Book Cover Redesign
Tender is the Night
This project was a cover redesign for Tender is the Night, a novel by F Scott Fitzgerald. The story is a romantic tragedy which paralleled some of Fitzgerald’s real life experiences with his wife, Zelda. It takes place mostly on the French Riveria in the summer.
The main challenge in this redesign was modernizing the cover while maintaining the glamour of the Lost Generation.
Process
In thinking about the design for this novel I considered the time period in which it was written - the 1930s - as well as the location of the French Riveria. I looked for book covers from other artists of the Lost Generation, those who came of age just after WWI and who spent a good deal of time indulging in various vices in France. The Fitzgeralds actually spent time in the south of France so there were photographs that could be referenced. Also worth considering were the art deco and Old Hollywood styles.
In the end, the formal art deco style felt too city for a novel that took place on such a beautiful, natural stage. The Riveria is also known as the Cote d’Azur and there is accordingly a persistent rich blue used to represent the area.
The initial typefaces considered for the title. A mix of deco style and romantic script.
The final typefaces considered for the title and author’s name.
Some of the rejected cover designs and variations.
