Adrian Jackson's Blog: Covers to Cover - Posts Tagged "how-to"
Big, bold and black
When the title of your book is, “How To Be Black,” there are only a few ways to go with cover design. HarperCollins Publishers decided on a deceptively simple white lettering on a black background designed by Lisa Stokes for Baratunde Thurston’s part autobiography/part social commentary. Just carrying this book around makes you seem like a radical.
The style of the cover is that of Paul Bacon’s Big Book Look. Bacon, a book cover design icon, made the “big title, big author look” popular. “How To Be Black,” the book cover comes off edgy and “in-yo-face!” Truthfully, the book is milder than what the cover leads you to believe. It is milk-through-your-nose funny and, if I can borrow Arsenio Hall’s bit for a minute, it makes you go “hmmmmm”.
A golden nugget in the design is on the back cover at the top where it says, “If You Don’t Buy This Book, You’re a Racist.” Perfection!
A+// Color evokes emotion, especially when “color” means “race”. Fantastic interpretation of the title.
B// The title stands out well, but the addition of the NYT Bestseller tag muddies it up a little. Of course, when you have a bestseller on your hands, you work it in.
A+// If I saw this on a shelf in a bookstore, would the spine grab my attention? You bet! Excellent design!
Covers to Cover
Book covers are often works of art. The design helps to tell the story and sell the book. Take a look at some beautiful cover art and read about why they work. Adrian Jackson is a publications manager
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