Book Jackets

My pride and joy. I redid my book covers over winter break and couldn't be happier with how they turned out.  I created collages from old medical textbooks that depict the main character of each story.

Judge a Book by its Cover

 All images from Penguin Books

I started thinking more about the book jacket asignment. Reading the forward to Pemguin 75..., it made me think of what the book cover actually is. Chris Ware put it rather well:

"Concomitantly, the book cover has evolved from a simple protective wrapper into something of a contemporary striptease between author and reader, both as a means of drawing attention to and selling the book, or amplifying and even extending the book itself into the reader's mind and fingertips."

How much do we rely on a book's cover when we are deciding to buy? I would say it depends and yes I know that's so vague. If this is an established class - say Pride and Prejudice - then cover art is less important in terms of selling. If this is a new work, then I would agree that a really cover cover design can be so enticing and pull the buyer right in.

Designer: Coralie Bickford-Smith

All images from www.cb-smith.com

Project: Book Jacket Design

The Project:

Design a series of three related (genre, style) dust jackets. We have an option of varying hardcover novel sizes.

I'm very excited for this project. I've always been drawn to book jackets, namely vintage ones.

From Design Related

From Found in Mom's Basement

I was at a used bookstore yesterday and fate was smiling at me because I found a used copy of Penguin 75 Designers, Authors, Commentary (the good, the bad...). Paging through it I think I may have found a calling.