Despite being a bit see/say, this cover does a wonderful job of communicating the mood of the content.
It’s intimate, it’s poetic, and it has an interesting tie-in to the way McGahern writes; it focuses on the tiniest detail of the foreground, while superimposing it over the shot of a larger picture.
—
, 2007-03-16 07:35:00 -0400
Well done… nice way to deal with all the copy requirements, too.
—
, 2007-03-16 07:41:00 -0400
I wonder what lake is on the cover?
I suppose the postcard has something to do with the book’s plot.
It’s too mushy-mushy for my taste, but it’s not bad. The picture is—well—lovely. If that’s what floats your boat. It’s not unique… just pleasant.
I like the fonts & colors—I don’t even mind the floating postcard in space motif—but the placement of the text on the postcard, to me, is askew.
The title of the book has wide kerning and leading between the letters, but the slightly smaller author name (which is not all capitals like the title) feels more condensed. The lopsidedness between title and author is not too cool in my book.
Frankly, I’d like the lake image and cover better if they tossed the postcard and just did large white lettering against the image. Probably a sans serif font for that.
Sorry but this just doesn’t have the same impact as most of Jon’s Covers.
The water competes with the floating post card. And what’s up with the ital “THE”. All the varigated type alignment is really not working.
—
, 2007-03-19 05:28:00 -0400
Once, when over in London, I was lucky enough to meet Gray. He showed me his awesome portfolio and when this cover appeared he explained that his late Great Grandpop had lived on the shore of this lake and because of this it was, by far, his favorite.
Great. So it’s me with my head in the stocks today. C-Dog once again I bow to your wisdom. T. Kamir, yes, it sucks bigtime. I’ve taken on board all of your comments and tweaked my design, hopefully I can get it in for any further reprints. Thanks again for all your comments. My Grandpop would be so proud.
You can see my revise here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/7472052@N08/427090062/
It’s getting heated in here :) Only thing that bug me is the centered type – seems like left-aligned text on the postcard would have reinforced the picture. Textures and colors are brilliant. I’ll get to work now.
Good grief. It’s a beautiful well-designed cover. Maybe if you were lucky enough to have gotten this assignment you would have designed it differently. But you didn’t.
such a beautiful cover- i just want to stare at it. it makes me want to read it immediately to see if the story conjures the same mood. i myself like the text, as well as the hint of postage.
really iemotional-.
Slowly ,very far from our world,a piece of hidden and precious earth . Would be great if the book is the door to enter this secret*
By the Lake
Despite being a bit see/say, this cover does a wonderful job of communicating the mood of the content.
It’s intimate, it’s poetic, and it has an interesting tie-in to the way McGahern writes; it focuses on the tiniest detail of the foreground, while superimposing it over the shot of a larger picture.
— , 2007-03-16 07:35:00 -0400
Well done… nice way to deal with all the copy requirements, too.
— , 2007-03-16 07:41:00 -0400
I wonder what lake is on the cover?
I suppose the postcard has something to do with the book’s plot.
— , 2007-03-16 09:21:00 -0400
Lovely color and wonderfull use of type.
— eric , 2007-03-17 13:31:00 -0400
Love the old postage look to the header label. Beautiful color contrasts.
— Blake , 2007-03-19 01:09:00 -0400
It’s too mushy-mushy for my taste, but it’s not bad. The picture is—well—lovely. If that’s what floats your boat. It’s not unique… just pleasant.
I like the fonts & colors—I don’t even mind the floating postcard in space motif—but the placement of the text on the postcard, to me, is askew.
The title of the book has wide kerning and leading between the letters, but the slightly smaller author name (which is not all capitals like the title) feels more condensed. The lopsidedness between title and author is not too cool in my book.
Frankly, I’d like the lake image and cover better if they tossed the postcard and just did large white lettering against the image. Probably a sans serif font for that.
— C-Dog , 2007-03-19 01:44:00 -0400
The photo it’s ok, but the postcard hmmm…., maybe if the postcard has a transparency, and the text arranged in another form….
— webee , 2007-03-19 04:56:00 -0400
Sorry but this just doesn’t have the same impact as most of Jon’s Covers.
The water competes with the floating post card. And what’s up with the ital “THE”. All the varigated type alignment is really not working.
— , 2007-03-19 05:28:00 -0400
Once, when over in London, I was lucky enough to meet Gray. He showed me his awesome portfolio and when this cover appeared he explained that his late Great Grandpop had lived on the shore of this lake and because of this it was, by far, his favorite.
— , 2007-03-19 07:03:00 -0400
oh wow. Thanks for the backstory, Romeo.
— Ben Pieratt , 2007-03-19 07:54:00 -0400
Great. So it’s me with my head in the stocks today. C-Dog once again I bow to your wisdom. T. Kamir, yes, it sucks bigtime. I’ve taken on board all of your comments and tweaked my design, hopefully I can get it in for any further reprints. Thanks again for all your comments. My Grandpop would be so proud.
You can see my revise here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/7472052@N08/427090062/
— gray318 , 2007-03-19 08:04:00 -0400
haha, (awesome)
— Ben Pieratt , 2007-03-19 10:07:00 -0400
I would definitely pick that up.
— , 2007-03-19 14:39:00 -0400
still trying to figure out if the above comment is really from Jon Gray or not (I’ve never been the sharpest knife in the drawer)
— , 2007-03-19 15:59:00 -0400
It’s an improvement, gray318. However, the “Sod” seems disconnected. That island just gets in the way. And remove the green filter.
Yay!
— C-Dog , 2007-03-19 18:10:00 -0400
Love it.
— , 2007-03-19 23:47:00 -0400
It’s getting heated in here :) Only thing that bug me is the centered type – seems like left-aligned text on the postcard would have reinforced the picture. Textures and colors are brilliant. I’ll get to work now.
— Chuck S. , 2007-03-20 14:48:00 -0400
Good grief. It’s a beautiful well-designed cover. Maybe if you were lucky enough to have gotten this assignment you would have designed it differently. But you didn’t.
— C Tobias , 2007-03-20 18:36:00 -0400
Heh… funny how opinions and critique dig into people like razor blades. Yawn…
— C-Dog , 2007-03-28 09:01:00 -0400
i love the photo. but the type on the postcard… not so much. if it was more ‘postcard-y’, or handwritten, maybe…
— zach , 2007-04-19 10:14:00 -0400
such a beautiful cover- i just want to stare at it. it makes me want to read it immediately to see if the story conjures the same mood. i myself like the text, as well as the hint of postage.
— caroline , 2007-04-26 20:01:00 -0400
really iemotional-.
Slowly ,very far from our world,a piece of hidden and precious earth . Would be great if the book is the door to enter this secret*
— , 2007-05-17 05:48:00 -0400
I got called for this assignment but had to pass.
— , 2007-06-28 11:57:00 -0400
I like this one better
http://ec1.images-amazon.com/images/I/5103MBVTVPL.jpg
But this is a mushy commerical book that wouldn’t be put on this blog.
— , 2007-07-19 07:33:00 -0400