Atomic Habits
Penguin Random House Book Cover Awards
Year:
2024
Tools:
Conceptual thinking, Design
Category:
Book cover design
Overview
Penguin Book Cover Awards 2024
This project was for the Penguin book cover design awards. The book I chose to re-design was the James Clear, Atomic Habits. A book created to help build good habits and break the bad ones.
The concept
The design concept focuses on the concept of habit stacking which was a topic in the book. With this i developed a hand drawn design of rock being stacked which extents this idea. The creation of rock-stacking also plays on the quote for the book "Tiny changes, Remarkable results." This practice involves making small adjustments to rocks and using them to create stunning masterpieces.
Development
During the research and development process I came across the practice of rock-stacking. This is something that has deep connections with the concept of habit stacking. To create a stable structure in rock-stacking you have to make small adjustments to the rocks, after all the adjustments you end up with an incredible structure. This links with the concept of habit stacking, by making small changes to create remarkable results. Rock-stacking is an ancient practice with many spiritual meanings; they are symbols of stability, creativity, self-worth, strength, and fragility all at once. They also provide a sense of peace and even bring good luck when stacked together. The design itself was hand-drawn and the digitised to extend the concept of a physical, handmade structure. "I love how ambitious the design is. A clever concept underpins the visual that encourages the reader to engage on a deeper level. I loved the way that Craig has taken the idea beyond the illustration and into the layout and typography, each element embodying the idea of balance." Richard Bravery - Art Director, Penguin General
