Undercover, by Bastien Contraire

Bastien Contraire, Undercover
Bastien Contraire, Undercover

Paris-based graphic designer Bastien Contraire has created Undercover, a book of duotone stencil images grouped together with one “odd one out” for readers to find.

Each page shows a range of similar things, such as fruit, hats or dogs, in which one of the group is slightly out-of-place. Some spreads show subtle visual jokes – an egg is the out one out in a group of birds – and no text is used.

The cover’s typography and book’s spine use the same green and pink tones as the illustrations themselves, and throughout the design the texture of stencilled images is shown in lettering and background colours.

Contraire is the founder of Papier Gaché, an independent publishing house that distributes artist books, illustration and independent comics.

Undercover is published by Phaidon on 12 September.

Bastien Contraire, Undercover
Bastien Contraire, Undercover
Bastien Contraire, Undercover
Bastien Contraire, Undercover
Bastien Contraire, Undercover
Bastien Contraire, Undercover