Percy Jackson Book Cover Redesign
Concept Book Jacket
A conceptual redesign of Rick Riordan’s Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief, exploring contemporary book-cover illustration and layout. I set out to give the middle-grade adventure a bold, modern look that would appeal equally to boys and girls, highlight the Greek-mythology roots, and stand apart from existing editions. Timed to the buzz around the upcoming Disney+ adaptation.
Concept & Research
I chose this novel because I’ve long loved both the series and Greek mythology, and I wanted to create a cover that would feel adventurous. Rather than replicate existing editions, I focused on symbolism and atmosphere. Hand-drawn ocean waves sweep across the design, layered with key story motifs: a green trident, a lightning bolt, and Percy’s sword, Riptide. These clues hint at the narrative without revealing it outright. The color palette moves from vivid orange at the top to deep blue at the base, a gradient that conveys motion and energy while nodding to Camp Half-Blood’s signature orange and Percy’s oceanic lineage.
Early concept sketches of the book jacket, exploring four distinct visual directions
Design & Process
To explore different directions, I produced four fully realized sketches before selecting the final composition. Early concepts ranged from decorative, Greek-bordered layouts to a full character illustration spanning the front and back covers. I ultimately chose the symbol-driven concept to challenge myself with a different approach from my usual character-illustration style. The chosen design pairs the rhythmic motion of the waves with a custom Greek-inspired title treatment, creating a sense of epic adventure. I illustrated the waves and symbols in Procreate, refined the typography in Adobe Illustrator, and assembled the final layout in Adobe InDesign.
Tools: Procreate, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe InDesign
Role: Sole designer and illustrator
Tools: Procreate, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe InDesign
Role: Sole designer and illustrator
Outcome & Reflection
The redesign received enthusiastic feedback during class critique; all four concepts were praised for their distinct strengths, with many noting that any could have succeeded as the final cover. Working through multiple directions reaffirmed how much I enjoy the challenge of book-cover design and is an area I hope to pursue professionally as I grow as a graphic designer.
