Getting to work with publisher Dark Matter Ink on Angela Sylvaine's YA Horror book cover was a very special treat because I don't often get to do work in the horror genre.
Remember the '90s? Well...the town of Demise, North Dakota doesn't, and they're living in the year 1997. That's because an alien worm hitched a ride on a comet, crash landed in the town's trailer park, and is now infecting animals with a memory-loss-inducing bite--and right before Christmas! Now it's up to nineteen-year-old Realene and her best friend Nate to stop the spread and defeat the worms before the entire town loses its mind. The only things standing in the way are their troubled pasts, a doomsday cult, and an army of infected prairie dogs.
Thank you to AD Rob Carroll and Angela Sylvaine for trusting me with this project!
Preliminary Sketches
We knew we were pursuing a fun, campy 90's horror movie vibe for the cover right off the bat and I did my best to embrace that by building the color palette around the neon and jewel tones of the era.
Color Sketch
As a unique treat, I got the opportunity to make some custom typography for the logo and byline as well. Going with a blend of suitably 90's typography choices and a dash of North Dakota's own highway signage of the era made for a perfect blend.
Wraparound Cover
Detail Crop