Ringling College of Art and Design alumna Julia Louisa Moellman designed the cover of the 2026 "Ripley's Believe It or Not!" annual book. Moellman, a senior graphic designer on Ripley's marketing team, has spent a decade at the franchise turning oddities into art.

Cover Design Blends Technology and Human Creativity

Her cover for "Ripley's Believe It or Not! Wired Into Weird," which went on sale Sept. 8, features a watery, saturated cyclone of color against a circuit board backdrop, centered on a human eye.

Concept Grew From Company's Push Into Technology

The concept grew out of conversations about the company's shift toward technology, Moellman told Ringling College in a profile published Sept. 17. While redesigning Ripley's company-wide logo months earlier, she said, the team discussed the brand's push into interactive experiences and remote-controlled robot characters at its attractions.

"I became interested in finding a balance between that technological future and the creative, distinctly human side of it," Moellman said.

She and her team drew inspiration from makeup palettes, paper stocks, building facades, window displays, shoes and clothing before filtering those ideas through vivid colors and circuitry. Moellman called the process "the ultimate scavenger hunt for ideas."

Decade at Ripley's Followed 2014 Graduation

Moellman graduated from Ringling College in 2014 with a degree in Graphic and Interactive Communication. She joined Ripley's shortly after and has spent 10 years contributing to merchandise, attraction galleries and the company's 100-year anniversary logo.

London Exhibit Work Earned Tim Burton's Approval

One standout project: designing marketing materials for a London exhibit centered on "Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children," a book she had been assigned while studying at Ringling. Tim Burton gave final approval on that work.

Ringling Education Shaped Her Design Approach

Moellman credited her Sarasota education with preparing her for the collaborative, research-driven demands of the job. She said Ringling taught her to consider the full scope of a project, including the research behind the visual design and making sure every detail has a purpose.

Book Launch Celebrated Over Two Days in Orlando

The 256-page book launched with a two-day celebration in Orlando on Sept. 7 and Sept. 8. Moellman, who is based in St. Augustine, summed up her fit with the franchise simply: "I've always been a bit of an oddity myself."