Submit 3 book covers

Book cover set should have a similar author, genre, or theme

Each individual book cover should use a monochromatic color scheme

The set should follow analogous, split-complementary, or triadic color scheme.

Include an illustration, posterization, or shape arrangement that conveys conceptual unity across the set.

Create one of the following interactions: contrast, repetition, movement, or proportion

Achieve unity between the attributes and interactions utilized in each cover

Achieve unity between the attributes and interactions utilized across the set

Make sure all type is legible and readable

Export the bookcover as a PDF

Achieve a conceptual unity between the attributes and interactions utilized across the set

No more and no less than two typefaces (artist/title)

Use a type of unity, such as similarity, closure, continuity, common fate, or parallelism

One of my favorite book series is the "Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" series by Douglas Adams. I've always wanted to redesign the covers, so I used this as an excuse to do that. The series has a split complementary color scheme that is reminiscent of the colors you see in images of space. Each cover also contains symbols from the book, including  "Don't Panic" sign in reference to the phrase on the cover of the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy in the book of the same title; 42 in reference to answer to the question, "What's the meaning of life, the universe, and everything?"; and a fork and knife to represent Milliways, the restaurant at the end of the universe in the third book.

I started with the complementary color scheme of navy, a greenish navy, and orange, and then used a monochromatic color scheme in each cover version. I used the brush tool to create the dots, meteors, and stars and used the background throughout the entire series to create unity across the covers.

For the main planet, I started with an ellipse and then used the pen tool to draw curves across the planet. I then used the pathfinder tool to divide the shape builder tool to create sections that can be individually manipulated. For the smaller planets, I started with an ellipse, used the pen tool to add a cover for the shadow, and then changed the stroke to a more painterly one. I used a mask to clip the stroke into the shape. To create the ring, I drew a narrow ellipse across the planet and then used the scissors tool to clip part of it out. I refined with the direct selection tool.

I built each symbol using the shape tool and then manipulated each with the direct selection tool. 

For the fonts, I used ones that are easy to read but still have a sci-fi vibe, especially the author name. The main font is Acier BAT, and the author font is Nebula.

For the final steps, I exported to a PDF and then a PNG to create the book cover mockup.