We walk through the bookstore and get bombarded by covers-galore. We see stuff that tickles our minds eye and begs for a glance and a hopeful read. We see things that make us feel sad, happy, humored, annoyed and downright disgusted. To name a few of the emotions that arise.

For most bookstores and publishers there is one thing that really matters: Sales. Most don't care if a dust jacket tells a story or puts a spin on our reality and how we view and digest information—as long as it sells. And that's fine—because their job IS to sell, and the designers job is to do the later. Few publishing houses have taken the time to foster a dynamic relationship with book cover designers. A relationship that results in beautiful and worthwhile publications. After all, it's a designers cover that puts the final seal of authenticity on a grueling process of conceptualizing, writing, editing, proofreading, designing/illustrating, and finally printing a great book.

Tickling the core of the popular mind and tapping into the subtle cultural aspects of our existence is not a notion divulged only by shrinks and artists. Everyday, book design masters like Chip Kidd, John Gall, Paul Buckley and Peter Mendelsund take the sum of their life's insight and understanding of the human psyche and mold it, shape it, and massage it to produce the most compelling solutions to todays books. Roberto de Vicq de Cumptich (God, what a name!), Jon Gray and Paul Sahre take metaphor to another level. Stimulating our mind and prying open our notions of what we think we know about the world around us. Weaving together the content of a 100+ pages (average) into a singular concept on the front of a book takes talent, insight, expertise and downright genius. Not many can do it—Not many can do it time and again.

The challenge of coming into work everyday, sitting down and producing a visual communication tool within a 6"x9" (average) space that is meant to stimulate the general public to pay $14.95 (average) to go on a mental journey is a task worth examining.

People look at a book cover and experience a range of feelings. the final feeling is the feeling of consumption. The desire to buy, to own, to have in hand. The desire of tangibility. Of holding that which the eye and mind wished and desired to possess. Amongst the many graphic designers of the word who produce stellar book covers and accomplish this task with repeated expertise and professionalism, few stand out to take the prize. While most will agree that stalwarts like Kidd and Gall rise above the rest in undisputed glory, hundreds of others (many women like Barbara de Wilde and young guns i.e. Mark Abrams) have silently gone about their duty in presenting the world with yet another book worth examining—and not for the content—but simply for the face value.

We are taught to not judge a book by it's cover. Yet time and again we get mesmerized by the covers that surround us and do just that. Are we suckers? Or are we all responding to the inner need for art, beauty and culture in our lives? The desire to get carried away to the place that the cover so vividly, abstractly, familiarly speaks of? Are we consumers or connoisseurs of living and experiencing as much as life can offer—even if it be in the pages of a book?

The covers of the above mentioned book designers are worth examining. If not for anything more than to learn. Learn to look at life differently, appreciate it's nuances and dive head first into it's timeless and bountiful splendors. No more culturally inspired and stimulating art class and lesson in psychology can be had then a preview of the works of these engineers of our visual times. The TV spews images that flash in and out of our minds. The book cover image sticks, festers and plants itself firmly in our culture. It influences us, takes us for a ride and spits us out. And in the least, it's fun to look at, hold in your hand, smell, hear the pages turn and the binding crack as you submerge yourself in it's telltale leaves.

Here's to book covers and their designers. The good ones, the bad ones and the ugly ones. Well, mostly the good ones;) Over and out...

Ian's blog | | |