"Peter and Wendy" (Book Design)

Abstract

Peter and Wendy (also known as the Boy Who Wouldn’t Grow Up or Peter Pan) is the story of a mischievous little boy who can fly, and his adventures on the island of Neverland with Wendy Darling and her brothers, the fairy Tinker Bell, the Lost Boys, the princess Tiger Lily, and the pirate Captain Hook. This classic tale touches on the importance of cherished memories, the innocence of friendship as well as the bittersweet feeling of growing up. Peter and Wendy is a well-loved story that is reinterpreted to be reached by wider audiences. The inspiration for the interior and exterior came from a passion for vintage typography and whimsical art. The intention was to marry decorative type with engaging and textured visuals. The book’s illustrations are appropriate for all ages, but there is an emphasis on drawing a more adolescent audience to reading this particular version of the story of Peter and Wendy. Because Peter and Wendy is a traditional book, the changes within the interior itself were minor details, such as font size and placement of headers and footers. The most important part of the interior design was the layout of the chapter numbers and titles. This version of Peter and Wendy incorporates illustrations with both a sketched and lino cut quality to compliment the elegant type. The publication’s illustrations and typography blend to appeal to a modern audience, but still pay homage to the original. The illustrations resemble those that could have been scrawled by the main character, Wendy, as she recalls her adventures with Peter and the Lost Boys in Neverland. Wendy Darling is known to be a very creative and talented girl, shown several times throughout the story as she enjoys spending time sewing and repairing clothing for Peter and the Lost Boys. The illustrations throughout the book represent Wendy’s meticulous nature, while still capturing a more juvenile aesthetic. The imagery in the book is presented as more of a documentation of Wendy’s experiences, rather than an outside party’s interpretation.

Each typeface plays an important role throughout the cover and interior of the book. The typeface Fire Flight is used to represent both Wendy and the extraordinary adventures she has in Neverland. The ornate, decorative typeface is also used as the main type for chapter titles, sparking interest and intrigue in the reader. Fire Flight works well in conjunction with the book’s illustrations. The ornate and whimsical design of the Fire Flight typeface, along with a comfortable body copy and engaging visuals combine in order to create dynamic transitions that keep the reader engaged from start to finish.

Department: Design Studies 

Faculty Mentor: Constanza Pacher