Designer Genes

A couple years ago I briefly worked on a title called Designer Genes. Here is a short summary from the tip sheet:

The possibility exists that there will arise an elite class of genetically engineered citizens, followed by an era where each generation selects the genetic makeup of the subsequent generation. This man-driven evolution will replace Darwinian natural selection.

This is a compelling concept. The approach needed to be accessible and warm, but sill authoritative. Here are a couple of the options I sent along (forgive the quick photoshop work). In the end they went back to a previous designer's comp. Still, an interesting topic and I was pleased with these two directions.

Hello again / New book project

Signs, Streets and Storefronts is a new book project that recently wrapped up. From Amazon:

Signs, Streets, and Storefronts addresses more than 200 years of signs and place-marking along America’s commercial corridors. From small-town squares to Broadway, State Street, and Wilshire Boulevard, Martin Treu follows design developments into the present and explores issues of historic preservation.

I began with the interior design first and adapted the cover about a month later. Here is an alternate comp from the first (and only) round that is closer to the interior design. The idea was that the blue would be a metallic:





However, the consensus was that this orange cover was more dynamic:

 

Below is a sampling of the interior spreads. The book is b&w throughout with a color signature. The shapes and angles of the signs are appealing and it struck me that recreating them might be a nice addition to the chapter openers. Once I redrew the lines and integrated them into the spreads, I carried this style element throughout the book on the TOC and  frontmatter. Definitely a fun project (especially placing the Lustig graphics throughout).