Upswing Jump Rope Station
15-Love is a young adult LGBTQ+ coming-of-age novel centered on a high school tennis player navigating identity, ambition, and first love. I designed and illustrated the complete cover system for the book, translating the story’s emotional themes into a contemporary visual identity optimized for both digital storefronts and print distribution. The final artwork was produced for paperback, e-book, and promotional formats, ensuring strong thumbnail visibility across major publishing platforms.
Client
Vincent Russo
Art Director/Illustrator
Julia Donahoe
PROBLEM
The debut novel had no existing visual identity, marketing assets, or cover design.
The cover needed to clearly communicate multiple themes—tennis, high school life, and LGBTQ+ identity—without feeling cliché or overly literal.
The design had to perform effectively in two very different environments: physical bookstore shelves and small digital thumbnails.
Typography and composition needed to remain legible and visually compelling at Amazon listing sizes.
The artwork needed to appeal to a Teen and Young Adult audience while maintaining a contemporary, emotionally authentic tone.
Deliverables
Illustrated Book Cover Design
Typography & Title Treatment
Print-Ready Paperback Artwork
E-Book Cover Assets
Amazon Storefront Graphics
Promotional Marketing Assets
PROCESS
Collaborated directly with author Vincent Russo to understand narrative themes, character identity, and the emotional tone of the story.
Conducted visual research across the Young Adult LGBTQ+ fiction market to identify genre conventions and differentiation opportunities.
– Developed multiple illustration concepts exploring composition, character depiction, and symbolic tennis elements.Iterated typography and layout to ensure legibility at thumbnail scale for digital storefronts such as Amazon.
Refined color palette and illustration details through multiple design reviews with the author.
Prepared production-ready artwork optimized for print and digital publishing platforms.
SOLUTION
Designed and illustrated the final book cover featuring the protagonist in a contemporary tennis setting that reflects the story’s emotional themes.
Created a bright, modern color palette combining cool blues and greens with accent tones to evoke both calm and energy.
Integrated subtle visual cues—such as clothing details and accessories—to communicate identity and character development.
Developed typography optimized for readability across both physical books and small digital thumbnails.
Delivered production-ready cover files for paperback, e-book platforms, marketing assets, and online storefronts.
RESULTS
The novel reached #7 in Gay Fiction for Young Adults on Amazon within three weeks of release.
The book currently maintains a 4.8-star customer rating on Amazon.
The cover design helped establish a strong visual identity for the author’s debut novel and marketing presence.
Artwork was successfully adapted across paperback printing, e-book thumbnails, storefront listings, and promotional materials.
