Any reader purchases with the eyes first. They look for familiarity at the same time novelty in a book cover design. The look on the cover must communicate instantly and encourage the potential buyer to go ahead and purchase it.
How exactly then to design such a cover? Is there a set of rules to follow? What are the various ways? We take a look.
Picture this:
A book cover with dull graphics, an unreadable font, and a cluttered design is least likely to get purchased as opposed to a visually appealing book cover. Books that follow a clean, uncluttered visual pattern are mostly likely to be purchased as opposed to that those that have an unattractive design cover. They are also most likely to be clicked when purchasing books online.
So if you want to design the best book cover it is essential to follow certain thumb rules to get the final product right.
As one of the leading graphic design and printing company in Pune, we at Bright Pixel follow the best design standards for our clients for an awesome book design cover.
Let us take a look-
1. Understand the cover design inspiration-
Gather some visual inspiration/ references from websites and other book covers which will help you get a head start. Gathering inspiration will help you to get an idea of what will work for you and what would not. If you have a keen eye you will notice there is plenty of design inspiration even in nature and our day-to-day activities. Create a mood board on your laptop, or note it down in pointers in your diary.
2. What should be the book’s main theme?
What is your book about? Is it a novel, a mystery, or an autobiography? Is it something related to travel? A book cover should be in sync with the theme it has been written. It also needs to support the overall mood of the book and the content that is written inside it.
Note down the book’s main theme and understand how should you go about it.
3. Understand the genre-
If your book is about children’s stories and you have selected a corporate design for your book cover it would certainly put a big question mark in the buyer’s mind. The genre should go with the design.
To get an understanding of how to go about with the genre, get a reference to other top books and accordingly note down what suits you the best.
4. Make use of visual hierarchy-
A visual hierarchy on a book cover is the key to designing an attractive book cover. What do you want your readers to see first?
For most writers, it is the title. However, for best-selling authors, it can be the name first and then the title of the book.
So the title, the name of the author, and the design elements should be placed in such a manner that the buyer gets to see them one by one and is not confused by the overall make of the design.
5. Make use of minimalism-
Less is more! Too heavy a design can not only make the book cover look cluttered it can have a negative impact on the mind of the reader. Also since a lot of browsing happens online, the thumbnail of the book should look clear and concise. Make use of a lot of white space. As a top branding agency in Pune, we strictly inculcate the appropriate use of white space to make our designs look classy and beautiful.
6. Choose an appropriate font and color-
Choosing a typo for your book cover can be tricky. Sometimes it looks great on screen however the same can’t be said when viewed on a book cover. Also one needs to take into account how it looks on the screen.
Also while choosing a color palette, it has to catch the reader’s eye which will set the idea and tone of the book. Wrong colors can confuse the audience making them lose interest in buying the book altogether.
7. Decide on a title that stands out-
The title of the book must stand out. A title also gives very powerful clues regarding the main content of the book. This is can pique the interest of the reader who is likely to purchase the book.
On a concluding note-
Design a book cover that sells however make it also about an emotional connection-
Over the years, creating a book cover has changed owing to the online medium and the advent of e-books. However, the basic principles of a book design remain similar.
To merge the same, one needs the help of a professional book designer who will understand the nuances of designing the ideal book cover suitable for the topic.
Are you looking for a memorable book cover or any of your office branding needs? Call us @ 9890721583 or email us at info@brightpixel.in. We would be glad to help you out!
