Vasava makes use of hand-drawn script to reinterpret kids's classics
Vasava has partnered with Spanish publisher Editorial Planeta to create a new collection of covers for well-known classic children's novels. "Our challenge for this job was to produce something that could encourage young readers to put down their phones and game consoles and pick up a good book," explains the studio.
Some of the titles that Vasava renewed, such as Treasure Island and Around the World in 80 Days, are books that are less popular with children these days. The agency has therefore adopted a striking concept. "We included illustrations in the lettering and created vignettes that serve as a visual summary for each novel," says the studio. "The comic book style was combined with bright color palettes to create a cheerful and inviting collection of books that every child would proudly display on their bookshelves."
Cover for Alice in Wonderland
Part of the creative process for Vasava was to determine the aesthetics of the font in which to place the illustrations. “The lettering had to contain the images and remain legible at the same time,” says the team. "It also had to fit into the story itself and not feel out of place. It was therefore important for us to be able to draw each title by hand in order to have complete control and to be able to make the necessary changes. "
Each title has its own lettering that points to the story it contains, such as Peter Pan's flowing type, which reminds the reader of pirate flags and Wendy's old-fashioned nightgown. In order to really bring the covers to life, Vasava took a detailed approach when deciding what to include in the illustrations and first highlighted the key characters, locations and objects from each of the novels.
Coverage for Treasure Island
Cover for Peter Pan
This process allowed the agency to decide what could be used to refer to the narrative, but not to reveal too much of the plot. “By including these elements in and around the lettering, we were able to create covers that really capture the essence of every book,” says Vasava.
The cover collection is full of vibrant, colliding colors and intricate illustrations. What holds the whole series together is the vintage treatment of each title, which reinforces the idea of books as literary classics.
“Many of us at Vasava grew up reading these books. When we were working on this project, we felt very nostalgic, ”says the agency. "It was a great opportunity to redesign the covers for today's kids." So far, seven classics have been reinterpreted, but Vasava and Editorial Planeta will release more in the coming months.
Cover for jungle book
Cover for Around the World in 80 Days
Cover for the Wizard of Oz
Cover for the dog of the Baskervilles
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