Jon Gray is a far-too humble designer working out of East London. He operates under the monicker “gray318” and is creating some of the most memorable and recognizable book covers on the market today. He was kind enough to grant us an interview:
Fwis: What’s your background? How and when did you become interested in design? Jon Gray:When I was 8 I decided to be an artist. Apparently this didn’t pay, but the careers advisor at school said that by adding the word ‘commercial’, I would become extremely rich. I adjusted my aspirations accordingly, did a basic foundation course and managed to con my way into the London College of Printing. LCP is like the design equivalent of marine training. I went in a boy and came out a … boring graphic designer.
F: How did you get involved with the publishing industry? Do you do work outside of book design as well? JG: During my second summer at college I managed to get a work placement at a publisher (Little, Brown UK). Then, fortunately, when I graduated they offered me a job. Since then I’ve worked primarily in books, and the very occasional poster.
F: Do you make it a point to read the book before you design its cover? What happens when you hate the book? JG: I try to read the books where possible. You always get caught out if you don’t, ‘That character dies at the end of chapter one!’ etc.
You can usually get something visually from a book even if you hate it.
F: A lot of your covers make heavy use of calligraphy. Have you had formal training in lettering? What kind of process do you go through with these covers? JG: Formal training?! Are you kidding?! Look at it, I can barely write. In terms of process, everything is drawn first, usually on layers of trace, then scanned and manipulated on computer.
F: What of your work have you been disappointed by, or particularly pleased with? JG: I get disappointed with a lot of my work. Sometimes time constraints mean that I don’t feel things have been finished off properly or that ideas haven’t been properly explored. Or sometimes you go too far down a particular road, you know it’s not what you thought it would be, but it’s too late and they love it.
F: What is the best cover you’ve done that the publisher shot down? Do you have any sort of funerary ritual for such ideas? JG: Best cover I’ve done that was shot down I think, was IM OK for Jonathan Safran Foer. He changed the title and there’s no way it was going to work with the new one – ‘Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close’.
F: What authors have you been meaning to work with, or would like to work with in the future? Do you find that certain authors require a certain aesthetic, or do you give each one carte blanche? JG: Anyone who’ll have me.
F: Do you work for both UK and USA publishers? If so, have you noticed a difference in the design sensibilities of the audience or publisher? JG: I do work for both. There are differences but I think they are more apparent at the commercial end of book design.
Generally a good idea works anywhere.
F: What’s the hardest book that you’ve had to deal with, in terms of concept or content, and what unique challenge did it present? JG: A book of suicide notes. On the face of it it seems like an amazing project and the chance to do something very powerful. Then you start thinking about the visual representation of suicide and you end up trawling through a bunch of clichés that are totally lacking any respect. I failed dismally.
F: Can you describe your brainstorming/concepting process? Is it a deep meditative stance? War-room frenzy? Long walks on the beach? JG: It starts off as a deep meditative stance and then, as the deadline comes and goes, dissolves into a war-room frenzy.
F: What one bit of advice would you offer to other cover designers out there? (This is your chance to sabotage the competition, by the way.) JG: Don’t answer questionnaires unless you have something to contribute. Oh, and always wash your hands.
I tend to like the covers I see by this guy, and he’s one of the ones I can tend to immediately recognize… don’t even really need to look who did it. I like his cover of Fortress of Solitude a lot. Though now I’m kind of pissed because it looks like Jonathan Safran Foer might be coming out with another crappy book.
oh I see that “I’m OK” was the original title for his latest crappy book. I wish he had kept that one because it’s so much easier to laugh at than the other, which is still pretty easy to laugh at.
Mr. Gray is a very talented designer that I would like to see more of in the future, especially here in Sweden. I am also a designer, I have mostly designed CD-covers (www.monowasp.se) – but if my bookcovers are going to stand out, I need to be as good as mr. Gray. Keep up the good work!
...One attains a distinct sense of Schadenfreude from Gray’s rhythmic palimpsests.. ...the tortured pallette… ...one weeps at the sheer audacity of cadmium upon taupe… it is for this reason Gray is at the very forefront of the Zeitgeist…
Very, very good book design that’s quircky but well balanced. Particularly liked his cover for “a short History of Tractors in Ukrainian”. It’s a good book as well
Our company specializes in book cover designing and book composing since last 3 decades. Our samples and profile are available at http://www.linksngrafix.com
Jon Gray is a far-too humble designer working out of East London. He operates under the monicker “gray318” and is creating some of the most memorable and recognizable book covers on the market today. He was kind enough to grant us an interview:
Fwis: What’s your background? How and when did you become interested in design?
Jon Gray:When I was 8 I decided to be an artist. Apparently this didn’t pay, but the careers advisor at school said that by adding the word ‘commercial’, I would become extremely rich. I adjusted my aspirations accordingly, did a basic foundation course and managed to con my way into the London College of Printing. LCP is like the design equivalent of marine training. I went in a boy and came out a … boring graphic designer.
F: How did you get involved with the publishing industry? Do you do work outside of book design as well?
JG: During my second summer at college I managed to get a work placement at a publisher (Little, Brown UK). Then, fortunately, when I graduated they offered me a job. Since then I’ve worked primarily in books, and the very occasional poster.
F: Do you make it a point to read the book before you design its cover? What happens when you hate the book?
JG: I try to read the books where possible. You always get caught out if you don’t, ‘That character dies at the end of chapter one!’ etc.
You can usually get something visually from a book even if you hate it.
F: A lot of your covers make heavy use of calligraphy. Have you had formal training in lettering? What kind of process do you go through with these covers?
JG: Formal training?! Are you kidding?! Look at it, I can barely write. In terms of process, everything is drawn first, usually on layers of trace, then scanned and manipulated on computer.
F: What of your work have you been disappointed by, or particularly pleased with?
JG: I get disappointed with a lot of my work. Sometimes time constraints mean that I don’t feel things have been finished off properly or that ideas haven’t been properly explored. Or sometimes you go too far down a particular road, you know it’s not what you thought it would be, but it’s too late and they love it.
JG: Best cover I’ve done that was shot down I think, was IM OK for Jonathan Safran Foer. He changed the title and there’s no way it was going to work with the new one – ‘Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close’.
F: What authors have you been meaning to work with, or would like to work with in the future? Do you find that certain authors require a certain aesthetic, or do you give each one carte blanche?
JG: Anyone who’ll have me.
F: Do you work for both UK and USA publishers? If so, have you noticed a difference in the design sensibilities of the audience or publisher?
JG: I do work for both. There are differences but I think they are more apparent at the commercial end of book design.
Generally a good idea works anywhere.
F: What’s the hardest book that you’ve had to deal with, in terms of concept or content, and what unique challenge did it present?
JG: A book of suicide notes. On the face of it it seems like an amazing project and the chance to do something very powerful. Then you start thinking about the visual representation of suicide and you end up trawling through a bunch of clichés that are totally lacking any respect. I failed dismally.
F: Can you describe your brainstorming/concepting process? Is it a deep meditative stance? War-room frenzy? Long walks on the beach?
JG: It starts off as a deep meditative stance and then, as the deadline comes and goes, dissolves into a war-room frenzy.
F: What one bit of advice would you offer to other cover designers out there? (This is your chance to sabotage the competition, by the way.)
JG: Don’t answer questionnaires unless you have something to contribute. Oh, and always wash your hands.
— Ben Pieratt, 2006-02-01 16:16:00
Clearly, this man is a genius!
— Mr Stewart Wheatsheaf, 2006-02-03 04:21:00
I agree, huzzah!
— Baldrick Penderwillow, 2006-02-03 07:44:00
Totally nang, innit?
— Mr. Carson Dial, 2006-02-03 07:53:00
Indubitably. The fellow is mighty sharp. Work is smashing.
— Deeds Fitzgerald, Esq., 2006-02-03 07:57:00
My God, look at that Backstory cover. Incredible.
— Doug, 2006-02-03 08:00:00
Well he’s a right tosser in person.
— The real Carson Dyle, 2006-02-03 08:11:00
It’s about time the old sod got some recognition! I say!
— Wally "Wally" Lintpocket, 2006-02-03 08:26:00
Quite like the “work”, but halfway through reading the interview I had this unnerving desire to go wash my hands.
— Phillipa Greensleeve, 2006-02-03 08:33:00
This chap is a sciolist!
— Sir Roderick Spode, 2006-02-03 09:14:00
Ambush!
— Ben Pieratt, 2006-02-03 09:31:00
Even when he was young lad he was always drawing wobbly lines and washing his hands.
— Uncle Monty, 2006-02-03 09:50:00
Way to get an interview F!
— Chris, 2006-02-04 13:02:00
+1 JG & F
— ing, 2006-02-04 21:58:00
HAHAHA Great interview.
— benjamin kinzer, 2006-02-06 10:50:00
bravo.
— benjamin kinzer, 2006-02-06 10:53:00
And he is brilliant in bed
— Françoise and Michelle (twins), 2006-02-24 03:06:00
you stink!!!
— jlddbf, 2006-03-04 13:17:00
I think his the guy who shares his office does better work. His name is Jamie I think? Miserable Northener but great cover design.
— Ziet, 2006-05-01 16:40:00
uhh. It’s just plain unattractive. My eye doesn’t know where to go. He needs to tell me what to look for.
— Nick Nocera, 2006-05-07 17:30:00
I tend to like the covers I see by this guy, and he’s one of the ones I can tend to immediately recognize… don’t even really need to look who did it. I like his cover of Fortress of Solitude a lot. Though now I’m kind of pissed because it looks like Jonathan Safran Foer might be coming out with another crappy book.
— jdube, 2006-05-10 15:18:00
oh I see that “I’m OK” was the original title for his latest crappy book. I wish he had kept that one because it’s so much easier to laugh at than the other, which is still pretty easy to laugh at.
— jdube, 2006-05-10 15:19:00
great crativity, I want learn like this
— samba, 2006-06-02 04:12:00
Kliovo!
-in russian (cool)
— Yuliya Karnayeva, 2006-06-05 10:59:00
HP stole this design…
http://digg.com/design/Hewlett_Packard_Latest_Ad_Campaign_Borrowed_from_Best_selling_Novel
— cj, 2006-07-25 08:27:00
Does Geoff McFetridge know that his design has been appropriated?
Where does inspiration end, and imitation begin?
— Hugh Jass, 2006-07-27 12:28:00
Mr. Gray is a very talented designer that I would like to see more of in the future, especially here in Sweden. I am also a designer, I have mostly designed CD-covers (www.monowasp.se) – but if my bookcovers are going to stand out, I need to be as good as mr. Gray. Keep up the good work!
— André, 2006-08-19 14:17:00
Does anyone have contact information for Grey 318?
Please let me know to get in touch with this guy!
— ejurado, 2006-10-27 09:56:00
talented fellow indeed
— Taylor, 2006-11-20 14:30:00
Gifted Author erm Designer.
He can make a good story better, only due to its cover.
— Ori perez, 2006-11-21 02:49:00
...One attains a distinct sense of Schadenfreude from Gray’s rhythmic palimpsests.. ...the tortured pallette… ...one weeps at the sheer audacity of cadmium upon taupe… it is for this reason Gray is at the very forefront of the Zeitgeist…
— Dr Felix Titling, 2006-11-24 08:14:00
dude these rock! other covers suck but yours rock! like mondo rock! halfpipe heaven dude!
— Dom Casual, 2006-11-24 08:22:00
Such thrusting designs, such command of the pencil, such inventive wielding of the pen.
— Miss Pump-Triline, 2006-11-24 08:36:00
Very, very good book design that’s quircky but well balanced. Particularly liked his cover for “a short History of Tractors in Ukrainian”. It’s a good book as well
— Apple Marketing, 2007-01-19 10:18:00
I weep at the sincerity of these remarks bestowed upon old three legs.
— ekul nawrik, 2007-03-12 03:27:00
love his work
EXCEPT the “extremely loud” cover
i credit artist Denise Carbonell with the hand motif—she’s been making them for years
http://www.carbonellnyc.info/hands/42.htm
— sverdone, 2007-04-18 07:55:00
Our company specializes in book cover designing and book composing since last 3 decades. Our samples and profile are available at http://www.linksngrafix.com
— Manuj Bajaj, 2007-05-22 04:04:00
Mr. Gray obviously has some very witty and fond friends.
— Eric Hanson, 2007-06-13 20:25:00
Fascination
fun, bold and perfect…
Yet reminiscent of Sahre’s cover for “It’s How You Play the Game”... but different and great…
— Ian B. Shimkoviak, 2007-07-20 16:58:00
The Murder
is
a
perfect
cover
— Ian B. Shimkoviak, 2007-07-20 17:05:00
Real Carson Dyle: he is not a tosser in person, he’s a sweet man.
Ejurado: his website is http://www.gray318.com/
— emma, 2007-08-27 23:55:00