Design a boring book!
Can you put your audience to sleep?
I’d like you to try.
Design the cover of a book that you’d keep near your bed to read and fall asleep. Bland. Benign. Unengaging. Your assignment is to not arouse the reader in any way. No thought-provoking titles, no glorious colors, no gripping images, no edgy layouts. The opposite, in fact.
Can you do it?
Your cover will require:
1) A title. Subtitle is optional
2) Photo or illustration
3) “Author’s” name
Size is not important. I’m using 5˝x 7˝, so you may as well stick with that.
You’ll have to deal with five elements: type, color, image, layout — plus what the words actually say. Your cover must include every element.
There’s a tongue-in-cheek quality to this, so have fun with it (which does not mean make it funny, because that would be arousing). Here’s an example to get you started:
Post your cover(s) in our new Graphic Design Tips & Tricks group. You’ll have to join first. I’ll be selecting a few for critique and comment. Can’t wait to see what you come up with!
I keep coming back and thinking about this challenge because it is so fun. And so when I came across this story in Adweek's newsletter today about IKEA's "Sleepiest Print Ad Ever" I thought I would share the link just for fun. Since it adds white noise, maybe there will be a version of this challenge one day that will deal with digital non-static covers. http://www.adweek.com/brand-marketing/ikea-created-the-sleepiest-print-ad-ever-complete-with-scented-ink-and-white-noise/
Hi, this is my book cover redesign using Vienna Secession Style of the Alchemist by Paulo Cohelo. I have been watching Graphic Design Tips & Tricks at Lynda.com, and I was wondering if can I have some critiques of my design. Thank you so much for the attention!
Sorry but must change course here ... John -- been emailing Before&After for months, no response. Was a subscriber for years until .... nothing. Please advise what happened? Loved every issue, was a boon for my design searches ... hope you are well!
Indeed interesting. I remember you posted a similar idea with B&A some years ago and I followed it with great interest. Will do so now too. Won't manage this time to come up with a design myself.
John, I think you broke one of the rules on your example (funny=stimulating). I laughed as soon as I saw your cover!