Mirror Horror Book Cover Design (Evoking horror, sad, and reflection)

Visuals: The cover features a cracked, antique mirror set against a faded, cold, and eerie black-gray room, with dim orange lighting spilling in like haunting streaks of a setting sun. The central focus is the mirror’s reflection—on one side stands a man with hollow, sad eyes wearing torn, grim clothes, and on the other side, his reflection is sinister, with a twisted, malevolent grin and glowing orange-tinged eyes. The reflection is slightly off-kilter, suggesting the two are entirely different beings. Around the frame of the mirror, faint ghostly handprints and whisper-like streaks create suspense and unease. The texture of the mirror glass is cracked and frost-veined, adding a fragmented, hopeless emotion.

Typography: The title “Beneath Their Eyes” is written in a haunting, distressed serif font with eroded edges, in orange-gray gradient to mimic the dim light and obscure details of the cover's theme. The author’s name, “Dwayne Jules Bali,” is in all caps in a subtle but minimalist sans-serif font, placed discreetly in the bottom left corner in a muted gray tone.

Layout: - The mirror occupies the central space, with the conflicting reflections of the man dominating most of the upper and middle portions. - The title lies across the top in bold but weathered typography, hovering slightly above the mirror to anchor the design. - The author’s name is situated in the bottom left corner against the black-gray backdrop. The image elements bleed to the edges to create a seamless, immersive mood. - Subtle ghostly textures and fragmented glass blend the scene together.

Explanation: The visual composition balances horror and sadness by displaying the man’s life swap through the disjointed mirror reflections, symbolizing the eerie loss and terror of self. The dim orange-gray scheme complements the black to evoke an atmosphere that is both despairing and visually unsettling, while the cracked mirror and ghostly marks add tension. The distressed serif title font reinforces the decayed, unsettling ambiance, while the sans-serif font for the author’s name provides a quiet contrast to avoid distraction. The ultra-matte paper gives the cover a gritty, tactile quality, adding to the tone of hopelessness, while the soft gloss enhances select elements like the mirror cracks for visual impact.