OVER THE GARDEN WALL: SOULFUL SYMPHONIES LOGO & DESIGN
Over the Garden Wall: Soulful Symphonies series is an addition to Greg’s and Wirt’s adventures through The Unknown. Published by BOOM! Studios in a single issue form and as a collection. I worked on the subtitle logo, single issues and collected edition design.
Created by Pat McHale, written by Birdie Willis, illustrated by Rowan MacColl, colored by Dean Stuart, lettered by Mike Fiorentino, cover by Keezy Young, subtitle logo and design Marie Krupina
Being a passionate fan of the Over the Garden Wall Series, I aimed to infuse my admiration into the design process. My objective was to capture the eerie yet playful atmosphere of the series, incorporating subtle hints and elements from its captivating story. For the collection's back cover, I created a mirrored reflection of the front cover. However, this version acts like a fairy tale, revealing what unfolds behind the scenes. The seemingly dark shapes on the front aren't mere decorative elements but silhouettes of key characters from the story. Integrating these shapes also allowed me to repurpose a previously rejected logo option – the theatre ticket shape – seamlessly blending it into the barcode background.
For this project, I drew inspiration from Victorian-era theatre posters to capture the essence of the series theme. I designed each page with hand-drawn ornate frames and faded colors, emulating the vintage aesthetic. Using rough Photoshop brushes, I crafted the frames and intricately weaved ornaments into them, aiming to replicate the organic quality of ink bleeding onto paper. This process not only paid homage to the historical design style but also added a touch of authenticity, bringing the project to life with a rich, nostalgic visual appeal.
Initially, I crafted a narrower version of the credits page tailored for individual issues. When transitioning this design for the collection, I seized the opportunity to utilize the expanded space across a spread. This allowed for the incorporation of additional elements, enhancing the overall aesthetic to evoke a poster-like feel. I included the name of the theatre from the story and skull-shaped notes – the very same notes initially rejected for the logo, now repurposed as effective text dividers. The intro spread serves a dual purpose by not only introducing the storyline but also presenting all the characters in a manner reminiscent of a traditional theatre leaflet.
