Caustic Cover Critic: More Ink

Tuesday, 5 April 2011

More Ink

Given the general negative reaction in the comments here to the Penguin Ink series, I wonder what you'll think of these: Penguin UK has also commissioned six books in the series.

I have no artist information as yet.

12 comments:

Ian Koviak said...: Hmmm. I can't see why there should be a strong negative reaction to something like this. It's a fun idea and has it's appeal on many levels.

Christ, books are meant to be fun to look at and own, otherwise we might as well all embrace ebooks and call it a day with the printed book.

Everytime someone has a concept that tries to re-imagine what a book cover can look like, there will be a slew of people saying random stuff like, "Hey, this does not represent/serve the books mood and content"... (usually overtly literal people who read way too much for their own good) this may be true, but by golly sometimes it's just about sales and giving something a fresh market appeal—whatever it takes.

In general, yes, any piece of design should serve to communicate accurately and appropriately. But what if you want to communicate a little more and to a different audience? What if you want to reach out past the same old readers?

Tattoos are in? Great, lets make a bunch of book covers that look like tattoos.

"Make something no one hates, no one loves it"- Tibor Kalman; 5 April 2011 at 16:22
JRSM said...: I'm with you, Ian--though I haven't loved all of them, I've been surprised at how much some people seem to hate the Ink covers.I bought three of them because I really liked the designs and didn't already own the books, so mission accomplished for Penguin there, I suspect.; 5 April 2011 at 16:26
That Hank said...: I have friends who would get that High Fidelity piece as an actual tattoo.; 5 April 2011 at 16:51
Joel said...: i was a bit mixed on the U.S. covers but i bought three (bone people, broom of the system and money) and admired a few others (from russia with love, bridget jones's diary).

of these, i really like white teeth. i'm not very familiar with a few of the other books.; 5 April 2011 at 16:53
JRSM said...: Ha! Yes, me too.; 5 April 2011 at 16:53
Amy June Bates said...: I sort of love them. Esp Zoe Heller, Nick Hornby and Book of Dave. I HATE the Accidental cover. I get it, though, this and the threads series. It appeals to a very cool aesthetic.

These covers seem so decorative. I always feel this push and pull with the narrative in a book cover. How much is too much narrative? Does it actually work better in "higher literature" o go less narrative more decorative?; 5 April 2011 at 18:50
Thomas Hogglestock said...: I feel like these are marginally better than the others you have posted. But overall it just feels like Penguin is like a square adult trying to be hip but only getting in on the action late in the game when it feels a bit lame.; 6 April 2011 at 07:16
Ákos Polgárdi said...: "overtly literal people who read way too much for their own good" seems an awkward thing to say on this sort of blog.; 6 April 2011 at 12:36
JRSM said...: Ákos, you're right :) Though I do read too much for my own good, I'm sure.

The responses here do seem to fit the Tibor Kalman quote Ian used.; 6 April 2011 at 15:37
Ian Koviak said...: Penguin invented the "game".; 7 April 2011 at 14:07
graeme said...: i tend to buy a book for whats inside,

dunno about you but i don't tend to see the cover that much when its on the bookshelf or facing away from me when i read.; 15 April 2011 at 03:07
JRSM said...: But you need some sort of clue or cue to make you pick up a book in the first place, and that awkward place where art, design and commerce meet to induce desire is what this blog is all about.; 15 April 2011 at 04:02