Today’s
blog is about something that is vital to the success of any book you write –
the cover design. To shine a light
on the alchemy of cover design I’ve interviewed freelance graphic designer Steve Wells, who has designed over 200 covers. He often
gets the call from publishers who want their newest book to be instantly intriguing
and eye-catching, packaged with a visual impact that everyone hopes will
convert into sales.
Steve
knows he will only get a fraction of a second – a glance from a browsing
customer - to get the idea of the book across and make them pick it up or click
online to see more. So how does he go about it?
Describe the kind of briefing you would get at the
very beginning of a cover design commission.
The cover is usually commissioned by the
publisher at an early stage in the process, so the manuscript will probably not
be available. I will be given a synopsis, a title and an idea of the age group
and the genre, and I will discuss with the publisher what they want to achieve.
Often we work with illustrators. The publisher
may have someone in mind or I may help look for an artist. Or, if it is a book
that needs a more graphic or type-led approach, I may do the whole thing
myself.
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| Covers with graphics and images created entirely by Steve. |
What would be a typical process be once you have
received the commission?
I will think about the brief and probably
sketch some ideas up. Sometimes a book prompts an idea that comes to
mind immediately. Sometimes it develops from the sketching stage. You can get
there straight away, but occasionally it is more of a struggle.
Once I have an idea I will put together a
brief for the illustrator, if we are using one. This will include anything I
know about the book, a sketch of my idea and examples of the illustrator’s work
that most closely resembles the kind of thing I have in mind. This brief is a vital part of the process. I want to give the illustrator the freedom to do their
best work, but with enough guidance for them to know where they are going. The
publisher will see and react to the brief and agreed with the direction
before the illustrator sees it.
The design is a distillation of ideas. I’m
trying to reflect the essence of the book – the author’s intentions translated
into visual terms that work at a glance. But also I have the reader in mind.
Will it intrigue them? Will it look appealing to them? A
cover designer needs to put their own ego aside in the service of a book.
The illustrator will supply sketches,
sometimes more than one. At this stage I’ll confer with the publisher again and
we will go back with any comments before the illustrator does the final art.
 |
| Covers with commissioned illustrations |
Sometimes buyers will only look at a thumbnail cover on the internet. Does that affect your design choices?
Less so than it did. It is still a consideration, but these days there is more emphasis on the physical book and making it a beautiful object.
Less so than it did. It is still a consideration, but these days there is more emphasis on the physical book and making it a beautiful object.
Do you work with market design trends in mind? What do you think those are at the moment?
There has been a big move away from
photography and mass market design to a much more handmade illustrated feel.
This is a trend that has been going on for a while and I think that it will
continue. It has resulted in some great design and a lot more work for
illustrators. There is a big emphasis on artisan values, I think, as a reaction
against the digital and CGI world.
Do you only ever work on book covers?
I do more general design work and sometimes illustration, too. I have illustrated over a dozen books for various publishers in the UK and elsewhere (my illustrations have been published in over 20 countries).
 |
| Covers that Steve has illustrated himself. |
It’s also very important for me to have my
own self-initiated projects that I can have fun with. That way I can explore
different avenues of thinking and retain my enthusiasm. I think that applies to
all of us, whether we are artists, designers or writers. We need to keep refreshing
our creativity.
 |
| One of Steve's non-book projects, his Mrs. Cat card range. |
Over
to the readers. Do you have any
thoughts or personal experiences of book covers you'd like to share? Do you like the look of the current Waterstones
tables? Have you recently bought a book based on its cover?
Moira Butterfield writes all kinds of books
for children. Her new Nosy Crow book – Welcome
To Our World – comes out in August of this year, and she loves the cover.
Steve Wells can be
found here:
One of his
self-initiated projects is a range of delightful Mrs. Cat cards, found here:
7 comments:
Recently discovered a new author (tom me) because the cover caught my eye, flipped over read the blurb and gave it a try. Have now read four of this authors books.
Good job by that cover designer!
Yes, I've also been seduced by a great cover to read a book, and then enjoyed it so much that I've gone on to read more by the same author. So Steve is absolutely right that the cover needs to "reflect the essence" of the book, as well as appeal to the potential reader. Excellent post, Moira!
Anybody who says they don’t judge a book by its cover is lying. I certainly do. Mind you, I have been lucky. I once discovered a wonderful author whose book had a dreadful cover because it was remaindered and I thought I could always give it to the second hand shop if I didn’t like it. I’ve been digging up his work ever since. Would I have bought it if it had cost full price? Maybe, if I picked it up and read the first page. But you have to pick it up first...
I know you have self-published recently, Lynne. Your covers are excellent thanks to your designer son, I believe. Many self-publishers get it very wrong, not realising how much thought it needs.
Somewhere on my blog is a post written by a cover artist, Duncan Long, who has some fascinating things to say about the process - and about having to deal with a committee of family and friends when self published authors are involved, his main market these days. You really have to know what you’re doing if you’re going to self publish a book.
I absolutely love Steve's first 3 covers presented in your post !
I'd like to read "The Happiness Quest", but I can't find it anywhere. I guess it's not published yet ? Do you know the name of the publisher ?
Thank you :)
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