Graphic Journey Blog

LOVED COVERS No.19

Covers can sometimes be a total surprise. In 1997, I commissioned Fernando Gutiérrez RDI to design the book and cover for, 'The Commercials Book'. My only stipulation was not to use any of the director's work featured. He unearthed this fantastic photograph by Oliviero Toscani and presented it as the cover. It's all about looking and seeing the potential. Published by D&AD.

LOVED COVERS No.18

With a nod to Martin Creed, designer Jamie Keenan produced this brilliant cover in 2020. It shows the bravery of publishers Granta in this age of dumbing down this historic creative discipline, especially in the UK with its bullying conglomerates.

HAVE A GOOD ONE.

To all who have dropped by over the past year, many thanks. May you all have a healthy and prosperous 2024. And let's hope for peace in the increasing and tragic war zones.

LOVED COVERS No.16.

A simple but beautiful way of expressing a city suffocating the life out of a woman. Cover by New York-based designer Paul Sahre for W. W. Norton & Company (2019).

LOVED COVERS No.15

This witty design by Barcelona-based Javier Jaén uses just one colour overprinted onto the binding case for this book on the master of movie title design, Saul Bass (1920 -1996). Published by Gràffica in 2011.

LOVED COVERS No.14

LOVED COVERS No.14: Visit any bookshop, and you'll be accosted by a stack of 'personality' publications. 90% follow the predictable formula: full-beed mugshot, overly large type, and quotes. So, it's refreshing to see the occasional alternative approach even if you have to go back 35 years when Mark Farrow RDI designed this cover, and it still looks fresh. World International Publishing (1988)

LOVED COVERS No.13

LOVED COVERS No.13: What better way to tempt the Count than a beautiful, tempting female neck (in this case, by 19th-century painter Lord Frederic Leighton). But the sensual cropping and understated typography is by NYC-based cover designer Megan Wilson. Published by Vintage Classics 2011.

LOVED COVERS No.12

LOVED COVERS No.12: The second half of my publishing decade was in paperbacks with Fontana. I regularly commissioned Tony Meeuwissen RDI, one of the few conceptual designers/illustrators I would call an analogue genius. I treated his work with extra care when going through the approval process. All the cover designs he did for me back then remained intact without any change. This one was for Fontana (1977). Read a feature I wrote about Tony Meeuwissen in 'EYE' magazine  HERE: 

LOVED COVERS No.11

LOVED COVERS No.11: New York-based designer Carin Goldberg was responsible for this almost clinical information graphics style cover but with a touch of humour, cleverly picking up on the book's funny and irreverent nature. Published by Penguin Books 2008.

LOVED COVERS No.9

LOVED COVERS No.9: This is my copy of Jenny Offill's beautifully written book about a seemingly well-peiced-together marriage until it starts to fall apart. This well-crafted cover, with its modest typography, by current standards, allows the idea to shine. It is one of designer Jon Gray's best. Granta 2014.