Alright, let’s talk about that book cover I recently worked on, “The Lorax.” I got this idea out of nowhere, you know? I mean, I have always loved the message of this book. It’s all about saving the Earth, being green, that kind of stuff. And the original book? Published way back in 1971, man, that’s over forty years ago!
So I thought, why not create my very own book cover for it? It’s not like I am a professional or anything, just doing this for fun and to, like, spread the word about taking care of our planet.
First thing I did was to reread the story. It’s by Dr. Seuss, and even though it’s a kids’ book, it hits you right in the feels. It’s got this Once-ler guy who’s, like, the symbol of greed and how not to treat nature. And then there’s the Lorax, this little dude who speaks for the trees. Heavy stuff, right?
After that, I started sketching. I wanted the cover to show that contrast—the gloomy, polluted world the Once-ler created and the bright, colorful world that it used to be. So, I drew a line right down the middle.
- On one side, I sketched a dark, smoky factory, just like in the book. All gray and depressing.
- On the other, I went all out with the colors. Bright Truffula trees, blue skies, and that little Lorax right in the center, looking all hopeful.
Next up was choosing the colors. I used my old watercolor set—nothing fancy. I made sure the dark side was all muddy browns and grays. But the bright side? Man, I used every bright color I had. Yellows, oranges, blues—you name it.
The title, “The Lorax,” I wrote it big and bold at the top. I wanted it to stand out, you know? Underneath, I added, “By Dr. Seuss,” a bit smaller, just to give the guy the credit he deserves.
The whole process took me a couple of days. I’d work on it a bit, then leave it, then come back to it. It was kind of therapeutic, honestly. Just me, my watercolors, and this powerful message about saving the Earth.
When I finally finished, I was pretty stoked. It wasn’t perfect, but it was mine. And it felt good to create something that, hopefully, might make someone think a bit more about the environment.
So, yeah, that’s the story behind my “The Lorax” book cover. It was a fun little project, and who knows, maybe I’ll do more stuff like this in the future. I guess we will see.