Book cover clichés: have you spotted recurrent designs?

Certain themes and stories seem to be packaged with a particular aesthetic. Have you spotted this trend? Share your examplesWhy is it that books about Africa always look the same? A recent article on the blog Africa is a Country demonstrated that "the covers of most novels 'about Africa' seem to have been designed by someone whose principal idea of the continent comes from The Lion King" - reducing it, no matter the subject, geographical area or writer, to an acacia tree and a sunset. This followed a Twitterstorm triggered by a tweet from SimonMStevens:Like so many (wildly varying) writers on Africa, Adichie gets the acacia tree sunset treatment... (@AfricasaCountry) pic.twitter.com/zMQtirfrQ9.@SimonMStevens @AfricasaCountry See also soulful-black-woman-with-colourful-smudges e.g. UK pb eds of Adichie's bks. pic.twitter.com/bt7kUcaP06There is a peculiar phenomenon in English-language publishing in Southeast Asia: a ubiquitous genre perhaps best thought of as Asian sleaze. It spans fiction and non-fiction, but the cover generally features a partially clothed woman with long black hair, either in silhouette, or viewed from behind. The title is usually something along the lines of Bangkok Velvet. The author is always a white man. Continue reading... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'

[ The Guardian | 2014-06-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
News tagged with: #english-language publishing #southeast asia #white man

Other news stories related to: "Book cover clichés: have you spotted recurrent designs?"


Book cover clichés: have you spotted recurrent designs?

Certain themes and stories seem to be packaged with a particular aesthetic. Have you spotted this trend? Share your examplesWhy is it that books about Africa always look the same? A recent article on the blog Africa is a Country demonstrated that "the covers of most novels 'about Africa' seem to... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2014-06-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #white man #southeast asia #english-language publishing


Anatomy of a Book Cover: The Process of Book Cover Design

How does book cover design work? Find here an introduction to the process, both in self- and traditional publishing. Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2023-07-10 10:30:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #book cover #traditional publishing


Industry Professionals Talk Racism in Book Cover Design

The pros are here to remind us that racism persists in publishing. Plus: an adaptation from a queer icon and an MCU-style romance enterprise. Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2024-08-15 15:15:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #book cover


True Crime and Transcendentalists: When Designing a Book Cover Takes You on a Long Strange Trip

Designing a book cover is always something of an emotional roller coaster. There’s the excitement of nailing it on the first try (rare!); there’s the low of working hard on an idea, only for it to be discarded; there’s the struggle (every time) and the self-doubt (ever present) that come with... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2024-08-02 08:57:20 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #book cover #working hard #true crime


Behind the Cover: BookTok’s Favorite Book Designer

Designer Elisha Zepeda has become a TikTok star for sharing his book cover design process. Are publishers are paying attention? Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2024-07-19 04:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #favorite book #book cover #paying attention #tiktok star


In London: Penguin Books UK’s 2024 Cover Design Awards

The Penguin Books UK competition in book cover design for a third year was open to all applicants: 30 percent are not students. The post In London: Penguin Books UK’s 2024 Cover Design Awards appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2024-07-03 20:13:30 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #book cover


8 little-known book cover designs that should be classics

A new book by designer Jesse Reed gives unsung book covers their due. In the age of fickle online trends, font horoscopes, and tiny mics, what room is there to engage with the humble mass-market paperback of yesteryear? A new book, Second Hand, dusts off should-be-classic book covers that have... Continue reading at Fast Company

[ Fast Company | 2024-05-17 09:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #book cover #paperback #book covers


Tor Books Criticized for Use of AI-Generated Art in 'Gothikana' Cover Design

The use of AI-generated assets in the cover art for the dark academia novel 'Gothikana' by RuNyx, originally self-published and reissued by Tor Books' romance imprint Bramble, has set off a debate about the role of AI in publishing. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2024-02-21 05:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #tor books #originally self-published #cover art #cover design


40+ YA Book Cover Artists and Designers to Follow on Instagram

Love YA book covers? You'll want to follow these YA book cover artists and designers on Instagram for a peek behind the scenes. Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2021-01-11 11:33:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #ya book


Book Cover Design Trends for 2020

Maybe you can't judge a book by its cover but that doesn't mean we can't enjoy one and anticipate upcoming book cover trends. Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2019-11-07 11:41:17 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #upcoming book


The Art of Books: An Exhibition of Shobunsha’s Star Cover Designer Kouga Hirano

From the Japan Times: The Kyoto DDD Gallery's exhibition of Kouga Hirano's work includes his book covers for Shobunsha, a 30-year body of designs. The post The Art of Books: An Exhibition of Shobunsha’s Star Cover Designer Kouga Hirano appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2017-09-14 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #book covers #work includes


What Are Book Cover Designers and Editors Earning? The Freelance Reality

Ninety-five percent of freelance pros at the Reedsy Marketplace have worked for the Big Five. Now we know more about what they're making. The post What Are Book Cover Designers and Editors Earning? The Freelance Reality appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2017-08-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Edward Gorey: cover star of book design

The author and illustrator is much revered for his own weird and wonderful books, yet his 200-plus jacket designs are virtually ignored. Steven Heller celebrates his contribution to a unique era of publishingDeliciously and subversively cryptic, Edward St John Gorey’s books, plays, postcards,... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2015-07-31 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #art department #large portion #art director


Book Designers Judge Go Set a Watchman by Its Cover

Go Set a Watchman, Harper Lee’s retro-facing sequel to To Kill a Mockingbird, hit bookshelves this week. The story of its discovery—it was actually Lee’s first draft of Mockingbird—and publication reads like a novel of its own, and the whole affair has been mired in controversy. But now it’s... Continue reading at Wired

[ Wired | 2015-07-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #cover appeared #harper lee


Paul Bacon dies at 91; he revolutionized the design of book covers

Paul Bacon's name may be unfamiliar, but anyone who has browsed the bestseller racks over the last 60 years knows his work. Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2015-06-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #paul bacon #book covers


E-books will "blow apart" cover design

Written By: Benedicte Page Publication Date: Thu, 30/06/2011 - 09:28 E-books are set to "blow apart" cover design, with designers looking to create "identity packages" that can work for both print and digital editions, The Bookseller Cover Design Conference 2011 was told. Marketing strategist... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-06-29 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #british library #digital editions #cover design


Extra, Extra!: The Book News Book Riot Covered this Week

We cover news ourselves, or at least what we think could also be considered news in the world of books and reading. Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2024-10-13 19:19:38 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #book news


Cover to Cover Books for Young Readers Announces New Owner

The Columbus, Ohio–based children's bookstore, one of the country's oldest, has announced that it was sold to store manager Bryan Loar, a former librarian, in December. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2024-06-21 04:00:00 UTC ]
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At Abu Dhabi Book Fair: Diwan’s New Naguib Mahfouz Book Covers

Egypt's Diwan Publishing holds a place of honor at the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair with its new series of Naguib Mahfouz covers. The post At Abu Dhabi Book Fair: Diwan’s New Naguib Mahfouz Book Covers appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2024-05-03 23:56:56 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #international book


Judge a Book by Its Cover and Get a Perfect Book Recommendation

Got strong opinions about what makes a great book cover? Judge a book by its cover here to get a new read perfectly suited to your tastes. Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2023-05-11 10:36:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #great book #strong opinions