The idea was to position this title in the trade market as much as possible, while setting it apart from other covers about the water crisis which incorporate water imagery.
The first option I showed is a graphic approach. The water droplet is multiplied and creates an alarming visual:
The final cover is below. The image, by Amit Dave, is a haunting photo. My art director, Rachel Moeller, described the photograph as succinctly representing the "thirst" and "chaos" of the title. I didn't want the type to overwhelm the impact of the image, so it is clean and bold. The cover type is also incrementally scaled down as as visual metaphor for the diminishing water supply:
Cover photograph © Amit Dave/Reuters/Corbis
