Dec 22, 2019 a books cover design tells the reader what to expect from the book in more ways than showing what the books about. Design observer promotes an annual award for book cover design with a 35person judging panel. I like to design covers that give an impression of the story within and arent necessarily an exact literal interpretation. Ive been in the book publishing industry for more than 25 years, and i help authors selfpublish their books, from manuscript to print andor converted to an ebook. These fiction and nonfiction reads have beautiful covers with designs in green, pink, purple. One potential bonus for using a site like 99designs. I recommend showing the book cover designers concepts to friends, family members, colleagues or beta readers with a good eye. They want a book they can be proud to hold on the subway or read on their e reader. If your book stands a chance at succeeding, its design has to match or, if possible, exceed what the. Cover images must act like teasers to your cover design and not like spoilers.
A designer who specializes in book jackets understands how readers respond to layout and typography. Whether youve crafted a work of fiction, a childrens book, or an educational treatise into health and happiness. Coming up with book cover ideas that are perfectly suited to a book can be a tough task. Kindle direct publishing kdp, createspace now kdp, epub, paperback, hardcover and others. To create a cover that readers will love, graphic designers need to think outside the box our list of the 100 most creative cover ideas takes a look at the book covers that really stand out from the crowd. The real problem with this list is that you just get whatever cover of the book happens to show up under the primary listing. But the truth is, book cover design can make or break a book. The adage, dont judge a book by its cover, does not necessarily hold true in the literal sense. Now ive set up a submission page, and invite your entries heres what i hope well get from this. Aug 31, 2018 although book cover design is something youll usually want to leave to a professional, here are seven steps for creating a book cover, if the diy route seems best for you. Nov 29, 2015 heres are examples of great book covers that grab the right sort of attention and attract readers. Great places to find your book cover ideas and inspiration. With a shutterstock image subscription, you can download a variety of photos, illustrations, textures, patterns, typographic elements, icons, and vector art to complete a oneofakind cover.
Designed ten years after the books first publication, to coincide with the release of the 1971 film adaptation by stanley kubrick, this iconic cover was designed and realised by pelham in a single night after an illustrators first attempt was deemed inadequate. I design book covers, book interiors, and do ebook conversions. We have been designing book covers for over fifteen years and have illustrators at hand, a vast amount of imagery and all kinds of resources to create the perfect cover for you. Here are some important role of book cover design in your book s success 01. With graphicsprings book cover maker you can design stunning covers in just a few minutes. This is because a book cover is a piece of art with a specific. If youre looking to inspire a great back cover, read this post thats all. What makes a good book cover of course, catching a potential book buyers eye is only part of mendelsunds job. If you want to get really creative you can design your own cover from scratch. A couple of years ago, martin lakes book sales were dismal. Design book cover for free with online templates adobe spark. A welldesigned cover communicates that the publisher, who might also be the books author thanks to the rise of selfpublishing, cares enough about the book that they invested in an effective cover. Book cover design is booming and even has its own awards. Upload your own photos or choose from over 1 million stock images.
Designers of iconic book covers such as these cleverly refine and combine different design elements to create an aesthetically pleasing and marketable cover although the end result might appear very simple, there will be a series of decisions involved in. A classic and stunning cover designed by emily mahon. Fix your images, add stunning filters and edit text. I guess not, free tools provide limited access to editing and does. Book cover design services by book cover designers fiverr. Cover design secrets you must know if you want anyone to. If youd like to purchase a premade, or would like to enquire about a custom cover commission, please email. Create captivating covers with proven ideas and templates. In book design, clarity about book information is the prime concern.
The 60 best book covers of 2016, as chosen by designers. Well, martin didnt just accept those sales and move on. He changed his book cover design for the first book in his threepart seriesand his sales of all three books tripled. Whether youre looking to hire a book cover designer. Some programs will allow you to simply drag the image smaller, and create a smushed version of the original. An eyecatching design can make the difference between a book that sells and one that stalls, so dont let your future bestseller get passed over due to a soso cover design. Many books have been featured at the london book fair. A lot of us generally judge a book by its cover and good book cover design will get your reader interested.
Book cover design secrets you can use to sell more books. The traditional process of getting a book cover design can be extremely timeconsuming and the result is often disappointing for the author. Youve done the hard work and created an amazing book. Online retailers like amazon do not distinguish between traditional and selfpublished books which means independent authors are often competing again big 5 publishers. Canvas book cover maker makes designing book covers amazingly simple even for nondesigners. You dont need any prior design experience, simply browse our book and ebook cover templates and make adjustments as needed. Are you looking for book cover design inspiration for your upcoming self published book. Design book covers with canvas free book cover maker. Just select a template, edit the content and youre done. Mar 12, 2020 licensing stock images for book covers. Very easy to use, but very limited in what you can create. I hope i get to do one before they stop printing them. The 10 best freelance book cover designers for hire in. The cogeyed droog design was thus adopted and instantly became a design classic.
This is because a book cover is a piece of art with a specific purpose. A great book cover design, at its most basic level, is something that will. There are good and bad book covers, and a good designer can clearly tell you the difference between them. It is defined as a style or appearance of printed matter or simply the art. A 300 page book will get extremely thick if designed too small, while a larger book needs to be a good length to not feel flimsy and more like a magazine or booklet. How to use stock photos for book cover designs shutterstock. Book covers exist to give visual form to written content. A great book cover design, at its most basic level, is something that will help readers take you and your book seriously. For an ebook, youll simply need to export your front cover as a good. Make sure it sells out by creating an awesome cover design. Customize your book cover design by typing in your books name, changing the background, choosing a color scheme, and selecting your fonts. I have worked with selfpublishing authors for almost 20 years and designed hundreds of book covers for all platforms.
Mar 21, 2016 a good book cover stands apart from the other books in its category. We have had the pleasure of designing hundreds of book covers for talented authors across nearly every genre. An examination of some of the top selling books in the kindle store yields surprises. Canva a free design tool you can use with tons of book cover templates for just about anything youd want to design, including book covers for each genre.
I love a goodlooking book cover, and i analyze the covers i like and the covers i dont like and pay attention to cover trends within genres to make sure im designing covers crafted to sell. In 2019 marketing is getting harder, thus only increasing your cover importance. The 5 most common mistakes in book cover design and how to. If you discover a designer whose work you love, you can continue working with that designer on future products. A successfully designed book cover will convey the tone of your book, will whisper hints without giving it all away, and will excite readers into actually opening up the book and reading. Covers made with a standard license may only be used on the books theyve been purchased for, and in materials used for advertising or promotional purposes, such as facebook ads or banners. Open canva and select the kindle cover design type or insert your own custom dimensions. Create a book cover in minutes, with easy to use tools and a wide range of professionally designed templates. For book covers youll be proud to have people judge. I knew that the idea of an ebook cover design award was a good one when people started to submit their covers in the comments of the article, even though i said i was just thinking about it so i gave in to necessity. These 50 awesome book covers will inspire you learn canva. We cherrypicked 68 brilliant covers to give you some book cover ideas. Once your cover design is just right, hit the download button and use your new image to promote and advertise your newest book.
Even though weve all been told since childhood to never judge a book by its cover, the fact is that book cover design does attract readers. Design a book cover in seconds with this tool placeit. These 50 awesome book covers will inspire you learn. This package will get you an eyecatching cover with kickass typography and detailed photomanipulation as many photos as required, cut out and merged to create a dramatic, cohesive design that is appropriate for genres such as urban fantasy, epic.
What makes a good book cover of course, catching a potential bookbuyers eye is only part of mendelsunds job. A nice take on a traditional still life composition. Although book cover design is something youll usually want to leave to a professional, here are seven steps for creating a book cover, if the diy. The book covers below reflect how professional publishers use focal points, the rule of thirds and preferred diagonal scan for bestselling books. Illustrated book covers made a huge comeback in the last decade, with the popularity of decorative designs contributing to growing hardback sales the relaunched jim kayillustrated harry potter series is a good example of how illustrated styles continue to be dominant in the children and young adult sectors, while british.
Book cover 243 cookbooks recipes 22 selfhelp wellness 15 childrens books 12 horror thriller 9 biographies memoir 7 photographic 34 illustrative 12 typographic 7 service includes. From minimalist book covers to complex and extravagant, this list has it covered. Book covers use standardlicense images, unless an extended license is purchased by the author. Have a look at a range of ebook cover designssometimes you can. Monthly ebook cover design awards the book designer. But can you tell when a book cover is great, good, or bad. Next, its important to consider what your design direction. Lets look and learn from 50 fascinating book cover designs. With it, you can find a book cover template that suits your genre and style, and you can customize it until you have a sleek ebook cover thats perfect for your verbal art. As a selfpublished author, he was selling just 15 books per month. A books cover is what makes it stand out on the shelf or among the search results on an ereaders screen. My name is ghislain pronounced jiss lane and im a book designer. This is an introduction to book cover design, based on a presentation i gave. What makes a good book cover business of illustration.
If youre looking to inspire a great back cover, read this post thats all about the books back. Dimension requirements your ebook cover design must follow to sell online. How to use a stock illustration to create a book cover. See more ideas about book cover design, book design and. Aug 25, 2011 i knew that the idea of an e book cover design award was a good one when people started to submit their covers in the comments of the article, even though i said i was just thinking about it. Canvas free book cover maker is ridiculously easy to use even for the novice or notsotechsavvy writer. Started by the american institute of graphic arts in 1923, it is the oldest design competition in the us, and is now hosted by design. Additionally, be careful if you want to change the dimensions of an image. Choose from our library of professionally designed layouts. Aug 12, 2015 50 books 50 covers celebrates cutting edge book design.
I think the core of any book cover design is the organisation of information, image and style to create a resonance with the potential. Stock images are one of the most costeffective ways to design your book cover. How to get the best book cover design there are a few ways to get a great design for your book cover. While it shouldnt be entirely out of left field for the audience remember, you have to appeal to buyers with expectations and preconceived notions of the genre, it needs to establish itself as something unique on the shelves. Adobe if you have photoshop or indesign software already, you can learn how to use it to create book. Here is a collection of some of the best book covers i have seen online. Top book cover designers create covers that hook readers, just like strong narrative hooks pull them into stories. As you already know, book cover design is crucial marketing tool for your book. The best book designs of 2015 in pictures books the. The 10 best freelance book cover designers for hire in 2020. Feb 24, 2016 yes, you will find multiple online free tools and softwares to create free book cover designs.
Book cover design is a complex balance of images, text, and information and you need someone who understands how each of these elements interacts with the others to best sell your book. Basically, book cover design is one of the books most important assets and can have an enormous impact on sales so you need to get it right. Beginners guide to book cover design tips, tutorials. So many books are published each yeara good book design must. In fact, the cover can often make or break the selling success of a particular publication all on its own. Adobe spark is a free book cover maker that lets you craft a vision from your writing. All the covers you see in this website have been created with high quality, royaltyfree stock images.
Capture your readers attention with a stunning book cover design. Total cover makeover indie author marketing services 1 cindy elsharouni 4. See more ideas about best book covers, books and good books. Creative book designer creative publishing book design. Yes, you will find multiple online free tools and softwares to create free book cover designs. Sep 17, 2017 the psychology behind good book cover design. If you are using amazons recommended cover dimensions 2,560 by 1,600 pixels, and your background image is much wider at 2,560 by 2,600 pixels, you should crop the image to get rid of the extra width. Our custom book cover design will get your book or ebook noticed. Started by the american institute of graphic arts in 1923, it is the oldest design competition in the. We have extremely high standards for our book cover design and creative work and our book cover designs always stand out with premium and professional level design aesthetic. And that was true before amazon started doing less and less organic book marketing with its also boughts and emails etc. A truly great jacket is one that captures the book inside it in some fundamental and.