Faber & Faber Well – Book cover design

Well, is a dark and gritty debut novel by American author Matthew McIntosh. Publishers Faber & Faber had been struggling to capture the correct tone for the sleeve design, so they commissioned design studio Superfried for a fresh approach.

This was a challenging brief, since it was a collection of unconnected short stories. The heterogeneous content led to the development of a wide variety of designs and illustrations until the desired balance of tone and impact was achieved.

The final design solution captured a common thread throughout the novel. Although the stories were not directly connected, there was a subtle link via the consistent sombre fate for the protagonist of each. It was this key connection that resonated with the interlocking fingers within the photography. The exaggerated, repeating nature of the hands provided a slightly unsettling vibe. Finally, recolouring the design with a sombre, cold blue hue established the final sinister edge.