Studio concept, children's
Tiger in the Teacup
A picture book concept with a character you can hold
The brief
What the concept set out to do
Design a bright, funny cover for a picture book about a very small tiger who lives in a teacup. The character must look cuddly, not fierce.
Approach
Design decisions
- The tiger peeks over the rim of the cup, which creates an instant story: how did it get in, and what happens next?
- Thick outlines and flat colour are chosen for print reliability and for the way they look on a shelf among busier covers.
- The hand-lettered title has the bounce of a read-aloud, which is how most picture books are sold.
- A polka dot background adds play without competing with the character.
What it demonstrates
Building a character simple enough to repeat across every spread of the book and on merchandise.
Deliverables shown in this concept
- Front cover concept
- Character turnaround sheet
- Endpaper pattern from the background
Books A Nation's contribution to a studio concept is the whole design: concept, typography and artwork. For client books, our contribution is stated on each project only once the author has confirmed it.
Want this approach on your own book?
Our cover design and illustration service starts with a brief like the one above and ends with files you own.
Related reading: Print and ebook formatting checklist
