I don't often post speculative covers here--as in non-published covers for books, covers created by designers for their own amusement--but the work of Belgian-based illustrator and designer Levente Szabó is too good not to be promoted. His Great Books Project involves creating dustjackets for a number of classic novels, and they're astonishingly beautiful and clever. Click any image below for bigger versions, and visit his portfolio for more, as well as a number of alternative sketches which most designers would kill to have come up with, let alone discard.
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| This cover, and that for Saramago's Blindness, below, are some of the cleverest applications of negative space I've ever seen. |
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| Above is the proposed jacket, below is the design to be printed on the boards underneath |
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If the publishers with the rights to these books don't get in touch with Levente and snap up these designs straight away, then it's because they don't want to sell books.
wow. i would buy those in a heartbeat!
ReplyDeleteGood LORD.
ReplyDeleteStunningly good designs.
ReplyDeleteSpectacular work.
ReplyDeleteThe idea for 'Blindness' is incredibly insightful.
ReplyDeleteSums up the uncomfortable and unsettling nature of the book perfectly.
First time I've been on your blog for ages and what an amazing post to see. I absolutely agree with everything you say although the 'Blindness' cover may have been influenced by Rene Magritte's "Gigantic Days'but then they're both Belgian and brilliant. I think the last time I came here I ended up spending a lot on books by Lynd Ward!!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the comments, all. AndyRM, it's pretty much the ideal cover, isn't it? Steve, that's something I hadn't thought of, but a good point. At least this time there's nothing to empty your wallet on--more's the pity.
ReplyDeleteJust adding my voice to the general approval... These are all great & should be used pronto.
ReplyDeleteThey are wonderful covers. I hope we get to see some of them (or others) on books.
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