This is a graphic design piece and an illustration piece for the cover for the 50th anniversary edition of William S. Burroughs' breakthrough novel "Junky". The book quickly summarized is a detailing of Burroughs' experiences with Junk, or heroine, as well as many other drugs. The cover communicates this theme of drugs with the syringe symbol with a caricature of the artist's face in the center. the yellow color is off center, like a poorly registered print making the syringe a bit more ambiguous. My favorite bit is the needle itself that appears to be drawn with a steady brush stroke that ends so perfectly in a tear drop shape that echoes that of liquid dripping from a syringe needle. The artist is Credited to be Neil Powell who hand lettered the 'Chinese rocks' like typeface. The book was republished and distributed through penguin group. For more info on this design go to
The expression in that face is really suitable for a book involving heroin. It's a certain sleepy/dead-ish look that I've seen in people before. The drawing style is also unified with the type, as well.
ReplyDeleteI like the placement of yellow. It looks like it's the liquid inside the syringe decreasing.
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