Book Cover Archive

Using the bookcoverarchive.com, I searched by the two typefaces that I've been using for my Typography I page designs: Caslon and Bodoni.

Only 5 total book covers were found in the search for the Caslon typeface. I have included them below: 

The type arrangement is a bit weak, but the imagery is vibrant and interesting.

This is one of my favorites, it is simple yet interesting, legible, and conveys the message.

The following book covers made interesting use of the Bodoni typeface:

The following examples below are book covers that are based on type. They vary from simple to complex, and vary in the use of color, bold, roman, and font size to convey the message.

Books

For this assignment we were instructed to visit 2 local bookstores and find at least 5 book covers and first pages that exhibited great design. I went to the Dusty Book Shelf in Lawrence and Barnes and Noble in Topeka. My selections are below:

The page above is taken from Charles Dickens "A Tale of Two Cities". It is a clean and simple design that uses font size, small caps, and a shift from bold to roman in order to make the famous first line stand out: "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times...".

The above book cover is from a book that is a local success. The cover uses a combination of text, color, and a background image to effectively draw the reader and make the message clear.

The book by Veronique Vienne is full of great typography and design. The cover is one of my favorites with its successful use of color and type.

The first page also comes from the book, "The Art of Being a Woman". The leading creates a very light feel and draws the readers attention to the first paragraph.

Taken from the book, "The White Tiger," this first page effectively distributes the first lines of text with lists, bold to roman variations, and italics. It is very easy to follow.

Shantaram, by Gregory David Roberts, has a very interesting cover. The simple silhouette, using only two colors, shows the reader the setting and culture of the book (India). The style of type and placement is also very cohesive with the design.

This famous book, "Running with Scissors" by Augusten Burroughs, is very effective for the image selective. The type is meant to not take away from this but to enhance it.

This book cover is not necessarily my favorite, but it is successful for this type of book and its content. The use of handwritten type adds interests and frames the cover well.

This first page was taken from a book called "A Short Guide to Writing About Art". It very effectively distributes the lines and paragraphs in various ways to guide the reader through the page.

The above book, I found in the health and dieting section, did not make it to this blog for its amazing cover, but for the first page. It is a great example of the use of bold text in the middle of two bodies of text, in order to break up the page. 

Asymmetry

"Asymmetry: the rhythm in which we lead our lives."

If you ever stop to look for asymmetrical objects in your daily life, you will not have to go far. I discovered that asymmetry is not only a great design principle, it's everywhere: nature, architecture, sports, sidewalks, streets, signs, etc. The photos below should represent the quote above. Take a look:

This photo looking down through a fire escape represents both vertical and horizontal asymmetry.

I took this photo at the Japanese Gardens in Portland, OR. I had taken several photos of the staircases located throughout the gardens. After looking back on them, I noted that each set was built with a very purposeful twist at the end of the staircase to add interest with asymmetry.

The photo above was also taken at the Japanese Gardens. The unbalanced placement of the rocks is a classic example of asymmetry and is also a symbol of peace and relaxation.

I went to a baseball game and noticed that the players' batting stance also represents asymmetry. 

Coming home later one night in the city, we found our car was the last one standing. This perspective represents asymmetry as we looked down the middle of the otherwise abandoned street.

I snapped this picture in Lawrence near the K-10 highway where the street intersects the bike path. I noticed that the signs create asymmetry as they are generally scattered on either side on the road or sidewalk.

I took this photo while at my parent's house in the countryside over the weekend. This shed, built from barn wood, represents asymmetry and a perfect shelter for an old Chevy.

This stick propped up near the tree line struck me as a great example of asymmetry in nature.

My parent's home: vertical asymmetry.

Completed layouts: Designing a Book/Book as Design

Final Book Jacket Design

Spread 1

Spread 2 

Title Page

Author Bio

Table of Contents

Project Summary: Designing a Book/The Book as Design

For this project, we were to select a designer in our area of interest and design two double-page spreads. We found the images and wrote all of the articles for these spreads. We also designed the book jacket, title page, table of contents and author biography page. We then joined a group of 6 to 7 other students and combined our work in order to make a larger book. We all agreed on the title, however  the book jacket, title page, table of contents and author biography page  were unique to each individual.

Inspirational book jackets

When designing my book jacket, I started by looking at other designers book covers to see what worked and what did not. These were a few that I thought were particularly effective.

This book jacket was the first that caught my eye. It is  written in a scientific perspective by doctors. I think this is much more effective and clever with the use of chairs rather than a photograph or sketched image of a couple.

This book jacket was designed for a book called: One Red Paperclip: Or How an Ordinary Man Achieved his Dream with the Help of a Simple Office Supply. It is a very simplistic design, however the sheer simplicity of it encourages you to pick it up and find out what it is about. 

This last cover is one of my favorites. The large type on the textured red background is extremely effective.  Although I'm not sure what the book is about, the cover is compelling enough that I would pick it up if I were to stumble upon it at a bookstore.

Paul Rand: Portraits and Examples of Work

One of his first magazine covers as a young designer. 

Eye Bee M poster - IBM

A few of his many famous logo designs.