Book Cover Archive blog

In the late 1980s, the Alfred A. Knopf design group redefined the art of American book packaging. Two decades later, the department continues to set the bar for the trade publishing industry. Knopf: Then and Now brings the legendary team of Carol Devine Carson, Barbara de Wilde, Archie Ferguson, and Chip Kidd together on stage for the first time.

Wednesday, October 21st.

Not the first time this week I’ve been annoyed that I don’t live in NYC.
Also not the first time I’ve been annoyed by how little work we have in the Archive for Carson, de Wilde and Ferguson.

Chip Kidd shows his stuff in this new video for ARTBREAK‘s single, Asymmetrical Girl. Gary Nadeau directing. The guys at Dress Code on motion graphics.

CHIP KIDD presents ARTBREAK from gary nadeau on Vimeo.

D&AD Entry. Series of experimental covers for Faber’s new POD film range. Inspired by the phenomena of a visual glitch, the design utilizes a logarithm that translates the title and section into a distinct graphic pattern. Original script developed by Ted Davis.

Alan Trotter posts a wonderful illustrated interview with Coralie Bickford-Smith. This should happen more often.

Couple new blogs in the mix:

- The hardest working man in the business, John Gall, has deigned to grace us with a blog. In the words of Dan Wagstaff, “John Gall has started a blog. Holy fuck.”

- Speaking of Dan, have you seen his ancillary site, The Accidental Optimist? I know it’s been around for a little while, but I just recently got around to checking it out and before I knew it I was 34 pages deep and wishing for more.

- Occasionally I venture outside the world of book cover design and need a place to put it all together. As such, I launched my own blog the other day. I know self-whoring is annoying, but you’ll just have to show me some grace in this case.

More Slovakian covers here.

The Black Jacket Mechanical competition has come to an end. Absolutely impressive turn out. 932 entries!

Personal favorite? Dorfman‘s:

Tomer Hanuka posted a comprehensive look at his making of the cover of The Gigolo Murder, a Turkish mystery novel published by Penguin.

I’ve long dreamed of a coffeetable book of “making-of” examples of various graphic designs, comic books and illustrations. Someone get to work on this.

FireFly Letterpress from ilovetypography.com on Vimeo.

A couple notes on Christopher Tobias:

- Just added his new cover for Age of Wonder. Art Directed by Jonathan Sainsbury & Brian Barth. The type sold me.

- You’ve probably already seen his new blog: Group Thinkery, “An ongoing discussion of books, design, & publishing”. It reads like a teacher’s lounge for cover designers.

- I’m not sure when he redesigned his site, Outerwear For Books, but it’s easily one of the nicest book cover portfolio presentations I’ve seen. Really loving the simplicity (shame that it’s done in Flash, though).