The demand for the book itself largely depends on the design of the book cover. This raises many questions for the writer and publisher. What information should I put on the cover? How can they be presented so that, upon seeing the book, the reader decides to buy it and wants to read it?
Instructions
Step 1
There are general guidelines that are useful both when creating a layout for a typographic cover, and when decorating a gift handwritten edition of your works. First of all, be sure to include the title of the book and the surname of its author on the cover. Cover and binding should be in large print. You can also supplement the cover with other title data that can influence the choice of the reader. Keep in mind that a paper cover can accommodate significantly more data than a cover covered with cloth, leather, or other materials.
Step 2
Include pictorial elements in the cover composition, including appropriate ornament, emblem, symbols, which are relevant to the subject matter of this publication and its content. Such inserts should be not only highly artistic, but also functional, bearing a semantic load.
Step 3
Use images in your cover design that can evoke the desired associations, and not just directly speak of the content. This is especially important for popular science, agitation and propaganda publications. For an art publication, the choice of a picture on a dust jacket is essential, since it reveals the entire composition presented in the publication itself.
Step 4
Do not try to make the design of the cover and binding extremely bright and conspicuous. For a potential reader picking up a book, the appropriate emotional attitude matters. If the design of the cover is harmoniously and softly combined with the artistic features of the text and illustrations for it, such a book will want to be read.
Step 5
Pay attention to the design of the spine of the book. Choosing a book on a shelf or in a pile on the table, the reader sees exactly the spine. Place the title of the publication and the name of the author on it. For multivolume and serial editions, indicate the number of the volume, issue, and the year of publication on the spine. A spine decorated with an ornament will be attractive, of course, without cluttering it with unnecessary small details. This is especially important for serial publications united by a common theme.
Step 6
Use color schemes in the cover design. Make the cover in several matching colors. A dynamic design requires contrasting colors; for a more relaxed design, not too harsh combinations are suitable.
Step 7
If technically feasible, apply embossing in the cover design - printing with a variable relief of the binding cover. Embossing looks especially good on bindings made of fabric or durable high-quality paper. A homemade gift edition, made in two or three copies, can be decorated with an embossed leather cover.
