Top 10 Books on Book Design 2023

book cover designer

Book design is an art form, and the front cover is often the focus of attention. The cover of a book often steals the show, and therefore, it is important to choose a design that is strong and consistent throughout. We’ve selected ten examples of excellent book design, each with a unique aesthetic that is present throughout. For example, Arielle Gamble designed a high-impact cookbook that features hand-painted typefaces and large, bold imagery. Similarly, Sarah Ervine designed a classic English story with contemporary typefaces.

Free Book Design Practice Test Online

Book Design Questions and Answers

  • Getting a variety of book cover ideas will enable you to focus on what you want to achieve with your cover design by understanding what appeals to you, what works, and what doesn’t. Once you’ve amassed a sufficient number of ideas, you should begin to recognize specific patterns in the images, themes, and layouts that you find appealing. 
  • Describe the key topics of the novel. Outline the primary ideas of your book and keep these in mind as you choose the type of artwork you want to put on the cover.
  • Think about the genre Look at similar books to get an idea of what the genre anticipates. If they all adhere to a particular convention, you’ll probably want your cover to reflect it so that readers of that genre can recognize it immediately. 
  • Employ visual hierarchies Generally speaking, your hierarchy should put the title and cover visuals first, then a subtitle, then the author’s name. 
  • Remove the clutter For your cover, decide on a single focal point. The book’s title or a portion of the image used on the cover could both contain this. 
  • Consider thumbnails when thinking Make sure the most visible portion of your visuals is recognizable and that your title is readable at small sizes. 
  • Select a suitable typeface and color scheme Deciding on a typeface for your book cover cannot be easy. It must be beautiful when seen on the full-size cover and yet be readable in small sizes on thumbnails. 
  • You should make your title distinct. Titles have already been stated, but they must stick out on your cover.
  • Pay attention to the spine and back cover. Although the front cover of a book receives most of the attention, the spine and rear cover are also significant design components. When a reader is perusing bookshop shelves, where the majority of books are organized on shelves with only the spine showing, spines are very crucial.

The reason is copyright. However, those who dislike hiding the titles of books find it somewhat of a hot-button issue. It’s because to air them. The network would need copyright permission for every single title.

  • Be in the proper location. While freelancers can reside almost anywhere, it still helps to be close to major publishing hubs like New York or London. Exist any situations where the book designer is located abroad or across the country but the publisher is based in New York? Certainly. However, it can be quite advantageous for you to meet your employer in person if you’re a freelancer hoping to land a job on your first print book. 
  • Treat your workplace with respect. It’s ideal to set up a personal design studio no matter where you are, whether that’s a rented office space, a room in your home, or just a corner of your bedroom. Give yourself room to succeed since creating a quality cover needs meticulous attention to detail.
  • Build a network of independent writers. Before having a few publications under your belt, most major publishing organizations won’t offer you a break. Working with self-publishing writers is smart if you want to build a strong cover portfolio. Some authors only require an ebook cover, and others will use print-on-demand to distribute paper copies. Meet them, read their writing, and discover which book they cover to enjoy. After you’ve analyzed everything, give them cover idea suggestions. Although it might not be the most profitable business model, this could be the fastest way to market your book cover designs.
  • Work sacrificially. The purpose of a novel, anthology, or nonfiction book is not to express the book designer’s vision. The primary focus of these novels is on the authors. You might contact writers or publishers whose perceptions of what makes a great book cover differ from yours. That does not suggest that you give up. It will be well worth the effort if you can stick with it and develop a version that incorporates both your knowledge and the author’s preferences. And if you want to express yourself artistically to the fullest extent, try DIY: publish your book with a cover you love. 
  • Show respect to every customer. You probably won’t be working on a best-selling book when you receive your first book cover design job. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t make an excellent book cover if you can. If you decide to slack off and use a bunch of stock photos and a boring typeface for the title and author’s name, it will not look good on you and the author. Every book should be created as though it were for your bookshelves. In the long run, such professionalism will be rewarded. 
  • Advertise yourself online. Even though you might not enjoy bragging, the current economy demands that you self-promote. Show the world the amazing covers you’ve been producing by joining social media platforms or creating your website. You want to be prepared for your next client to find you online, especially if you don’t have an exclusive contract with a publishing business.
  • Start Canva Launch Canva and type “Book Covers” into the search bar to get started.
  • Choose a template. Consider Canva’s extensive collection of book cover designs for your needs in self-publishing. To reduce your options, use the search tool to filter by genre, style, or theme.
  • Create a unique book cover. Utilize our amazingly simple drag-and-drop design tools to tailor your book cover to your preferences and style. You may change the text, fonts, and colors with just a few clicks.
  • Examine various aspects. To make your book cover ideal, use Canva’s various tools, which include countless font and color combinations and access to millions of free and premium stock pictures and vectors.
  • Post and distribute satisfied with the outcome? Your book cover design should be downloaded and saved as a PNG, JPG, or PDF file. Share it across all your social media platforms to increase interest in your book.

For a single assignment, a competent book cover designer normally charges between $500 to $800.

According to Salary.com, the typical pay for a book cover designer ranges from $43,270 to $55,489 per year.

  • The genre must be obvious at a glance. Going back to the thirteen milliseconds problem, your book cover quickly transmits information to potential readers. It won’t even register with them. That initial glance is typically unconscious. 
  • It needs to resemble other independent books. Going the traditional publishing route can be effective if you’re aiming for books in a category where the genre is obvious, even to established publishers. 
  • Rather than telling the story literally, it should express the idea. In general, your goal is to draw readers to a particular genre. They’ll read the pages’ real story. They enter the door via the cover. It’s more crucial to convey the genre than to focus on your particular story.
  • Should make a good impression. Authors frequently express the desire to stand out. Being unique or inventive isn’t always a good thing. In terms of the genre, you want to appear similar to other covers, but you can stand out by having a captivating cover that is expertly created.
  • Verify that it’s up to date. Trends shift. I’ve noticed variations in the types of typefaces and pictures even in the last few years in clean romance. Check for changes in patterns.
  • Avoid cramming the cover with much text. A thumbnail will be displayed to readers. Make sure kids can read the title and author’s name if possible. If they can’t, at least a tiny typeface size should express the genre. Taglines, subtitles, and series names are frequently hidden.
  • Locate your tale.
  • Create Cover using Desygner can be tapped.
  • Select a template, begin with a blank canvas, and then use the Desygner tools to customize it.
  • Select Export by clicking the More icon in the top right corner.
  • Upload to Wattpad by tapping.
  • Choose a story.

Create a free book cover using the tools below:

  • Canva
  • Blurb
  • BookWright
  • Visme
  • GIMP
  • Select “File>Open” in Photoshop, then browse to the PDF you downloaded. Make sure the following choices are appropriately selected when this window appears: CROP TO- Select “Media Box” RESOLUTION- 300 Pixels/Inch MODE: CMYK Color Press OK
  • A new window will appear with the template. Your template will be tough to see at this time. The only layer will be the template layer, so lock it by selecting it and clicking the padlock button. Then click “Layer>New>Layer” to add a new layer. After the template layer is created, a new layer will appear; drag it below the template (by selecting the layer in the layer stack, holding the mouse button down, and dragging it down below the template layer). After that, select all of “Select>All” with the new layer chosen (it will be highlighted; the shortcut is Command+A on Macintosh systems and Cntrl+A on PC). Put White in the background.
  • When the “Edit>Fill” dialog box appears, choose “White” under contents and make sure opacity is set to 100%. Lock also this new layer. Your template will now be completely displayed. To begin creating your art, add a new layer between the template and your white background layer. You can also place an existing piece of art between the two locked layers and begin aligning your elements.
  • When your artwork is finished, save it as a PDF (PDF/X4:2008 is the LATEST version of the PDF/X format we prefer, but older is fine). Remember to save frequently and save as PSD so you can easily rectify any problems. The template directions should be hidden or deleted before saving your finished work as a PDF because you won’t want them to appear on your final result. This PDF document will then be uploaded to your account for editing.

Click Cover Page under the Pages section of the Insert tab. Choose a cover page layout from the selection in the gallery. After inserting a cover page, you can edit it by clicking on a cover page section, such as the title, and entering your content to replace the sample text.

  • You’ll want to first prepare a basic arrangement to make sure your cover or jacket will have space for every aspect you wish to add. This should outline the placement of each project component as well as the available space for it. For instance, you might wish to include the author’s biography on the back flap or the back cover, and you are aware that, wherever it appears, it will take up at least half a page. 
  • Experiment with several formats until you find one that works for you, and use a rubric to ensure you don’t forget anything. If you’re unsure where to start, start with the arrangement in the image above.
  • Perform research. Investigate current comic book trends and note what grabs your attention as a reader. study the covers of comic books 
  • Generate potential comic book covers Make a list of potential cover scenes that relate to the plot by considering the cover as a teaser for your audience. 
  • Decide on a character’s stance and perspective. Each character’s size, posture, and facial expression can reveal a lot about their talents and personalities. 
  • Draw the cover illustration. To acquire a feeling of scale, you should sketch up the cover like you did the internal pages. Remember that the eye usually scans the page from left to right, then descends from the middle to the bottom. You’ll be able to design a final layout that is unambiguous, well-balanced, and compatible with the material inside by experimenting with thumbnail sketches. 
  • Make a heading. Create a list of terms that describe this comic book issue as a starting point, and then try incorporating a character’s name, a conflict, a symbol, a location, or even wordplay in the title. A long main title will make the layout crowded, so keep it short. Avoid using too many colors, special effects, or shadows in the text because they might be distracting. Instead, keep the script style straightforward and readable. 
  • Create the cover image. If you have finished your inside pages, you are already familiar with the procedure. First, pencil your cover illustration and title name using your thumbnail sketches as a guide. Continue once you are satisfied with the general shapes, sizes, and spacing.
  • Include the author’s name, publication information, and a fee. If your thumbnail sketches are well-prepared, you’ll have enough place to accommodate the entire cover without sacrificing important aspects of the illustration. 
  • Finish the drawing. Once everything has been penciled in, and the text elements added, begin inking over your drawing. Use consistent shading, depth, and texture effects that complement the internal pages’ appearance. 
  • Use a color scheme. Pick a color scheme that complements the tone of your comic. If the interior drawings are complete, you are aware of the color scheme you are using.
  • Put your cover-up Now is the perfect moment to add your cover design if you’re using BookWright to create the internal pages. Additionally, you might digitally incorporate text components, publisher information, or text boxes into your finished design at this stage.
  • Research your book’s intended readership; come up with cover ideas that fit your genre; look into the design preferences of book cover artists.
  • Be aware of resources for cover designers
  • Start the selection process
  • Use a rating system to help you choose the best book cover designer.
  • Hire your book cover designer.
  • Use a strategy to choose the best cover designer within your budget.

The branding process’s primary component is the brand book’s design. It’s where you choose the colors, typefaces, and other design elements for your logo. Use it to provide visual design standards for every step of the branding process since this is where you set your brand rules.

The aesthetics of your book’s cover are known as the cover design. It aids in promoting your book and plays a significant role in making it stand out on the shelf, especially on the virtual shelf, where photos are often viewed as thumbnails and are smaller.

The aesthetics of your book’s cover are known as the cover design. It aids in promoting your book and plays a significant role in making it stand out on the shelf, especially on the virtual shelf, where photos are often viewed as thumbnails and are smaller.

Typically, it takes 10 to 12 working days, but longer tasks, such as artwork, may require up to 20 working days.

Typically, it takes 10 to 12 working days, but longer tasks, such as artwork, may require up to 20 working days.

If you go into great depth about a cover image and want to give credit to the artist, you might either include the entry under the artist’s name and give the artist’s full name at the beginning of your paragraph.

Click Cover Page under the Pages section of the Insert tab. Choose a cover page layout from the selection in the gallery. After inserting a cover page, you can edit it by clicking on a cover page section, such as the title, and entering your content to replace the sample text.

  • Your book’s summary (about 150 words)
  • Details regarding you, the Author (about 100 words)
  • If you have any, one or two outstanding testimonials (also known as a book blurb or cover blurb) (optional)
  • Go to the Kindle settings page.
  • Choose “Device Options”
  • Click “Show Cover” and choose “On.”

You’ll require the appropriate graphic design tools to use to realize your book cover design idea. A top-notch graphic design program like CorelDRAW is a great choice. Numerous software versions are available to accommodate designers of all skill levels, so you won’t only have all the features and capabilities you require at your fingertips. Additionally, CorelDRAW’s library of useful resources includes many online tutorials, webinars, how-to articles, and other materials if you’re just learning the ropes or starting with the software.

Book Cover Design

A book cover design is an important marketing tool that must be creative and convey a clear message. The text should be legible and the font size should be large. Avoid complicated fonts or narrow fields. It is also important to follow formatting guidelines for the publishing platform. The main theme of the cover should be clear and reflect the genre and the book’s main idea. It should also evoke emotions.

Before beginning the design process, it is a good idea to do research on your target audience. The target audience for your book can greatly influence the design. For example, if you are writing a fantasy novel, your target audience may be YA or MG. For these types of books, it is helpful to consult with genre-specific groups. The feedback you receive can help you fine-tune the cover design.

Another important aspect of book cover design is the color scheme. Choose colors that convey the mood and message of the book. Blue, for example, is known as the color of peace. This color is also associated with meditation and depth. This means that when a blue color appears on a book cover, it is more likely to evoke feelings of calm and relaxation.

Coffee Table Book Design

Designing a cover for your coffee table book is an important step. A beautiful cover can make or break the sales of your book. To get the best cover for your book, you should dive into the subject matter to come up with an image that captures the soul of the book. However, before you can create a great cover, you must make sure that the content flows and that you have a polished manuscript.

When creating a coffee table book design, it’s important to think about the content and style of the book. The text should be clear and easy to read. Avoid using overly small text or a heavy font. Coffee table books often contain photos and full pages of text. You should also be aware that the text in these books may be more readable than the photos.

Creating a coffee table book is an elegant way to showcase your interests and style. Whether you are a photographer or a painter, a coffee table book design is a beautiful way to turn your passion into hardcopy. A coffee table book is also an ideal gift for a birthday or wedding. The personal touch it adds makes it an especially thoughtful gift.

Human Design Book

The Human Design Book is a unique collection of the most important facts about the human design system. It has taken two years to create and includes everything you need to know about human design. It makes this complex topic easily digestible and highlights its highest expression. It also offers affirmations and journal prompts that will help you make the most of its content.

There are a huge number of books available on the topic of Human Design. There are more being published every month. Some are useful, but many others are a complete waste of time or money. These three books will help you make the right choice and ensure you get the most from your Human Design experience. They each contain valuable information, but they aren’t necessarily easy to understand.

The Human Design Manual by Chetan Parkyn is the first comprehensive book on the subject. It covers a variety of topics and offers products for beginners, advanced students, and professionals. It also includes free downloadable software.

Interior Design Book

An interior design book is an excellent way to showcase your best work. It can also serve as a manifesto about your point of view. When well-received, it can bring you new clients and help you cement your brand on a national stage. However, producing a design book is an intensive process that requires considerable time and financial investment.

Whether you’re looking for decorating tips or just want to learn how to organize your home, interior design books can help you create the perfect home. These books can help you decorate your home with bold colors and add structure to bare walls. A book about interior design can also serve as an elegant gift for a loved one.

Interior design books will boost your creativity and help you understand different styles and design principles. They will also provide practical tips for the everyday home. Some of these books are even inspiring.

Design Patterns Book

If you’re interested in software engineering, you should pick up the book Design Patterns: Elements of Reusable Object-Oriented Software. The authors are Ralph Johnson, Erich Gamma, Grady Booch, and John Vlissides. They outline a process for building reusable software that will keep it readable and maintainable for years to come.

This book is written in Java and uses a visually rich format that helps the reader understand each design pattern. Each chapter starts with a real-life example, explains several approaches, and then suggests the best solution. The chapters are organized into categories based on the commonality of the patterns. You can find what you need easily, without sifting through hundreds of pages of text.

The book also shows you how to apply the design patterns in practice. It also includes detailed descriptions of each pattern, as well as its advantages and disadvantages. You’ll learn which patterns are most suitable for your project, and how to use each one to create better software.

book cover design ideas

Book Cover Design Template

A book cover is the first impression that a reader has of the book. It should therefore be visually appealing and unique. The best book cover design templates allow for a variety of customizations. These templates allow users to change the colors, fonts, shapes, and other aspects of the book cover. Using a simple interface, it takes minutes to create a stunning cover. Users can even play around with various filters and color palettes to make the design look more unique.

Book cover designs should include images and text. It’s essential that each element supports the message of the book. The text on a book cover should be readable and convey a certain emotion or idea to the reader. It should also be visually appealing to make the reader want to purchase it. A good book cover design should make your book stand out on the bookshelf and grab a reader’s attention.

Book covers are the first thing a reader sees when they pick up the book. They should give them a little hint about the theme and plot, but not spoilers. They should also convey the genre of the book. For example, a thriller will have a different cover than a collection of humorous essays.

Design Thinking Book

A Design thinking book can help you understand the process better, as it teaches how to make creative decisions and map the design process. Using exercises and processes, the author helps you develop concepts, create prototypes, and get feedback. You will learn how to use the Design Thinking process to improve your business. The book is designed to help you work in a team environment and be more productive.

The book is a good resource for both educators and industry professionals, as it helps readers understand the process in a simple and practical way. It breaks down the process into six steps, and includes several hands-on activities. It teaches how to brainstorm in a structured way and generate fresh ideas, as well as how to lead a team.

The book is written by Don Norman, former director of the Institute for Cognitive Science at the University of California. It explores the fundamental connection between objects and users and offers practical advice on how to design products that meet the needs of all users.

Graphic Design Book

A good graphic design book will not only provide you with practical tips but will also help you learn how to use various tools and techniques in your design projects. These books cover the basic concepts of design, such as typography, layout, grid structure, colour, and design principles. They also provide an insight into the psychology of visual perception.

A graphic design book should also be culturally relevant. Most histories of the field tend to place women on the margins. However, the author emphasizes that there are countless women of different backgrounds who have contributed to the field. They have worked in major type foundries, illustrated books, and even ran presses. Regardless of gender, these women have been important figures in the field of graphic design. This book is an essential read for any designer who is serious about his craft.

A good graphic design book should also be inspiring for young designers. A book like this has sections that cover the fundamentals of design and encourage readers to try different ideas. It contains a total of 160 pages and 474 illustrations.