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, toys, stage sets and costumes – indeed an entire lifetime of utterly sublime, mockingly apprehensive artistry and authorship – are celebrated and critically acclaimed by everyone from cultural pundits to goth cultists. The rare front-page New York Times obituary, on 17 April 2000, is testament to Gorey’s eclectic narrative range. “In creating a large body of small work, he made an indelible imprint on noir fiction and on the psyche of his admirers,” Mel Gussow wrote.Yet, understandably, less attention is devoted today to the 200-plus illustrated paperback covers and hardcover jackets that Chicago-born, Harvard-educated Gorey (known to his friends as Ted) created while working as a staff artist, art director, editor and freelance illustrator at various American publishing houses for a large portion of his career. In two brief sentences, his obituary tossed aside this impressive output: “After graduation he remained in Boston, illustrating book jackets. Then he went to New York and worked in the art department at Doubleday, staying late in the office to create his own books.” Continue reading... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'

[ The Guardian | 2015-07-31 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Designer Matthew Williamson colouring book to Laurence King

Laurence King Publishing has commissioned a designer colouring book by “iconic” British fashion designer Matthew Williamson. Senior commissioning editor for fashion at Laurence King, Camilla Morton, acquired world rights for the new concept book. Matthew Williamson: Fashion Print and Colouring... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-12-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #creative process #laurence king #give readers


New Book Material Innovation Goes Inside the Surprisingly Clever World of Package Design

A new book called Material Innovation: Packaging Design catalogs all the ways designers are shaking up packaging design. The post New Book Material Innovation Goes Inside the Surprisingly Clever World of Package Design appeared first on WIRED. Continue reading at Wired

[ Wired | 2015-12-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
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SMP Nabs Book About 'Serial' Star

Rabia Chaudry, who appeared on the podcast sensation 'Serial,' sold a book called 'Adnan's Story' to St. Martin's Press. The nonfiction work, SMP said, will be "an insider account" of the legal case against Adnan Syed, whose murder conviction was the subject of 'Serial.' Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-11-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #legal case #insider account #nonfiction work #rabia chaudry #adnan syed


Cover Reveal: 'Dear Pope Francis,' the First Children's Book by the Pope

Check out the cover of Pope Francis' first children's book, 'Dear Pope Francis,' scheduled to be published by Loyola Press on March 1, 2016. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-11-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #pope francis #cover reveal


Rick Riordan cheers end of book covers that 'whitewash' his black hero

Russian editions of YA author’s bestselling Kane Chronicles will now depict his African American character accuratelyThe bestselling American author Rick Riordan has thanked his Russian publisher for no longer “whitewashing” its jacket illustration of his character Carter, an African American... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2015-11-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
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A manifesto for digital book designers

"This capability is what we lost 500 years ago with the Gutenberg book." And Akim Ozakil, founder of the two-year-old Alternate Worlds digital publisher in the San Francisco area, calls that lost capability "mutation," by which he means the ability for readers to impact a story. What's printed,... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-11-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
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How To Design The Perfect Horror Cover

Horror comic book legend Steve Bissette gives his four top tips on designing covers that scare the hell out of you.I grew up reading comics in the '80s and '90s. X-Men, Justice League, and The Tick were my favorites. Every Thursday I couldn't wait to go to the comic store to peruse the latest... Continue reading at Fast Company

[ Fast Company | 2015-10-29 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #latest issues #justice league #reading comics #top tips #designing covers


'Toronto Star' Doubles Its Books Pages

The newspaper will increase its weekly print books coverage from two to four pages and run extended bestseller lists. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-10-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Apprentice star to chair book award

Former Apprentice judge Margaret Mountford and singer songwriter Tracey Thorn will be on the panel for 2016's Baileys Women's Prize for Fiction. Continue reading at BBC News

[ BBC News | 2015-10-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Don’t Judge a Book By Its Cover, Judge it By Its Blurbs

The book blurb is one of the longest-running conventions in publishing and is largely a favor passed among writers and friends. But do they sell books? The post Don’t Judge a Book By Its Cover, Judge it By Its Blurbs appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2015-10-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #sell books #post don #book blurb


Why Self-Published Book Covers Are Better Than You Think

CompletelyNovel's 'Lord of the Book Covers' competition revealed many indie authors are using the same professional designers as traditional houses. The post Why Self-Published Book Covers Are Better Than You Think appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2015-09-29 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #traditional houses #indie authors #competition revealed #book covers


My Job in 5: Helen Chapman, Picture book designer, Penguin Random House UK

Describe your role My job title is picture book designer but people outside the industry always think that I must illustrate all the books! Unfortunately I’m not that talented (though I do a mean stick man) so I end up describing my job as being an editor for the illustrators. Working in... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-09-26 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Lucia Berlin and a Tale of Two Book Covers

Picador designer Justine Anweiler wrote about how she went about creating the cover for the UK edition of Lucia Berlin's novel, A Manual for Cleaning Women. The post Lucia Berlin and a Tale of Two Book Covers appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2015-09-15 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #cleaning women #book covers #lucia berlin


Top 10 Reads from Yale Book Publishing Course All-Stars

Top ten books and websites recommended by speakers at this year's Yale Book Publishing Course to improve the way you work. The post Top 10 Reads from Yale Book Publishing Course All-Stars appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2015-08-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
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IndieReader’s Top 10 Five-star Reviews of Self-Published Books

A selection of the top ten books that have received five star reviews on IndieReader, a service which reviews self-published books. The post IndieReader’s Top 10 Five-star Reviews of Self-Published Books appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2015-07-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Revisit Fables’ Beautiful, Groundbreaking Comic Book Covers

Let's celebrate some of the best cover artwork comics fans have ever seen. The post Revisit Fables’ Beautiful, Groundbreaking Comic Book Covers appeared first on WIRED. Continue reading at Wired

[ Wired | 2015-07-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
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35 Books Every Designer Should Read

We asked some of the world's top design schools to share their favorite books. Here's what they recommend for your summer reading list.It doesn't matter if you're a student of design, or just someone who hears the term "design thinking" and stays quiet at meetings while noting to Google it... Continue reading at Fast Company

[ Fast Company | 2015-06-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Classic book covers by Paul Bacon – in pictures

The designer who pioneered the ‘big book look’ - creating covers for more than 6,500 books, ranging from Catch-22 to One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest - has died aged 91 in New York. Here are some of his best Continue reading... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2015-06-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
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YouTube star PewDiePie strikes publishing deal for This Book Loves You

With 37m YouTube subscribers, Swedish gamer teams up with Penguin Random House for 250-page collection of ‘advice and inspirational quotes’With more than 37m subscribers, Felix ‘PewDiePie’ Kjellberg is one of the biggest stars on YouTube. Now he’s hoping to take bookshelves by storm too.The... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2015-06-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Wandering Hand on Bum Book Cover Causes Controversy

A new edition of Jilly Cooper's sexy novel, Riders, has moved a hand, previously on the bum, to a higher position — eliciting surprisingly strong reactions. The post Wandering Hand on Bum Book Cover Causes Controversy appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2015-06-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #jilly cooper #controversy appeared