Grey Memoir And Autobiography Book Cover Design (Featuring gradient, glow, and splashes)

Visuals: The cover features a cracked, shattered mirror prominently in the center, symbolizing brokenness. Behind the mirror is a blurred figure of a person sitting on the floor, head in hands, evoking emptiness and struggle. The background is textured with a gradient that starts as deep grey at the top and fades into black at the bottom. In the upper middle section, splashes of dark red subtly resemble streaks of anger and emotion, setting the tone. A faint, haunting glow in dark blue surrounds the edges of the mirror for contrast.

Typography: The title, "Built from what broke me," is written in a bold, distressed font with cracked edges to mimic the shattered mirror's aesthetic. It’s placed at the top center of the cover. The author name, "Imogen McKenzie," appears at the bottom, in a clean and simple sans-serif font, slightly smaller in size and in white, understated to complement the somber mood.

Layout: The shattered mirror dominates the center of the cover. The title in distressed font sits above the mirror with proper spacing, while the author name is aligned at the bottom in a subtle, unobtrusive style. The gradient background texture and red streaks frame the mirror and text, ensuring visual balance and thematic consistency.

Explanation: The cracked mirror visually suggests the shattering and rebuilding represented by the memoir's theme, tying directly to the title’s meaning. The blurred figure behind the mirror evokes both isolation and introspection, inviting readers into the emotional depth of the story. Dark grey and black dominate the mood to signify emptiness and despair, while streaks of red subtly portray anger and passion, elements critical to the narrative. The typography's distressed style reinforces the theme of brokenness and rebuilding, mirroring the narrative's tone. The matte finish symbolizes heaviness and gravity, while the spot UV highlights and embossing give prominence to key design elements, helping entice readers through texture and contrast.