The full cover is shown below. Front and back covers show details of baskets. The front cover image extends to the spine, where it is screened back. Bamboo basket patterns are screened back on the large flaps (I might have made these a little too dark, and I dialed back the CMY on press compared the the K (the "key," that is, black).
I was aggressive with the bar code on the back cover. I put a white box behind it and made the box partially transparent so that some of the basket pattern shows through. The printer was certain that the bar code wouldn't work, and advocated putting the bar code over a standard white box. I hate the damn white barcode boxes, and I told them that I'd rather have it look good than work. Later I took a press proof and I tested it in our store — it scans fine.
I tried various ways of making sure the title on the front cover was visible — drop shadows, color bands, boxes, etc. They all looked bad, and in the end I just let the title be discreet. Most designers would probably use some kind of fancy type, like swash or something for the title (that conveys to the clients that they're getting their money's worth). I figured the beautiful basket should carry the day if I just stayed out of its way. The title, of course, is Bembo, the project's only latin font.
I always do large flaps on my paperback covers these days. They provide color for the inside cover, while being less expensive than printing on both sides of the cover, and they give a feeling of weight and substance.
I also dashed off the promotional copy for the flap.
*** navigation for
this article:
0. overview
1. front matter
2. essays
3. catalogue section
4. appendices
5. back matter
6. cover <<
***
***
***
more:
home | article introduction