Brad Whittington Covers: Balancing Consistency and Creativity for an Indie Author
CLIENT
Brad Whittington
DATE
2012-2013
INDUSTRY
Publishing / Fiction
SCOPE
Book covers for print
Project Overview
Brad Whittington, an award-winning indie novelist, reached out for help designing covers that would align with the look of his existing titles while bringing new visual stories to life. With a clear direction in mind—white borders, bold distressed typography, and collage-style visuals—Brad was looking for a designer who could match his brand but still bring fresh creativity to each book.
Objectives
Maintain consistency with Brad’s established cover style across a new set of titles
Incorporate multiple visual elements to reflect key plot points or tone
Ensure visual cohesion across genres (mystery, Christian fiction, surreal fiction)
Create compelling full-wrap covers for print books
Design Approach
Each cover was designed with layered imagery and a strong conceptual hook. Photoshop played a major role in compositing multiple photo assets, adjusting color grading, and creating cohesive scenes from disparate parts.
Muffin Man: A mystery with a surreal edge, this cover features a massive muffin looming over a Texas highway, contrasted with a sheriff’s badge and muscle car for a bit of noir flair.
Postcards from Fred: The fourth in a Christian fiction series, the design centers on vintage postcards and mailboxes, set against rural Texas fields and a nostalgic sky.
Endless Vacation: A murder mystery set in Mexico, this cover contrasts tropical serenity with subtle menace—a hammock, sunglasses, and a hand half-buried in the sand with a trickle of blood.
The white border and bold block title font were retained across the series to keep the visual identity unified, while each design leaned into genre cues to spark reader curiosity.
Tools & Workflow
Design: Photoshop, InDesign
Collaboration: Direct feedback and stock photo selection process with the author, multiple rounds of color/font testing to land on the final version
Results & Impact
Three genre-spanning covers that align with the author’s brand and readership expectations
Highly detailed compositing that stands out both online and on the shelf
Consistent visual branding across a growing body of work
Why This Project Matters
This set of covers is a solid example of how to bring individuality and specificity to each title while staying true to an indie author’s established visual voice. With strong creative direction and trust, the process became a true collaboration that elevated each story’s impact before a reader even turned the first page.
Testimonial
“I first selected Amanda as the artist for my indie book covers based on seeing a book cover she did on her website. I had specific design requirements for the new cover to match the look and feel of my three existing novels. In addition, I mentioned four elements I’d like to see in the new cover. She came back with two excellent designs and I knew in that moment that Amanda would be my go-to designer for all my covers. She continues to nail it with every new novel. She does excellent work, keeps me in the loop when selecting stock images, and indulges my whims to see titles in different colors or fonts until we get the perfect look. I can’t recommend her highly enough.”
