OUDG403// Study Task - Drawing the Detectives

As a homage to 100 years of Agatha Christie books, the Guardian opened a competition for redesigned covers of classic Christie books. I was allocated "Murder is Easy", a novel I had never heard of. After conducting research into the plot and watching the 2003 episode, I created these 3 covers.

A clean, crisp monochrome representation. I used vector symbols to identify with the methods of murder used within the book. As only 5 methods were used, I picked out the most appropriate line as a 'remember' point to aid composition and to act as a strap line.

Ambiguity and darkness is represented, as thought the novel the role of mysterious women and mystery in general is a huge theme. The cover points to a female murderer, I want the viewers to want to read on and find out if this is the case. 

A screen-print'esq style with 3 simple colours. I wanted to encapsulate a 1930's style with the off set type acting as a header and a footer. The dark navy and red replicates the colour scheme of the original novel, whilst being patriotic British colours- highlighting the setting of the book. The red is also intended to connote blood, contrasting and becoming vibrant behind the white. A typewriter style typeface is used for the streamline to relate to other novels with the genre, whilst the bolder text leads the eye into the linear map of Whitechapel.

Screen shot of 'Probability and Chance' book cover covered in blood

The above cover was created to look like the 'Probability and Chance' book which fell on the floor during the first murder, whilst acting as an underlying theme of the narrative. I do not feel this is as ambiguous as the others, nor referencing the genre/ intensity of the narrative quite as well- meaning it is not my first choice for submission. 

Three of my designs on the Guardian Website