic. However, I am seeking to represent the complexities of music, sound and the human mind.

"This is Your Brain on Music" Book Cover Ideas

Here is a synopsis of the book This is Your Brain on Music:

Author Daniel J. Levitin is a rock musician and studio producer turned Ph.D. in cognitive neuroscience becoming a top researcher on how our brains interpret music. In this book, Levitine delves into the scientific study of why music affects us so deeply including: how we listen to music, how composers write music, our emotional attachment to certain music, how musicians become great, and even why songs get stuck in our heads.

"This is the story of how brains and music coevolved - what music can teach us about the brain, what the brain can teach us about music, and what both can teach us about ourselves." (Levitine, 12)

Here are some sketches:

More Book Covers

Here are some examples of book covers that utilize only typographical elements:

Great Book Cover Designs

Simple idea that evokes plenty of emotion and curiosity. The bright red chairs really grab your attention.

A beautiful, sleek modern lamp that's just a bit off. If you saw it in a room, you would want to go adjust it. Great typographical treatment of the word "perfect."

Really great illustration against a stark white background. A good example of a modern update to a classic.

Bold eye-catching color. The hat and especially the eye are immediately recognizable if you're familiar with the movie.

3x10.5 Kashi Ad

5x5 Kashi Ad

5x5" format. The overall layout is essentially the same as the 8x10 in order to give the separate ads a unified look. The image of the hiker is not what I initially had in mind, however, it gave me a great opportunity for the "weigh you down" line. The tree and the background colors are intended to echo the "natural" feeling.