I sought to create a cover redesign that challenges the typical portrayal of pioneering Americans blazing the westward trails in a heroic sense, by instead focusing on the indigenous perspective.

Using imagery from Albert Bierstadt's painting "Indians Spear Fishing," I chose to place the painting's subjects on the cover, with the words "WESTWARD EXPANSION" beginning to surround them. By placing the words behind them, I wanted to create a sense of foreboding, with "WESTWARD" creating a sense of motion towards the indigenous people as the shadows of "EXPANSION" cast into the waters surrounding them.

Color-wise, I opted for a more desaturated palette than the original painting to further that ominous sense of what's to come as a result of the race to settle the west.