Stage I
Our first concept was to collage images of the ocean and a drop of water "just about ready to make the final commitment and let go." The leaf is scary, the ocean and leaf don't gel, the typeface is too florid, and a variety of creative compromises would be necessary to make this concept work. Let's chuck it!

Stage II
Taking the advice of Thoreau ("Simplify, simplify, simplify"), we focused on the ocean itself. The gorgeous expanse of golden water and sky leads to a contemplative mood. We selected a lighter, looser, friendlier typeface and worked on emphasizing key words, but this composition interferes with the expansiveness of the ocean image. The type will be difficult to differentiate from the background. We're just not there yet.

Final
We pulled the type off the image and had it frame the ocean instead. This allows the eye to plunge into the scene and the mind to contemplate the significance of the quote. We placed everything on a golden background and then ghosted the ocean image on top of that in order to get more texture and color variation. Rounded corners, italic type, and drop shadows help soften the entire image. Adding the attribution helps ground the piece so the eye isn't constantly swinging back up to the top. All in all, a soothing and meditative piece, perfect for the quote.