What’s odd is that the cover has a photographer’s credit. This REALLY doesn’t look photographed to me.
* shrug *
At any rate, it’s a pretty ballsy cover that nicely reflects the sentiment of the subtitle: “A Concise Guide to the Most Important Product on Earth.” It’s monumental, it’s concise, it’s so important that the cover doesn’t need anything but its presence.
Most publishers will list cover credits on the back cover, or if it’s a hardcover, on the back flap. Sometime’s Amazon has the back page and flap scanned in, so we just grab it from there. If not, you have to find it at a bookstore and write it down. On a couple occasions, I’ve emailed the publisher and just asked them.
It could have been interesting to see a version that just shows the residue of oil on paper to hint towards the scarcity or impermanence of the commodity.
Colin – Great idea.
From what I can tell, though, the book doesn’t really get into that. I think it’s more of a primer on the importance and history of the commodity.
I’m gonna buy it tomorrow. So I’ll let you know for certain once I’m done with it. heh.
Yeah, I proposed a version using the same shapes but just oil residue on brown craft paper for the paperback but the publisher turned it down. It’s probably true that it wasn’t quite appropriate for this book. It’s a fine book by the way, somewhat more interesting, IMO than the other book on oil that I designed at the same time, Sonia Shah’s Crude for Seven Stories. The inside is fairly ugly, unfortunately. I’m not sure why it didn’t get much exposure. IIRC, the publisher’s distributor un-listed the book by mistake or Dick Cheney farted the day it was released or something along those lines. The Shah book got a lot of press. Dunno.
I’m glad you guys like it.
The photographer-nice guy, Charles Eshelman, can you add him to the credit on the left?-did, yes, take a picture of oil and, apparently, went to some trouble to do so but by the time I got the transparency I had already redrawn the image in Illustrator so, yes, it’s vector art.
I did suggest going with just title on the cover but the person who deserves credit for making it happen-for getting it past marketing-is the ballsy Colin Robinson, ex-publisher at New Press and Verso. (He’s at Scribner’s now so I suspect Paul Sahre and John Fullbrook III will be having more fun than usual.) I would have folded to “You forgot the author’s name!” a few comps in.
I think it’s worth noting that the shapes are embossed and spot varnished, so they really do glob there on the paper in a manner reminiscent of liquid. It’s cute. [Disclosure: I used to work at POLLEN.]
I’m about half way through the book now. So far my initial thoughts on Colin’s concept ring true.
Also, a note on the cover. After having looked at this more closely in person, I have to admit that there are two things about it that I don’t like. (1) The paper has a pink hue to it. Not at all the same yellow from the amazon scan. (2) The paper is slightly translucent, so much so that you can actually make out the letters from the opening page. The general effect is that it’s sorta cheap =/
It should be noted, however, that as I was reading the book in public, no less than two people commented on how much they liked the cover. So there you go.
PB or HB? Both are cheaply produced but the HB looks a bit better, IMO. IIRC, the PB is not embossed or varnished. Yeah, the background tint is a problem. The publisher wanted to use the cheapest paper, of course, but didn’t want, as usual, any white. Nice, say, ivory paper, or, even better, light craft paper would have been perfect. It’s just a tint and, yes, I’ve noticed copies that are pinkish or greenish or yellowish and/or pukish, alas.
I’m the author of this book and I just wanted to add my two cents – the cover rocks and I’ve received nothing but compliments about it since it was published both in hardcover and paperback.
It did get some good press btw – London’s Sunday Times, Newsday, CSM, NPR and the WSJ which panned it!
I’m the photographer and I’d like to give some input. I agree, the cover and the book rock! Colin Robinson presented his idea to me as he hand sketched it on a piece of typing paper… I still have it. I spent less than a week delivering the shot, during which time, I was accused of trying to make a dirty-bomb when I asked a couple local auto repair shops for a couple ounces of used motor oil. I would have completed the shoot in less time except Colin also wanted the iridescent colors that appear in oil when mixed with water. The image on the book cover looks exactlly like the image I created and captured on film. Colin also deserves credit for the raised and varnished letters. They appear on the spine as well. The background color is a beige -pale sandy yellowish-brown to illustrate sand. Also Colin’s idea as far as I know. Please realize, I’m referring to the hard copy dust jacket only. Haven’t seen the paperback.
What’s odd is that the cover has a photographer’s credit. This REALLY doesn’t look photographed to me.
* shrug *
At any rate, it’s a pretty ballsy cover that nicely reflects the sentiment of the subtitle: “A Concise Guide to the Most Important Product on Earth.” It’s monumental, it’s concise, it’s so important that the cover doesn’t need anything but its presence.
— Ben Pieratt, 2006-11-29 09:21:00
Where did you see the photographer’s credit?
That actually brings me to a question I’ve often wondered: what is the process you use to discover who the designer of a particular cover is?
— Austin Storm, 2006-11-29 09:50:00
Photographer’s credit was in the book.
Most publishers will list cover credits on the back cover, or if it’s a hardcover, on the back flap. Sometime’s Amazon has the back page and flap scanned in, so we just grab it from there. If not, you have to find it at a bookstore and write it down. On a couple occasions, I’ve emailed the publisher and just asked them.
— Ben Pieratt, 2006-11-29 10:20:00
what a striking cover. it’s amazing that the publisher didn’t want other text on the cover. do you have images of the spine and back?
— mike, 2006-11-29 11:58:00
I don’t. They were both pretty straightforward. The spine has the “OIL” treatment placed horizontally across the top.
— Ben Pieratt, 2006-11-29 12:30:00
Absolutely fantastic.
— Sameer Vasta, 2006-11-29 14:01:00
I like that it can pulse between abstract shapes and recognisable letters, kind of gives it more longevity
— Nick, 2006-11-29 14:18:00
It could have been interesting to see a version that just shows the residue of oil on paper to hint towards the scarcity or impermanence of the commodity.
— Colin Day, 2006-11-29 15:56:00
Colin – Great idea.
From what I can tell, though, the book doesn’t really get into that. I think it’s more of a primer on the importance and history of the commodity.
I’m gonna buy it tomorrow. So I’ll let you know for certain once I’m done with it. heh.
— Ben Pieratt, 2006-11-29 22:13:00
Yeah, I proposed a version using the same shapes but just oil residue on brown craft paper for the paperback but the publisher turned it down. It’s probably true that it wasn’t quite appropriate for this book. It’s a fine book by the way, somewhat more interesting, IMO than the other book on oil that I designed at the same time, Sonia Shah’s Crude for Seven Stories. The inside is fairly ugly, unfortunately. I’m not sure why it didn’t get much exposure. IIRC, the publisher’s distributor un-listed the book by mistake or Dick Cheney farted the day it was released or something along those lines. The Shah book got a lot of press. Dunno.
I’m glad you guys like it.
The photographer-
nice guy, Charles Eshelman, can you add him to the credit on the left?-did, yes, take a picture of oil and, apparently, went to some trouble to do so but by the time I got the transparency I had already redrawn the image in Illustrator so, yes, it’s vector art.I did suggest going with just title on the cover but the person who deserves credit for making it happen-
for getting it past marketing-is the ballsy Colin Robinson, ex-publisher at New Press and Verso. (He’s at Scribner’s now so I suspect Paul Sahre and John Fullbrook III will be having more fun than usual.) I would have folded to “You forgot the author’s name!” a few comps in.— Stewart Cauley, 2006-11-30 03:38:00
Hmmm, I guess two hyphens doesn’t equal an em-dash. Sorry about that. Stet.
— Stewart Cauley, 2006-11-30 03:39:00
I think it’s worth noting that the shapes are embossed and spot varnished, so they really do glob there on the paper in a manner reminiscent of liquid. It’s cute. [Disclosure: I used to work at POLLEN.]
— India, 2006-11-30 12:13:00
India! Check out the fine Gall unicorn cover up now. Better than your average Tor cover…
It’s also worth noting that India runs the a great blog that focuses on designing the stuff between the covers.
http://indiamos.wordpress.com/
— sc, 2006-12-02 12:04:00
Cauley and India, thanks for the posts!
I’m about half way through the book now. So far my initial thoughts on Colin’s concept ring true.
Also, a note on the cover. After having looked at this more closely in person, I have to admit that there are two things about it that I don’t like. (1) The paper has a pink hue to it. Not at all the same yellow from the amazon scan. (2) The paper is slightly translucent, so much so that you can actually make out the letters from the opening page. The general effect is that it’s sorta cheap =/
It should be noted, however, that as I was reading the book in public, no less than two people commented on how much they liked the cover. So there you go.
— Ben Pieratt, 2006-12-04 07:53:00
PB or HB? Both are cheaply produced but the HB looks a bit better, IMO. IIRC, the PB is not embossed or varnished. Yeah, the background tint is a problem. The publisher wanted to use the cheapest paper, of course, but didn’t want, as usual, any white. Nice, say, ivory paper, or, even better, light craft paper would have been perfect. It’s just a tint and, yes, I’ve noticed copies that are pinkish or greenish or yellowish and/or pukish, alas.
— sc, 2006-12-05 20:16:00
I have the paperback, which does have a varnish.
— Ben Pieratt, 2006-12-07 13:33:00
Hi,
I’m the author of this book and I just wanted to add my two cents – the cover rocks and I’ve received nothing but compliments about it since it was published both in hardcover and paperback.
It did get some good press btw – London’s Sunday Times, Newsday, CSM, NPR and the WSJ which panned it!
— matthew yeomans, 2007-01-02 06:41:00
Hi,
I’m the photographer and I’d like to give some input. I agree, the cover and the book rock! Colin Robinson presented his idea to me as he hand sketched it on a piece of typing paper… I still have it. I spent less than a week delivering the shot, during which time, I was accused of trying to make a dirty-bomb when I asked a couple local auto repair shops for a couple ounces of used motor oil. I would have completed the shoot in less time except Colin also wanted the iridescent colors that appear in oil when mixed with water. The image on the book cover looks exactlly like the image I created and captured on film. Colin also deserves credit for the raised and varnished letters. They appear on the spine as well. The background color is a beige -pale sandy yellowish-brown to illustrate sand. Also Colin’s idea as far as I know. Please realize, I’m referring to the hard copy dust jacket only. Haven’t seen the paperback.
— Charles Eshelman, 2007-02-11 11:08:00
good stuff great idea, great execution and everyone involved is just great. Just great—i’m being silly, but no—you guys did a super job on this.
— Ian B. Shimkoviak, 2007-02-22 15:04:00