“The author of Showbiz, Jason Anderson, is a close friend of mine and he asked me to design the cover. We’re in a band together, The Two Koreas, and since he liked all the gigposters I had done for the band, he thought I’d be a good fit for the project.
His only request was that I design something simple. Jason said ‘I don’t want it to look like a Canadian cover.’ By that I figured he meant sepia-toned landscape photography and serifed type with a lot of baroque crap all over it. I think I came up with about five or six different designs before landing on the exploding head which was an easy sell, I can tell you.”
Nice!
—
, 2006-06-28 03:18:00 -0400
At first glance, I loved it. It made my mouth form a little o and then a big grin. Now that I’ve been looking at it for a little while though, it’s getting less and less interesting. Hmm.
It definitely feels like the cover to a rock record. I like the paint splatters, particularly the way that they lead to all manner of Rorschach-like interpretations. At first, I though there was a red bowtie.
“At first glance, I loved it. It made my mouth form a little o and then a big grin. Now that I’ve been looking at it for a little while though, it’s getting less and less interesting. Hmm.”
So stop looking at it for a while.
—
Matt
, 2006-06-29 07:38:00 -0400
“The Two Koreas”- holy crap! what an awesome name for a band!!
—
, 2006-06-30 01:18:00 -0400
I see posters for The Two Koreas all over Toronto these days, but it’s not at the above-linked site.
—
, 2006-07-04 07:27:00 -0400
I had seen one poster for the Two Koreas just by OCAD once, and they were never to be seen again.
The cover is nice though, although Im not sure about the ‘showbiz’ typeface. But that’s just me. It is growing on me though
—
, 2006-08-16 09:02:00 -0400
i would have preferred if the bloodsplattering was behind the body instead, but that is a subjective opinion i guess.
and i personally like the showbiz typeface. it’s better than all the itc avant-garde revivalism i’ve been seeing in the past three years.
I should mention that the book is about assassinations and stand-up comedy. Hence the splat.
—
, 2006-08-24 17:03:00 -0400
somehow on first glance, i read it as stand up comic / tomato. now this really creeps me out. i also keep seeing this face in the splat that i don’t really like so much.
—
, 2006-09-01 13:01:00 -0400
Yea, I agree dylan, the itc stuff is getting a bit tiresome. At second (or rather third) glance the typeface looks good at a smaller pt, but it still just doesn’t sit well as a header, but hey thats just me.
Showbiz
From the horses mouth:
Nice!
— , 2006-06-28 03:18:00 -0400
At first glance, I loved it. It made my mouth form a little o and then a big grin. Now that I’ve been looking at it for a little while though, it’s getting less and less interesting. Hmm.
— renee , 2006-06-28 06:23:00 -0400
It definitely feels like the cover to a rock record. I like the paint splatters, particularly the way that they lead to all manner of Rorschach-like interpretations. At first, I though there was a red bowtie.
— Matthew , 2006-06-28 09:21:00 -0400
“At first glance, I loved it. It made my mouth form a little o and then a big grin. Now that I’ve been looking at it for a little while though, it’s getting less and less interesting. Hmm.”
So stop looking at it for a while.
— Matt , 2006-06-29 07:38:00 -0400
“The Two Koreas”- holy crap! what an awesome name for a band!!
— , 2006-06-30 01:18:00 -0400
I see posters for The Two Koreas all over Toronto these days, but it’s not at the above-linked site.
— , 2006-07-04 07:27:00 -0400
I had seen one poster for the Two Koreas just by OCAD once, and they were never to be seen again.
The cover is nice though, although Im not sure about the ‘showbiz’ typeface. But that’s just me. It is growing on me though
— , 2006-08-16 09:02:00 -0400
i would have preferred if the bloodsplattering was behind the body instead, but that is a subjective opinion i guess.
and i personally like the showbiz typeface. it’s better than all the itc avant-garde revivalism i’ve been seeing in the past three years.
— dylan , 2006-08-16 15:36:00 -0400
I should mention that the book is about assassinations and stand-up comedy. Hence the splat.
— , 2006-08-24 17:03:00 -0400
somehow on first glance, i read it as stand up comic / tomato. now this really creeps me out. i also keep seeing this face in the splat that i don’t really like so much.
— , 2006-09-01 13:01:00 -0400
Yea, I agree dylan, the itc stuff is getting a bit tiresome. At second (or rather third) glance the typeface looks good at a smaller pt, but it still just doesn’t sit well as a header, but hey thats just me.
— bardiad , 2006-09-18 06:06:00 -0400
The first draft featured the title at the same pointsize as the author’s name. Can’t win ‘em all.
— , 2006-09-20 06:44:00 -0400
Cant help but see a “Res Dogs” influence all over it, with the blood splat and the rest in black and white – very nice though!
— , 2006-12-07 05:58:00 -0500
nice, but blood stains on book covers are cliche i think
— add , 2006-12-17 21:53:00 -0500
Excellent cover.
It would most definitely get me to pick it up and read a paragraph or two.
The red splatter as tomato vs. blood is intriguing.
— , 2007-08-23 12:09:00 -0400
its not blood i think
lets dream another meaning
— geray gencer , 2009-01-18 17:06:45 -0500
Pretty sure it's blood....
— Nate S. , 2009-01-19 11:07:29 -0500
tomato
— Ian B. Shimkoviak , 2009-01-19 12:59:32 -0500