Frankenstein (or The Modern Prometheus)

Book cover concept for Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein.

Published covers often feature the so-called Monster, but in this design, I chose to shift the focus from the creature to the creator and the deep feeling of abjection that led Victor Frankenstein to turn his back on his creation. The grotesque close-up lends ambiguity to the identity of the monster.

I am a big fan of Mary Shelley’s work and a big fan of horror movies, and I am well aware of how much the book and the film differ philosophically. Yet I tried to bring elements of the 1931’s movie adaptation that felt appropriate, such as expressionist dramatic lighting and the monochromatic palette - but also drew from nightmarish 1700-1800s etching prints and other horror films - such as The Shining and Rosemary’s Baby.

This proposal also responds to a controversial incident in Brazilian publishing. In the prestigious Jabuti Awards, a book cover for Frankenstein featuring a portrait of the Monster was nominated in the Illustration category. It was later revealed that the artwork had been generated by AI.

My work, hand-sketched and finished, combined with lettering roughly cut out from cardboard, sits directly against the AI-generated illustration - not only technically, but also pictorially.