For this project, I designed two different covers for the same book: The Red Headed League, one of my favorite Sherlock Holmes mysteries. Although this short story hardly fills thirty-one pages, it has been accompanied in these two versions with lengthy introduction, commentary, and full-page illustrations that make it the perfect gift for any book lover. This complete book is available in both a lavender paperback and a more high-end, gold-stamped leatherback, which each have different interior and cover designs. The final book cover mockups are above, and what follows is a detailed close-up of the higher-end cover and a comparison of the two books' interiors. I have included, at the end of this collage, several photos of my brainstorming process.

Below is a look into my brainstorming process. It's colorful and imperfect, as it should be. The first step I took when brainstorming was to research currently-existing Red-Headed League covers. I decided to design a paperback that was different than what was out there: one that was simple, legible, and fun. The front cover of this book depicts an important turning point in the story: the moment when Sherlock reveals his presence to the over-confident bank robber in the cellar. I chose a monochromatic scheme with the best color I knew: an exciting lavender.

For the collectors’ leatherback, I planned to depict gold fold stamping on the cover of the book, as well as a subtle imprinted design in the leather. After some experimentation, I decided to print the title and back cover illustration in gold foil and color some of the supporting shapes in red. I took inspiration from the grid process to make a triangular pattern on the front of the cover, and finalized the details with Photoshop.