Quirk Classics’ Art of The Mash-Up Contest

Chances are, you’re familiar with the iconic “Zombie Lady” cover of the bestselling mash-up novel Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. Whether you’ve seen it on the shelves of your local bookstore, come across it while browsing news on the Internet, or even run into some very creative versions of the image walking around last Halloween, the “Zombie Lady” portrait has invaded your brain in one way or another.

Originally a portrait by artist Marcia B. Fox, Quirk Books designer Doogie Horner obtained the image from the Bridgeman Art Library in for use as the cover of the incredibly popular novel by Seth Graheme-Smith and Jane Austen. With just a few tweaks — some skin removed from the jaw line, redder eyes, and some blood stains — one of the most recognizable book jackets of recent history was born.

Since then, Quirk Books has used images from the Bridgeman Art Library’s collection to create cover artwork for their entire Quirk Classics series, which includes Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters and Android Karenina, as well as the upcoming release Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: Dreadfully Ever After, by Steve Hockensmith.

In honor of the March 22nd release of this final chapter in the Pride and Prejudice and Zombies trilogy, Quirk Books and Bridgeman Art Library invite you to create your own mash-up title and original book cover using a public domain book title and a fine art painting from Bridgeman’s collection. The catch? Interested participants only have until March 11, 2011 to submit their designs, so if you want a chance to submit your design then you need to get cracking!

The grand prize winner will have his or her artwork displayed at the Brave New Worlds gallery in Philadelphia during a First Friday event on April 1, 2011, will be entered into the HOW Design Conference in Chicago (June 2011; a $1200 value), and have his or her artwork featured in the April 2011 of GD USA Magazine. In addition, the winner will be featured on www.bridgemanart.com and in Bridgeman’s April newsletter, and also be featured on www.QuirkClassics.com. Ten runners-up will also have their artwork displayed at the Brave New Worlds gallery in Philadelphia, and be featured on www.bridgemanart.com and www.QuirkClassics.com. All eleven winners also will receive a Quirk Classics book collection.

For detailed information on how to enter the contest, visit www.bridgemanart.com/competitions. Remember, you only have until March 11, 2011 to enter! Also, don’t forget to check out Steve Hockensmith’s new book, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: Dreadfully Ever After, which is available for preorder from Amazon.com and other book retailers.