Book cover practical research

• design that is textured
• interesting type - typography heavy
• needs a grid structure (or not - why does it not?)

no grid structure - more personal

multicolumn grid using relevant shapes

combing text onto physical objects - using it as a grid 

Rodrigo Corral’s approach to book cover designs inspire me as his use of 2D imagery to create texture allow for a more visually engaging representation of a simple concept. His design for ‘Sour Dough’ by Robin Sloan is most interesting to me as not only does he use imagery of cake icing to directly represent the cooking elements within the storyline, but the typesetting completely ignores conventional rules for book cover design such as establishing typographic hierarchies which ensures legibility. Although the text is still legible due to the size and contrast against colour, Corral was critiqued in comments about this design that letters such as the “Gh” in “Dough” resemble “Doucth” and the use of alternating uppercase and lowercase letters emphasise this. However this approach to the typeface was done on purpose to emphasise the human errors a normal human handwriting would convey and bring a more personal feel to the overall book. The way in which the smoothed out icing texture contrasts against the jagged, unevenly stroked typeface also creates a more organic feel as it isn’t perfect.
This idea of avoiding perfection to connote the storyline is shown in his design for “The Answers” by Catherine Lacey. Here he follows a multicolumn grid created by shapes that directly connote the idea of filling in answers in a test. This concept of using relevant shapes to create a grid structure is really interesting as it allows for a more legible and consistent book cover design. This contrasts with the textured, off placement of the filled in circle to once again connote human interactivity and human error. Bringing in a physical or organic element to a book cover allows for more imaginative concepts.