Client: The Big Ampersand Challenge Concept Study
Art Direction (AD): Rosário Durão
Tools: Adobe Illustrator
Conceptual Research: Rosário Durão & Strategic AI Research
Surfacing reinterprets Margaret Atwood’s novel through custom typography, positioning lettering as the core narrative device rather than a decorative element. Informed by close reading of the text, the design translates psychological fragmentation and rebirth into a physical visual experience, where the title’s volumetric, vertical letterforms enact the strain and resolve of emerging from submersion.
Careful use of depth, blending, and shadow allows the typography to feel both immersed and advancing, reinforcing the theme of endurance through pain. The author’s name is custom-lettered in a style inspired by Atwood’s signature, establishing literary authenticity and commercial clarity. The project reflects a research-driven, technically precise approach to editorial illustration and lettering for high-end literary publishing.
Curious about the 'how' behind the work?
I don’t just draw. I think through problems.
I put together a quick guide on my 5-Phase Design Thinking process—the same one I used for the projects you see here—offering a clear framework for turning complex ideas into focused visual narratives.