Principles of Visual Design LCC 2720 Instructor: Brian Schrank Book Cover Design
Book Cover Types …color manipulation in Photoshop Lecture Overview:
Generic Book Cover Template
Just do the front cover
… but do not follow the generic template!
“Book design should be matched with book conception. The designer should understand the book content totally and represent it visually.” —Jianping He
“A good book cover is like an honest smile and a firm handshake.” —Joe Marianek
“A good book cover is one that strikes a balance between presenting the experience of the book and capturing a particular vision or essence.” —Brett Phillips
Six Book Cover Types
Documentary Evocative Conceptual Typographic - Brand Packaged
Six Book Cover Types Documentary Evocative Conceptual Typographic - Brand Packaged
Brand Cover Double Purpose: –promoting individual title –promoting brand (or series)
Brand Cover
Six Book Cover Types Documentary Evocative Conceptual Typographic - Brand Packaged
Package Cover
Book Cover Types Documentary Evocative Conceptual Typographic -
Documentary Cover Representative image of what book contains “What you see is what you get."
Documentary Cover Photographic Literal
Documentary Cover Not a cover… –Like a first page
Documentary Cover Portal Stage
Don’t Do a Documentary Cover
Book Cover Types Documentary Evocative Conceptual Typographic
Evocative Cover Express emotions through forms, lines, shapes –100 Thumbnails Project Phenomenology –Synthesthesia
Evocative Cover Abundance Energy Splash Neo-Retro Trashy
Evocative Cover Feelings Associations
Evocative Cover Mood Memory Body images
Evocative Cover Uncanny Strange effect Body images
Evocative Cover Shock Body images
Book Cover Types Documentary Evocative Conceptual Typographic
Conceptual Cover Represent book's content through an amusing: –visual allegory –pun –paradox –cliché Seeing it causes a "smile in the mind” –“This book has a witty cover: I recognized its wit because I'm intelligent.”
Conceptual Cover Tiny “aha” moment
Conceptual Cover Universal Memory Cultural Cliché (Unexpected Design) So bad it’s good –Like high school
Conceptual Cover Symbol Super obvious –Children’s Book Worn wood grain texture makes it interesting
Conceptual Cover Self-referential Referential –Atlas
Conceptual Cover Take photographs...
Conceptual Cover Take photographs...
Book Cover Types Documentary Evocative Conceptual Typographic
Typographic Cover Text Integrated with image (irony)
Typographic Cover Text as Image (encyclopedic knowledge)
Typographic Cover Text as Image (emotional bits)
Typographic Cover Text as Metaphor (quantum physics is counter-intuitive)
How’s a book cover like a logo?
Good Logos are Distinct (from other logos, simple) Innovative (clever use of line, shape, text) Versatile (can be used in real world) Evocative (of company’s concepts/emotions)
Good Book Covers are Distinct (from other book covers) Innovative (clever use of image, type, form)
Good Book Covers are Distinct (from other book covers) Innovative (clever use of image, type, form) Evocative Conceptual Typographic
Now some Photoshop tips…