This cover was submitted by Austin, a visitor to the blog.
Truth be told, I’m not super hot on it.
It’s definitely a nice looking cover. The concept is there, and it’s well executed, but it’s a pretty obvious solution.
My favorite covers, generally speaking, are ones that give you a feeling of “A Ha!”. You feel like the designer is standing right next to you, handing you a cup of coffee and grinning because you got the joke. Whereas this cover leaves little for the critical mind to latch on to. It’s all spelled out for you from the get go, (and yes, I’m being overly critical. But I’m ok with that.)
Covers should intrigue a reader without giving away the story. Or in this case give the reader some credit. Challenge them a little. A book is an experience.
I’m wondering, though, what this is about “grinning because you got the [designer’s] joke”. The same comment was made about the last book (http://covers.fwis.com/vintagebookofamnesia). Are we simply looking for a chuckle? If I giggle because the design is clever, am I going to buy/enjoy the book? I hope the designer’s motives go a bit beyond this and look to offer insight, and respond to both the literature and the audience’s needs. Book jackets make the book real, to some extent, dont’ you think? We want them to simply waste that on a joke?
If humor is appropriate to the literature, go for it. But I think some book jackets that pass for good design are actually bad advertising ploys in disguise. Every advertiser thinks, “hey if they chuckle, they’ll buy it”. I don’t buy it.
You’re absolutely right.
That’s my bad for not making better use of the language.
When I say “joke”, I don’t mean humorous pun. I mean wit. I mean a clever play on image and type, regardless of whether its dramatic of insulting or funny. When the resulting image is greater than the sum of the individual parts.
For me, at least, the feeling I get from making that connection is similar to hearing a good joke.
When it comes to this book, the “joke” comments are true. I don’t know how funny this cover is, but the book itself was a hilarious read.
This image doesn’t look as good as the actual cover when you have it in your hands. There’s matte and gloss finishes that are lost here, and the colors aren’t really up to snuff. This image is also missing some critical acclaim that was added to a later edition that helped to fill it in some more.
Admittedly, it’s not a great cover. But I wouldn’t go so far as to call it banal or even obvious. I mean, it got me to pick it up off the shelf and buy it.
Within 30 seconds of reading the brief for this job I knew the cover would end up with a toetag solution. I did come up with lots of other stuff first (the sort of things that might’ve impressed other designers) but there was no way that the publishers were going to let the toetag idea get away. Obvious solutions aren’t automatically poor solutions (or ‘banal’ as the hugely inspiring character known as ‘deadvoid’ might say) and as someone pointed out even if it’s not the most ground-breaking idea at least the photography and type are (or I like to think so, anyway) nicely handled. The widow of the corpse photographed on the cover was very happy with the result too.
I see both sides of this one, I like the cover, it is interesting even if not in a “clever” sort of way. I am usually drawn to books that make me think “what in the…, OH! I get it!” but the obvious solutions is not always bad just because it is obvious. Also, I love the title treatment.
The idea is good but it’s nothing special. There’s something not quite right about the photograph. Maybe it’s the angle or the size. It’s too straight forward and doesn’t leave you wondering.
Seen this a million times, though that does not make it a bad image. It has been used to advertise so many things, but I love the designers input above, poor chap knew he was destined to do the “Tag” shot, though I’m sure he was trying to overcome this.
This cover was submitted by Austin, a visitor to the blog.
Truth be told, I’m not super hot on it.
It’s definitely a nice looking cover. The concept is there, and it’s well executed, but it’s a pretty obvious solution.
My favorite covers, generally speaking, are ones that give you a feeling of “A Ha!”. You feel like the designer is standing right next to you, handing you a cup of coffee and grinning because you got the joke. Whereas this cover leaves little for the critical mind to latch on to. It’s all spelled out for you from the get go, (and yes, I’m being overly critical. But I’m ok with that.)
— Ben Pieratt, 2006-01-11 21:55:00
I will have to agree with you on this one.
Covers should intrigue a reader without giving away the story. Or in this case give the reader some credit. Challenge them a little. A book is an experience.
— benjamin kinzer, 2006-01-12 10:24:00
The photography and type are nicely handled though.
— benjamin kinzer, 2006-01-12 10:32:00
These book covers should be used to create a ‘Coffee Table’ book.
— Julie Kruse, 2006-01-12 13:46:00
I agree with you Ben. It’s an obvious solution.
I’m wondering, though, what this is about “grinning because you got the [designer’s] joke”. The same comment was made about the last book (http://covers.fwis.com/vintagebookofamnesia). Are we simply looking for a chuckle? If I giggle because the design is clever, am I going to buy/enjoy the book? I hope the designer’s motives go a bit beyond this and look to offer insight, and respond to both the literature and the audience’s needs. Book jackets make the book real, to some extent, dont’ you think? We want them to simply waste that on a joke?
If humor is appropriate to the literature, go for it. But I think some book jackets that pass for good design are actually bad advertising ploys in disguise. Every advertiser thinks, “hey if they chuckle, they’ll buy it”. I don’t buy it.
— J. Tyler, 2006-01-12 17:51:00
You’re absolutely right.
That’s my bad for not making better use of the language.
When I say “joke”, I don’t mean humorous pun. I mean wit. I mean a clever play on image and type, regardless of whether its dramatic of insulting or funny. When the resulting image is greater than the sum of the individual parts.
For me, at least, the feeling I get from making that connection is similar to hearing a good joke.
— Ben Pieratt, 2006-01-12 19:02:00
Gotcha. :)
— J. Tyler, 2006-01-13 16:30:00
Yes obvious. And for that reason it’s come out looking alot like the cover for Shane Maloney’s Book of the same title.
http://www.winsomebooks.com.au/Images/Stiff.jpg
— Mr eel, 2006-01-14 03:41:00
word ‘banal’ comes to mind
— deadvoid, 2006-01-20 23:34:00
When it comes to this book, the “joke” comments are true. I don’t know how funny this cover is, but the book itself was a hilarious read.
This image doesn’t look as good as the actual cover when you have it in your hands. There’s matte and gloss finishes that are lost here, and the colors aren’t really up to snuff. This image is also missing some critical acclaim that was added to a later edition that helped to fill it in some more.
Admittedly, it’s not a great cover. But I wouldn’t go so far as to call it banal or even obvious. I mean, it got me to pick it up off the shelf and buy it.
— Molly Clark, 2006-01-25 20:50:00
Within 30 seconds of reading the brief for this job I knew the cover would end up with a toetag solution. I did come up with lots of other stuff first (the sort of things that might’ve impressed other designers) but there was no way that the publishers were going to let the toetag idea get away. Obvious solutions aren’t automatically poor solutions (or ‘banal’ as the hugely inspiring character known as ‘deadvoid’ might say) and as someone pointed out even if it’s not the most ground-breaking idea at least the photography and type are (or I like to think so, anyway) nicely handled. The widow of the corpse photographed on the cover was very happy with the result too.
— Jamie Keenan, 2006-02-02 03:20:00
I think he could have spent another 10 minutes on the type.
— JF III, 2006-02-03 13:22:00
I see both sides of this one, I like the cover, it is interesting even if not in a “clever” sort of way. I am usually drawn to books that make me think “what in the…, OH! I get it!” but the obvious solutions is not always bad just because it is obvious. Also, I love the title treatment.
— J.R. Caines, 2006-02-17 18:45:00
All interesting cover design. Looking for more work Jamie? Drop a note.
— JoAnne Kanaval, 2006-08-31 19:21:00
The idea is good but it’s nothing special. There’s something not quite right about the photograph. Maybe it’s the angle or the size. It’s too straight forward and doesn’t leave you wondering.
— Louise, 2006-09-29 21:58:00
Seen this a million times, though that does not make it a bad image. It has been used to advertise so many things, but I love the designers input above, poor chap knew he was destined to do the “Tag” shot, though I’m sure he was trying to overcome this.
— S.J.Seal, 2007-04-28 04:12:00
Not a million miles away from this cover!
http://books.method.co.uk/books/03.html
— Cedric, 2007-05-16 06:39:00
because this book is not a novel, i think the cover is appropriate. it’s straightforward – same as the subject matter
— el tee, 2007-06-09 23:53:00