The editorial design of this book was inspired by a dream the author once shared: a galactic system where every planet was a watermelon. This surreal vision became the foundation for the cover, designed as a solar system where the central watermelon visually evokes Jupiter — through its scale, texture, and magnetic presence. The result is a visual metaphor that merges imagination with clarity and sets the conceptual tone of the book.
Inside, the design follows a minimalist approach, where white space plays an active role in the composition. It enhances the reading experience, offering clarity and rhythm throughout the content. The project was guided by Dieter Rams’ principle “Less, but better”, stripping away visual noise to allow the essential to shine through.
Each chapter begins with a full-page image of a watermelon. As the book progresses, the watermelon subtly transforms — gradually sliced and prepared — until the final image: a human arm offering a bitten slice. This visual sequence mirrors the book’s journey, offering the reader a literal and symbolic taste of its content.
Typographically, the design uses scale and spacing to distinguish titles, quotes, and captions. All text is aligned to the left — never justified — allowing for asymmetrical compositions that add rhythm and personality while maintaining readability. This alignment choice reflects my own design language, which favours dynamic structure over rigid uniformity.
The book was developed in three different formats for Amazon: softcover, hardcover, and ebook. Each required specific layout adaptations, ensuring both visual coherence and functional integrity across platforms. The result is an editorial design that balances accessibility with identity — crafted for diverse audiences without compromising conceptual depth.
Copy, Filipe Oneline
A story within a story—like visual inception—that’s what great design brings to an editorial. The idea for the book was born from a dream of an infinitely powerful, ever-expanding watermelon 27 years ago. Only now does it make perfect sense. It symbolizes the kind of experiential intelligence the author carried—akin to how individual designers and their work connect with everyday people. What makes sense to one person through experience might not mean the same to another. It’s the same effect that great minimalist design has: it speaks to people in different, deeply personal ways. In other words, language—including the visual—resonates differently with different readers.. The cover of the book—Jupiter in the form of a watermelon—amplifies this mystery and adds a touch of jazz to the narrative. It’s a striking example of how text, imagery, and proportion come together in editorial design. Parallel to the story within, the design of The Unusual Place From Where Ideas Come to Life: Philosophical Thought and Techniques took shape. Inspired by Dieter Rams’ mantra, “Less but better,” the use of white space crafts an entire visual world inside the book. Each chapter begins with a fresh visual element of watermelon, and truly, there’s no such thing as too much of it. The illustrations subtly mirror the book’s title and narrative, infusing moments of humor—like the chapter on Luck, paired with a slice of watermelon missing its seeds.
Thank you Filipe.
