Book Design: Milk and Honey
Original
New Version
My process for redesigning the book Milk and Honey is rooted in its exploration of sexual trauma, abuse, and female empowerment. To illustrate this, I drew a vagina as the central image on the cover, with a honeycomb pattern behind it and milk pouring from the edge of the page toward the vagina. To me, the milk and honey symbolize the healing of wounds held within a woman’s body, particularly the vagina, as a result of the various forms of abuse the book addresses.
When we think about bees, it’s worth noting that female bees are the workers and the procreators. Male bees die after giving all their DNA to the queen bee for procreation. This inherent empowerment in nature is something we should not overlook. The milk could also symbolize the fluid a woman produces, representing self-discovery and orgasms. That is powerful and defies the patriarchy's expectations of women by showing they can experience pleasure independently of men. The healing of these wounds is found within the female body, and reminding readers of this is what I feel the book’s message conveys. These are the key reasons I chose this type of illustration.
When it comes to the specifics of how I chose each color, the structure of the honeycomb, or how the milk would appear, it’s challenging to articulate. I often have a vision in my head when creating a design, and my next step is to find a good reference photo to help bring that vision to life.
Creative Writing
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What’s an opinion you have that no one else has? Convince us to share that opinion.
An opinion that I have that no one else has is that the word writing should be spelled like writhing. When you say the word honestly, you say it more like a thing than a ting.
Besides, our writing is a thing on a piece of paper that holds physical value, created through our non-physical thoughts.
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Write down the shortest conversation ever?
Both wanted to say what was on their minds, yet either way, it wouldn’t change the direction of what was about to happen. A conversation took place—not through words, but through their eyes, speaking in silence.
Nothing needed to be heard. It was a reflection of the issue they had carried for so long—only through their eyes could they truly see eye to eye.
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What would the world look like without windows?
It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more.What the world would look like without windows is that we would heal generational atrocities.
We would stop looking through the window of what could be and instead take initiative. Right now, we stare through the glass, glamorizing and romanticizing a life we could have lived.
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What would be your job at the pirate ship?
My job would be a server. I grew up pleasing people and tending to their needs. I would say that making money this way made sense, so I continued being that person.
I would take customers' orders and ask what sauce they would like for their fries—just as I had done for the hundredth time for their fish and chips.