Publication Design 

Wheels – Publication Design

Client/Context: Self-initiated project based on original creative fiction.

Objective: To design a compelling and impactful cover for "Wheels," a novel exploring themes of struggle, cultural identity, and memory through the eyes of a high school dropout quadriplegic. The cover needed to visually represent the protagonist's journey and evoke a sense of introspection and challenge.

My Role: Book Designer (Cover & Interior)

Deliverables:

• Book Cover Design (Front, Spine, Back)

• Interior Book Layout

• Print-Ready Files (Paperback and Hardcover)

• eBook Formatting for Amazon Kindle

Design Concept & Rationale: The central concept for the "Wheels" cover was to fuse literal and metaphorical elements of the story. The primary visual features a wheelchair wheel, directly referencing the protagonist's physical condition. Integrated within the wheel's hub is a clock mechanism, a powerful metaphor for the protagonist's journey through flashbacks and his struggle with time and his past.

Typography: The title "Wheels" is rendered in a strong, capitalized sans-serif typeface, suggesting resilience and the impactful nature of the story. The author's name, "Yos Vycter," uses a more classic serif font, providing a touch of literary elegance and grounding. The introductory blurb utilizes a clean serif font for readability, with an emphasized drop cap 'W' to draw the reader into the narrative.

Imagery: The choice of a close-up, grounded perspective on the wheel creates an immediate, personal connection. The subtle downward slant of the wheel suggests a journey heading back in time, directly correlating with the protagonist's experience of flashbacks. Integrated into the wheel's hub, the exposed clock gears hint at the internal complexities and intricate mechanisms of memory and fate. Specifically, the blending of Russian watch gears with the wheel components subtly signifies the interplay of personal agency and predetermined fate within the protagonist's life. The intricate layering and exposed nature of the gears also visually represent the fragmented and layered nature of memory itself, specifically suggesting 'flashbacks within flashbacks' to convey a profoundly complicated past. The muted, somewhat desaturated color palette reinforces the serious, introspective tone of the narrative.

Layout: The asymmetrical layout with the dominant wheel on the right balances the text on the left, creating dynamic visual tension. The subtle "FICTION LITERATURE" tag provides genre context without distracting from the main design.

Software: Photoshop, InDesign