Primo Levi — The Periodic Table
Cover design for Penguin Essential version of the classic story
overview
For the Penguin essentials edition of Primo Levi’s The Periodic Table, we were tasked with creating a cover that captured the scientific, historical, and personal narrative of the book. The brief focused on reflecting both Levi’s chemistry background and the wartime context in which the story is set.
Concept & Execution
We used a custom metal stencil to hand-draw each element on the cover, reflecting Levi’s meticulous attention to detail and the experimental nature of chemistry.
The stencil elements were informed by Soviet-era air maps from the Second World War, nodding to the book’s wartime setting and Levi’s personal history.
By drawing each element by hand, scanning, and digitising the work, we combined a human, handcrafted quality with modern production techniques, emphasising the fusion of science and story.
OUTPUT
I led the design and production of the cover, including the creation of the custom metal stencil, hand-drawing and scanning each element, and finalising the layout for print.
The project required close attention to alignment, scale, and typographic precision, balancing readability with conceptual integrity.
Conclusion
The resulting cover embodies both the scientific rigor and historical resonance of The Periodic Table, marrying handcrafted technique with wartime visual references.
The work sits alongside Penguin’s design heritage while standing out as a thoughtful, tactile interpretation of Levi’s iconic text.
