Book Design Crit - 1st year GD Student

Student Forum
#1

Hey, my name is Scarlet and I am looking for three different critiques of my work…

I would be incredibly grateful if you could share your honest thoughts and constructive criticism on my latest design project; all feedback is welcome as I’m eager to learn and improve.
The brief:
Design two complete covers (front, spine, back) for a chosen book (from the provided list or an author you know).

Two Design Styles Required:

  1. Using illustration, imagery, or photography.
  2. Using only typography.

Process:

Final illustrated:

Image book mock up
Image book mock up1920×1280 185 KB

Final typographic:

Text summer book fin
Text summer book fin1920×1280 282 KB

I really look forward to reading your feedback

Scarlet

#2

Hi there, your design seems to be fine but there is two things to improve: Look at the illustration and the typography, which letter seems more readable for you ? also at the final typograghy the green seems very flashy to the eyes of the customer and the letters aren’t readable. These are the two things that I think you need to improve.

#3

These are beautiful on first glance. I didn’t read all the blurb yet, but visually, stunning covers and eye-catching.

2 Likes
#4

I agree with mluxgd about the text on the front cover of the illustrated version, it doesn’t really go with the art, I’d go for a more “popping font”, something that fits the style of the art. I do like the final typography version, but I would agree, maybe play around with the color of the font to get it to pop a little more.

1 Like
#5

For a first-year design student, I think you’re on the right track. The illustration for the first cover is interesting and appropriate for the book about summer on Finland’s coast. It’s a bit abstract, but maybe that’s okay.

On the downside, the typography is weak and anemic. A book title should stand and not look like an afterthought. I don’t know why you chose to use so much leading with the title, but it isn’t working in this instance. If it were me, I wouldn’t jam the word “The” up against the top of the book. The author’s name fades into illegibility, tucked into the lower-right corner, and fights with the background. Similarly, the text on the back cover is compromised by the illustration behind it, making it largely illegible and difficult to read without some effort.

When choosing a photo or illustration on which typography will be placed, the type must work together with the background as a single unit rather than look awkwardly forced together in ways that compromise both.

The title typography on the second book isn’t weak; it really stands out, which is good, but it might be a bit too camouflaged by the trees. The author’s name and the title on the spine are more definitely obscured by the trees, lessening their legibility. I also have reservations about placing the author’s name closer to the last line of the title than the last line is to the rest of the title.

The carved-out brown rectangle for the type on the back of the book looks awkward. At first, I thought it was clear-cut bare ground, but on closer inspection, I don’t know what it is. Additionally, as far as I understand, southern Finland is largely covered in trees. Still, the photo, at least to me, makes it look more like the Amazon Jungle than coastal Finland, and it says nothing about fishing.

If I had to sum up a general problem, it’s that you’re having trouble coordinating the typography with the background imagery so they merge into a single, aesthetically unified composition.

As I said in my first paragraph, you’re on the right track, so I want my critique to come across as helpful rather than discouraging.

2 Likes