This project was a complete rebranding of the Oxford University Press' series 'A Very Short Introduction'. During the initial stages of brainstorming, a recurring theme that continually resurfaced was the notion of making an impression or serving as a gateway. The world of graphic design, rich with its historical iconography, offered a fitting opportunity to encapsulate the essence of providing a straightforward and brief introduction to a subject. As a result, I made the deliberate choice to employ icons and highly simplified imagery to represent each topic.

This approach presented its own set of challenges, particularly in avoiding over-complication during the hand-drawing process. To address this, I drew inspiration from Sister Corita Kent and her use of hand printing. Hand-printed images, by necessity, demand simplicity to fit on a sheet and translate effectively to the page, thus guiding the evolution of my subsequent designs.

The use of hand printing carries a deeper connotation, aligning with the very essence of leaving an ‘impression,’ much like the intended impact of each of these books on their readers.

I harnessed a structured four by four grid to meticulously position elements on the page, cultivating a sense of order and professionalism. Echoing the style of Marber, I chose a sans-serif font as the primary typeface, which imparts a sense of familiarity and prestige akin to its use on Penguin Classics. For the text on the back and inside flaps, I opted for a serif font, a digitized rendition of the older font known as ‘Im Fell,’ for headlines, and Adobe Caslon for body text, selected for its readability and resemblance to the serif style. The deliberate ‘off’ impression achieved through these typefaces adds a unique touch.

My aim was to design a coheresnt and recognisable cover series which responds to the nature of an ‘introdcutory series’. I used highly simplified and hand printed iconography to represent the concepts which are abstracted further on the cover, tempting viewers to take a closer look.