Third project: Penguin- Initial response

I decided out of the two ideas for the third project, that I will go ahead with the Penguin Student Design Awards. This is because as I began reading it, I started thinking of different ideas. Whereas the other brief, the "diversity in Children's book" article, would be more difficult to create new and interesting illustrations. 
 

Here's my initial response of the title and the synopsis. The first sketches don't match with the plot and age group of the book. If I was to recreated this I would draw Hazel and/or Daisy standing in the gym and their shadow is the chalk outline. As I started reading the book, it became clear that this was set in the 1930's so I wanted the typography to show this and I started practicing different styles and fonts that are inspired by art deco. 

When I reached descriptions of characters in the book I created a quick sketch of how I would represent their characteristics. The first two characters I drew were Hazel and Daisy, the two protagonists. Although I wouldn't use these for the front cover, this experimentation was a way to remind myself of how the characters looked and acted. I also illustrated the victim; Miss Bell, the Headmistress and "The One"- the music and art teacher who has had a relationship with Miss Bell previous to her death.