Good Omens is such a fun story that I fell in love with after watching the Amazon series. Seeing the book's cover options, I decided to do a redesign. I wanted to focus my new cover on the dramatic goals of apocalypse-prevention, but simultaneously bring out that quirky feel that makes Good Omens so unique. To do this project, I used Adobe Illustrator to create my assets and then Adobe Photoshop to layer in textures.
Original Book Covers
While these covers are iconic, they struggle with several key visual issues, most notably an imbalance where typography dominates the page and leaves little room for imagery, amplified by the stark white or black backgrounds. More importantly, the serious, minimalist tone doesn’t reflect Good Omens’ quirky humor paired with dark, apocalyptic stakes. Additionally, by placing Aziraphale and Crowley on separate covers, the designs present them as independent figures rather than emphasizing the relationship that drives the story.
Brainstorming/Sketches
In the brainstorming phase, I focused on addressing the two main issues of the original cover: visual imbalance and a lack of tone and thematic clarity. That said, I was drawn to the imagery of Earth exploding marked with a bold crossed-out symbol, as it immediately sparks curiosity and makes the reader ask, “How the hell did that happen?”
Assets in Illustrator
Next, I created all assets in Adobe Illustrator, refining the text from my initial sketch and introducing new elements. Whirling clouds and stars surround the cover, representing Heaven looking down on Earth while adding a whimsical contrast to the heavier theme of the world literally exploding.
Textures in Photoshop
Finally, I added textures in Photoshop, experimenting with multiple directions before settling on a papery, collage-like aesthetic. Using warped paper, watercolor, gnarly fire, starry space, and crumpled metallic textures, I aimed to create a silly, anti-apocalypse scrapbook feel—something the characters might have thrown together themselves rather than a literal depiction.
Final Mockups
