TINJAUAN DESAIN COVER PADA NOVEL WATTPAD “GEEZ & ANN #1” TERBITAN TAHUN 2020
A DESIGN REVIEW OF THE 2020 COVER OF THE WATTPAD NOVEL “GEEZ & ANN #1
Perkembangan platform menulis daring seperti Wattpad telah mendorong munculnya karya-karya fiksi populer yang kemudian diterbitkan dalam bentuk cetak, termasuk novel Geez & Ann #1 karya Rintik Sedu. Novel ini pertama kali terbit pada tahun 2017, lalu mengalami perubahan sampul pada edisi terbitan ulang tahun 2020, yang menarik untuk dikaji dari sisi visual dan makna. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menganalisis desain sampul novel Geez & Ann #1 edisi 2020 guna mengungkap elemen-elemen visual yang digunakan, makna tanda verbal dan visual yang terkandung di dalamnya, serta relevansi desain terhadap isi novel. Penelitian menggunakan metode kualitatif deskriptif dengan pendekatan Semiotika Desain Komunikasi Visual menurut Sumbo Tinarbuko dan kerangka pemikiran Triadik Sumbo. Analisis dilakukan melalui tahapan Tinjauan Desain milik E.B. Feldman, dengan penafsiran makna dilakukan secara kontekstual berdasarkan keterkaitannya dengan isi cerita dalam novel. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa sampul novel menampilkan ilustrasi bergaya watercolor yang komunikatif, simbolik, dan menggambarkan suasana emosional cerita secara halus namun kuat. Unsur-unsur desain seperti warna, garis, bidang, dan tata letak dipadukan secara harmonis untuk menyampaikan karakter, suasana, dan dinamika hubungan dalam cerita. Sampul edisi 2020 ini dinilai berhasil membangun komunikasi visual yang relevan dan bermakna terhadap isi novel.
Kata Kunci: Tinjauan Desain, Novel Wattpad, Desain Sampul, Semiotika, Geez & Ann #1
The development of online writing platforms such as Wattpad has encouraged the emergence of popular fiction works later published in print, including the novel Geez & Ann #1 by Rintik Sedu. First published in 2017, this novel underwent a cover redesign in its 2020 reprint edition, which is visually and symbolically compelling to analyze. This study aims to examine the 2020 edition cover to reveal the visual elements, meanings conveyed through verbal and visual signs, and the relevance of the design to the novel’s content. This research employs a descriptive qualitative method using the approach of Visual Communication Design Semiotics by Sumbo Tinarbuko and the Triadic framework. The analysis is conducted through the Design Criticism stages developed by E.B. Feldman, with contextual interpretation of meaning based on its alignment with the story. The results show that the cover features a watercolor illustration that is communicative, symbolic, and conveys the emotional atmosphere of the story. Design elements such as color, line, shape, and layout are harmoniously integrated to express characters, mood, and relational dynamics. The 2020 edition cover is considered successful in establishing meaningful and relevant visual communication that complements the content of the novel.
Keywords: Design Review, Wattpad Novels, Cover Designs, Semiotics, Geez & Ann #1