Book Cover Crit
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- epigraph0
I do think a lot of the entries will be some shade of blue, and show some interpretation of an island.
Thats not to say it's the wrong approach for the cover, a contest is just a different dynamic than an actual commission. I think they are inclined to pick something that stands out rather than the best cover.
- ********0
Text itself stands for the land-piece everyone is looking for. Takes 1 minute to get it and that makes it very good and explorative. Brilliant concept in my opinion, especially when manipulating the title vs the image. Very good, I say. That doesn't mean you can't try using waves/seagulls placement into a more graphical equilibrium. Seems to lean on the right instead of taking the whole board.
- I'm pretty sure nearly everyone got the 'text' is the island .Jnr_Madison
- WeLoveNoise0
really like the concept
like the simplicity of it. And now u changed the type it has that "little says more" feel to it- good to c people r uploadint heir own works nowWeLoveNoise
- Dancer0
Hey Skt,
Love the idea. but I wonder how this cover refelects the content?
Need to read the story really, but as a cover I like it. Like others say – more contrast would be good
- ********0
Cheers Dancer, book isn't out until 2009 so can't read the story...
Just have this synopsis. Which i guess i have largely ignored.
A chilling novel about the near future, where most of the world has been destroyed by catastrophic floods. As a father and his three children begin to rebuild their lives alone on an island, his youngest son Finn begins to question how they arrived there and why they alone have been spared. Finn's search for understanding takes an unexpected turn when a strange man named Will swims ashore, and he appears to know quite a bit about this family and the circumstances that surrounded the floods. But Finn's father is determined to keep him silent and is willing to do anything to prevent Will from disturbing his family's idyllic life on the island. Sam Taylor's The Island at the End of the World is a riveting post-apocalyptic tale that explores the darkness that lies within the hearts of men.
- kelpie0
book covers shouldnae give you the bloody plot by the way, they aren't blockbuster movies; I'd actually be interested (considering some conversations we've had on here in the past) when the last time most of QBN actually bought or read a work of fiction was. Anyway; the best book covers for me choose an image of some sort which refers to something in the story but in a more illusory way which reveals itself after the books been read, or refers to something which will be picked up on by people who are familiar with the story in the case of reprints (the glass of milk cover for clockwork orange which is kicking about now for example, is brilliant).
I like yours skt, though I wonder if the cover of a book which "explores the darkness that lies within the hearts of men" should have a more powerful effect, where you've gone quite soft with the look; but at the same time I get something of the mystery of 'the island' in that look.
yeah, and a bloody great font by the way.
- caoimh0
I think it's real nice!
"but the title is the island at the end of the world"
maybe the 'f' decender could go a bit the horizon??
- neue75_bold0
It's nice, clever and simple.. My only doubt is how eye-catching it might be...
maybe push the title/water right up to the top so the title half bleeds into the white border?
- but then what would happen to the seagulls?neue75_bold
- die I suppose...neue75_bold
- nah, don't think that'll work...neue75_bold
- omg, we can't kill the seagulls.********
- indeed, they are the embodiment of the end of the world...neue75_bold
- it wold have been better if upside down vultures could look like waves... but what can i do?********
- Seagulls = Harbingers of death...neue75_bold
- only the really big ones in aberdeen that have grown tired of eating chips. and now eat babies.********
- well someone needs to eat aberdonian babies. I for one salute the gullkelpie
- I wouldn't fancy taking on an aberdonian baby...********
- ********0
can i get away with a lower case title... i was a bit worried about the capital E in end below the horizon?
- This is lovely. Better contrast for type...Concrete
- thanks concrete!********
- ********0
i like it a lot although I think the logo does distract from the design. I have seen version recently of penguin covers that hark back to classic covers where the penguin is black and white and in the centre without the oval behind it? White out would be a preference but the guideline do state that it has to be full colour when the cover is full colour...
- ********0
I like it and did prefer the first one though I do agree that it may not have much standout on the shelf, although conversely, by being so simple against the other bright and loud books fighting for attention yours may actually standout in that way.
I wonder if you could play on the old idea that you would 'fall off' the end of the world by having the words 'end of the world' hanging upside down from the baseline as if they have tipped over on a hinge if that makes sense.
- i know what you are getting at, but i think legibility would suffer too much.********
- true********
- i know what you are getting at, but i think legibility would suffer too much.
- Jnr_Madison0
I know what would make it stand out, draw a big dick with lines of spunk... my god, I think I've got it!
- JerseyRaindog0
Hope you don't mind skt but I sent a link of this thread to a pal at Penguin uk for an honest crit. I said I like your design but feel it's a bit quiet for a book design. His response in full:
"It's hard for me to comment since this looks to be an American competition. Like many in British publishing, I simply do not get American book cover design. I think the feeling tends to be mutual. I can't even remember the last American cover I thought was even passable let alone not plain bad. In conclusion, I agree with you. It's a bit bland, and looks like a classic. Quite clever, though. But not a grabber. I haven't read the book and it is published by Faber over here. I can't think of any editors with either the imagination or the interest to read let alone buy this title in Penguin."
- um, thanks, but if i had wanted it looked at in penguin i would have sent it to my girlfriend who works there.********
- but haha, he sounds like he is as happy in is job as everyone else in penguin uk.********
- No worries skt. Where does your girlfriend work? The strand?JerseyRaindog
- aye.********
- Does show know Col Brush? Tall lanky guy with unruly hair, looks like a pirate?JerseyRaindog
- dunno, will ask her. it's a big office though.********
- Aye. Sorry 'bout that. No harm meant sending it.JerseyRaindog
- no worries mate.********
- i'd have been pleased if he had liked it.********
- um, thanks, but if i had wanted it looked at in penguin i would have sent it to my girlfriend who works there.
- 23kon0
nice :)
maybe the author name is smaller than the title?
make the logo bigger!!
BIGGER!!!!!
- chossy0
I like it, however what would it look like if you tried to build a little sort of mountain out of the words?.... center it a little etc. or is that totally obvious and contrived ?... this thread is like 70 odd posts long so I dinae know if anyone has suggested it and etc. JUST GET IT DONE OK!!.
- i think i suggested it on the other page, but then i just woke up so i'm not sure if we're even having this conversation7point34
- R-aI0
Personally I judge every book by it's cover!... (ahem)...
I bought Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell purely on the gorgeous hardback sleeve, turned out that it wasn't too bad to read as well!
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Cloud-At…skt - I'd turn your book around to read what it was about and find out how much it cost. Which for me is: job done.
I like the way the bottom of the title is behind the horizon. I prefer the blue in the latest treatments. But I do like _03's capitals.I don't care that there is no relevance to content. I think the design sums up the title.
- ********0
well, just submitted the version below... might do another one if i have the time. thanks for all the feedback.
- ********0
Good luck, I do like it a lot!!
- jaylarson0
Just saw the Creativity mag with this contest. Did you ever hear back Paul? I like this ^ design better than many in the mag.