The Design of Book Covers
I’m really liking the NY Times Blog, Paper Cuts. To quote them:
Over on a Web site called Step Inside Design, there’s an interesting interview with John Gall, the talented art director for Vintage books.
He talks, among other things, about how designers think about working on hardcover versus paperback covers:
There is definitely more freedom in hardcover design. Hardcover sales are generally review driven, so the cover doesn’t have to come on as strong and, I think, less people buy them on impulse because of their price. They’ll read a review and look for the book. The paperback does not have the fortune of being timed to the review attention, so the cover - we’re talking front list here - has to say something like “Remember me? You were waiting for me to come out in paperback? Remember? I’m the one the New York Times really liked, you know, the one about the guy with narcolepsy who likes the girl in the plaid skirt. …”
