STUDIO PRACTICE

JUDGE A BOOK BY ITS COVER WEEK 2 - Start! BOOK COVERS...It's a trap!

John Gall

Thoughts

• The book cover project reminded me of the Murakami books I own. I am genuinely captivated and fond of his writing. I quite like the hint of phycological and surreal theme.

• I had two different copies. The cover for the first version I bought was illustrated by John Gall. I really liked the simplicity and colours used. The realistic and grainy effect of the faces as well as the rather surreal effect reminded me of vintage vinyl covers. 

• Though, the most recent and renewed covers were made. Despite already owning copies of those two and finished the books, I still bought the newer copies.

• It's very different. I looked into the illustrator, Noma Bar, who often works with simplicity and minimalistic illustrations that looks very graphic design based. Noma Bar also use minimal and solid-block colours (in this case, red, white and black). 

• Though what I particularly like about these new covers is the vague and abstract illustrations. Perhaps if I haven't read the book, I wouldn't understand the covers. Since I've read them before, it instantly clicked like an 'oh! I get now!'

• I honestly think that it's very clever way of designing the cover. Such simplicity could convey so much and it clearly shows a connection to the content of the book. I wanted to somehow create that same effect with the book cover I'm working on. Hoping that the audience would fully grasp the concept of the cover after reading a few pages into the book. 

LINKS

John Gall - johngalldesign.com
Noma Bar - https://www.creativereview.co.uk/murakami-covers-by-noma-bar/