Ellis Maraccini is a Graphic Designer and Illustrator based in Pittsburgh, PA. He works in Editorial Design, Print Production, and Branding.
- Book Covers
CtRl + S Publishing
Editorial Design
I create book covers and editorial illustrations that fuse traditional illustration techniques with bold visual impact. Using hand-drawn marks, texture, and expressive composition, I produce striking imagery while working closely with authors and editors to ensure each piece supports the story and tone.
This reinterpretation of The Secret History draws from the novel’s haunting atmosphere and intellectual depth, using a moody blue-and-black palette to evoke mystery, introspection, and the cold elegance of academia.
The design leans into themes of classical influence and psychological unraveling by using layered illustrations that suggest both structure and decay, a visual choice that directly mirrors the characters’ descent into moral ambiguity.
The stylized typography and composition balance sophistication with unease, inviting the viewer to uncover the truth through the layered pages. Ultimately, this cover serves as a symbolic threshold into the novel’s secretive, cerebral world rather than a simple visual introduction.
This design delivers a surreal, chaotic reimagining of Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas that mirrors its hallucinatory narrative and sharp satire.
For the central imagery, I used a pair of dice exploding with pills, bats, and iconographies of excess to represent the chaotic volatility of Raoul Duke’s journey. The winding road slices through a stark orange desert landscape, charting a clear course toward psychological unraveling.
Complemented by bold, distorted typography, the layout radiates manic energy and leans directly into the absurdity and danger of Thompson’s American Dream.
For the central imagery, I used a pair of dice exploding with pills, bats, and iconographies of excess to represent the chaotic volatility of Raoul Duke’s journey. The winding road slices through a stark orange desert landscape, charting a clear course toward psychological unraveling.
Complemented by bold, distorted typography, the layout radiates manic energy and leans directly into the absurdity and danger of Thompson’s American Dream.
This cover reimagines The Social Codes of Tech Workers through a visual metaphor that blends classical art with digital culture.
At its core is an edited, digitized version of Henri Matisse’s Dance, transformed to appear as though it exists entirely on a screen. This reinterpretation symbolizes the tension between human connection and the structured, often opaque systems of the tech world. Filtering a familiar fine art piece through a digital lens reflects how tech workers navigate identity, class, and community within the framework of digital capitalism.
The design’s clean layout and screen-like aesthetic echo the interfaces that define modern labor, while the repurposed artwork challenges viewers to consider what is gained and lost when culture is mediated through code.
At its core is an edited, digitized version of Henri Matisse’s Dance, transformed to appear as though it exists entirely on a screen. This reinterpretation symbolizes the tension between human connection and the structured, often opaque systems of the tech world. Filtering a familiar fine art piece through a digital lens reflects how tech workers navigate identity, class, and community within the framework of digital capitalism.
The design’s clean layout and screen-like aesthetic echo the interfaces that define modern labor, while the repurposed artwork challenges viewers to consider what is gained and lost when culture is mediated through code.