Book Cover Design

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Photo by: Brett Jordan @brett_jordan

Photo by: Brett Jordan @brett_jordan

Ever wonder what the cover of the book you’ve been writing in your head will look like? Does it make the process feel even more overwhelming? Well, it should. Every book is judged by its cover, so it better communicate fast. Here are a five step to get the book cover design process started.

  1. Decide if you will be self-publishing (recommended for first time writers) or submitting your work to traditional publishing houses (better for writers with multiple books). There are pros and cons with both of these choices.

  2. Write down the purpose of your book and collect images for inspiration that best describe how you want your readers to feel when they see your book. This will lead to layout ideas for your cover including text and colors. This is the fun part to explore and brainstorm many concepts. Take a look at your own book collection and separate the covers you find most attractive. Think about why you are attracted to those particular covers and then skim through the book to see if that cover best showcases the subject. Reverse engineer the thought process of the writer/publisher/designer to understand why that cover design was chosen. There are no wrong answers, this is a fun game of conceptual connect the dots.

  3. Start to notice fonts that fit the subject of the book. It’s important to separate your personal preferences from the needs and persona of your book. The book may be about you, however, choosing your favorite color and your favorite font will lead to unfavorable results and some confused people. When in doubt, keep to simple fonts in serif (with “feet” like Times New Roman), a san serif (without “feet” like Helvetica) or consider using your own handwriting.

  4. Sketch it out. It doesn’t matter how well you can draw, everyone can scribble sketch something. Start with a rectangle and begin arranging the text (in scribble) and an image if that will deliver the message of your subject. This is a long process and will change many times so keep an open mind. The best layout, colors, font combination will come together in the end. Trust the process.

  5. Be patient. There are lots of small details and issues that will arise so decide early on that you will be committing to see your book through to completion.

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Need More…

If you feel overwhelmed with your book cover design, you’re in luck. natalini offers graphic design services to help you through the creative process of designing your book cover. Send an email with your dilemma to ciao@natalini.design using “book cover” as the subject. Now, take a deep breath.

Brainstorming

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Photo by: Kaleidico @kaleidico

Photo by: Kaleidico @kaleidico

“It is easier to tone down a wild idea than to think up a new one.” - Alex Osborn

“Thinking up” was a concept by Alex Osborn of BBDO ad agency in 1942. That same year, Osborn released the book, “How to Think Up,” which covers the importance of generating as many ideas as possible. The practice of “thinking up” saved the agency by increasing their revenue to over $100 million by 1953. Osborn coined the term brainstorming in his next book “Applied Imagination.”

Here are Osborn’s Brainstorming Methods that can be applied to most decisions or quandaries that arise.

  1. Focus on Quantity

  2. Avoid Criticism

  3. Encourage Wild Ideas

  4. Combine and Improve Ideas

A pathetic side note confession: I saved my rejection letter from BBDO NY from twenty years ago. It was a long shot that I would have been hired so I was excited to simply have their letterhead.

Weekend Design & Wellness Project

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Photo by: Daria Nepriakhina @epicantus

Photo by: Daria Nepriakhina @epicantus

Grab the closest book, any book accessible. Now, open to a random page and read what’s right in front of you. When I do this, I open a book to exactly what I need to read in that moment. For some reason, the content always relates to what I’m experiencing or advice I need to apply. It’s also a great way for a busy person to get some reading in even if it’s only one page or passage.

My book recommendation with keeping on this week’s subject of branding is, “The Culture Code” by Clotaire Rapaille. This book made a huge impression on me many years ago. Clotaire Rapaille, is a marketing expert who has worked with major corporation around the world to help them understand how they communicate to their customers and how their brand or product is perceived in other cultures. For example; peanut butter’s culture code in America = “a mother's love” whereas in France peanut butter = “another processed food.” There is an emotional connection to peanut butter for Americans from Skippy commercials with a mom drawing a heart in the fresh peanut butter. I have to admit, I love to draw the heart in my newly opened, natural, non-Skippy peanut butter. This emotional connection made an imprint on me notwithstanding my lack of brand loyalty.

Which product’s brand messaging from your childhood created an emotional connection for you?

Take some time this weekend to expand your mind and heart. You are worth it and your friends and family will benefit from having a refreshed version of you afterwards.

Design Great

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Milton Glaser

1929 - 2020

Described as a modern renaissance man, Milton Glaser was a conceptual thinker, inventive and intelligent designer and illustrator. Milton Glaser is the designer of the infamous “I love NY” logo seen worldwide. Milton loved New York so much that he gave the city the logo for free and as of today it earns NYC $30 million per year. In 2009, Glaser was the first graphic designer to have received the National Medal of Arts Award.

Photo by: Vlad Sargu @vladsargu

Photo by: Vlad Sargu @vladsargu

Ingredients for great design: seamless user experience, solves a problem, is innovative, aesthetically pleasing, understandable, timeless and honest.

Want to give graphic design a try? Start by writing out your own name or initials as if it are the name of your company or product. Write the letters in lowercase, uppercase, cursive, scratchy quick/casual and serif (with “feet” as in Times New Roman) or san serif (without “feet” like Helvetica). Add colors if you have colored pencils or markers. Close your eyes and write them to take away some self criticism and let your inner child play for a bit. I can see the 80’s bubble letters coming and the graffiti paint drips and arrows too. Just let it out and keep going.

For all of the graphic designers reading this post, this is where you share your favorite personal work, a design tip or the work of your design inspiration.