When I designed this cover, I thought about embodying the story through color, font style, and composition. The colors red, black, and white are important to this story in terms of the story’s overall mood and its moral, Alimah’s music, and spirituality. I remember showing this cover to a close friend, and he told me, “She looks pissed off at somebody”. Well, yes!—she’s pissed off at fulfilling a dream at a dangerous cost. I had her gazing off into space as this reminds me of being depressed and feeling defeated, yet operating through each day on autopilot, eyes emptily focusing on an end goal while your mind is trying to keep you alive.
The colors—red, black, and white—symbolize sacrifice (red), chaos and transformation (black), and salvation, purification, and freedom from chaos (white). The occult meanings of these colors apply to Alimah’s musical and spiritual journey, but they also refer to the themes of the occult and religion in the novel. The meanings are further explained below (taken from [site name]): https://runelore.it/en/satanic-magic/meaning-of-colors.html (For the record, I am not a Satanist or anything similar 😉).
BLACK
Black absorbs and hides and creates confusion and chaos, new beginnings, knowledge of hidden things, is the container of light, one of the most powerful color. Use black for the self-control, time and patience. Black is also a good color to use to bring discord and confusion within the enemy. It can also be used for protection, wrap negative energy, breaking barriers and blocks, reverse and destroy negative thought forms. It ‘s better if applied to others. Black controls the base chakra, the planet Saturn, the earth element and the original religions, it means new beginning. Satanic alchemy, black represents the step into the void of meditation and transformation.
RED
Energy, passion, anger, inflammation, lust, strength, protects against psychic attacks. Mars rules the red. Revenge, anger, pure sex drive, physical gratification, courage, determination, confrontation with the enemy. Red is used to incite incidents, fires, and injuries. Red can also be used for self-esteem, athletics, strength, magical energy to create black magic (good for the strengthening of themselves before performing black magic) and inducing intensity. Incites lust, energy, strength, sexual energy, dynamism, passionate love, physical desire, courage, willpower, athletics (especially racing) and vitality. Used in the black, red, unlike the black door immediate attacks, accidents, blood, violence and hatred. The red can be used to incite war, anarchy and cruelty. Mars rules the red. Red is the element of fire. Both red and white rule the base chakra.
WHITE
For each order, balance the aura, because all colors originate from white. Energy, security, stimulation, inspiration, destroys destructive energies, cleanses the aura. Provides protection when applied to others and direct. The Moon rules white. The White governs the third eye, along with indigo and silver.
Alimah’s salvation was represented by the White symbolism found in right-hand path spirituality and the color white for the crown chakra, as she awakens from the “spell” (i.e. the fame, money, hedonism) drugs, etc.) and is enlightened after surviving the industry.
I had selected grungy and bold, industrial fonts for the cover, as this is to represent Alimah’s rock music and the raw style of the story.
As an experienced graphic artist, I understood the importance of how font design on book covers should embody the story, central character (s), and the genre. Readers should have an idea of the kind of story they will encounter by the cover design, and font plays an essential role in achieving this. So I created a consistent mood from the front cover design to the back cover down to the style of my author picture. And my author picture represents the type of writer I am—can you guess what kind of writing I like based on this picture???
To see more of my artwork, visit my online portfolio at www.eklektacreative.com.
If you want to learn more about the esoteric meaning behind the colors red, black, and white you can visit these pages here:
Kenya Nelson | Writer 
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