Penguin Design Award — Book Cover for Murder Most Unladylike
Project Type: Competition Submission
Brief: Redesign the cover for Murder Most Unladylike by Robin Stevens
Focus: Illustration, Conceptual Design, Visual Storytelling
For the Penguin Design Award, I created a conceptual book cover for Murder Most Unladylike that visually explores the contrast between societal expectations and suppressed emotion. The central concept is represented through an illustration of a divided female face, split down the middle by a vertical white line—a symbolic tear in the page that suggests hidden truths beneath the surface.
✦ Visual Concept & Symbolism
The left side of the face is light and traditionally feminine, featuring a pale blue background, soft facial expression, and spring-pink clothing. It reflects external poise and social conformity. In contrast, the right side reveals a darker, emotionally raw version of the same character: with a navy background, yellow sprinkles, and bold black attire, this half suggests an unspoken femme fatale energy, exposing an undercurrent of repressed rage.
This duality visually captures the tension between a woman’s public persona and her inner voice of rebellion, aligning with the book's central theme of defying norms and expectations.
✦ Design Objective
Through color contrast, facial expression, and minimal symbolism, the cover design aims to provoke thought and emotional connection, while remaining visually striking and suitable for a YA mystery novel. The use of a torn-book visual metaphor, combined with fashion and facial cues, creates a powerful narrative about identity, repression, and resistance.
