Neverwhere

I did a design for the cover of Neil Gaiman's Neverwhere around the ideas of keys. The object itself, a literal key, plays largely into the plot of the book but so too does the idea of opening doors and unlocking things; be they worlds, trials, or doors to other places. I wanted the design of the key to be a bit ornate to reflect on the fantasy of the book as well as the society Gaiman invents. It's one of strong tradition, legend, and ritual. It's also a world of many secrets, and so even the key itself has the shape of a keyhole on it.
When I started the project, only the key initially came to mind but it wasn't a strong enough concept to move forward with. Later, I thought I could tie in notions of perception and reversal by using the Rorschach pattern. The main character is mentally tried throughout the novel and several times the idea of insanity comes into play, so I figured the iconic inkblots could embody those connotations.