Interview with Richie Stewart

Richie Stewart is a graphic designer, who has designed a number of book covers. You can see my previous blog post for more information.

1: Due to the recent rise in digital publishing do you think the physical book is losing popularity? 

Maybe not in popularity but I think it's far more difficult now for publishing companies to get a legit budget to design and produce a physical book.  

2: Does this affect your design process? Influence your approach to designing the physical book? 

For sure. There are far more variables in the making of a physical book. There is an entire world of print processes and production techniques that can be explored. Where as in the digital format, it's really just a rectangular JPG of the design. 

3: Would you find the front cover of a digital book more limiting to design for?

I think when you have the ability to work in three dimensions it opens up far more options in terms of concept and design choices. So yes, I think a digital book is more limiting but that's not necessarily a bad thing. 

4: Would you take advantage of a book's physicality in your design? 

Absolutely 100%. 

5: How do you use your design to interest the modern audience in a classic book?  

Concept is always going to win. If you have a smart idea and execute it well, people will be attracted to it. 

6: Do you think that interactive book designs are most suited toward a younger audience? Could they still interest adults? 

 I think it attracts people of all ages. Maybe younger people that grew up with books being in digital format would find it more second nature. I think it just comes down to personal preference. 

7: Matte vs. gloss? 

Matte, always.

8: On a whole, do you prefer reading ebooks or the physical copy of a book?

Physical, absolutely.

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Interview with David Wyatt

David Wyatt is an illustrator, who has done a number of work for books. I found his work Illusionology for Templar's 'Ology' series (see previous blog post) fitting for my research.

1: Due to the recent rise in digital publishing do you think the physical book is losing popularity?
 

I'm led to believe that books in their physical state are selling less, but e-books have filled the hole. As long as people are reading just as much, I'm not really concerned too much as to how the words are delivered to them. My only worry would be if the physical book became a bit of a dinosaur and the market dictated that they would no longer be commercially viable. At the moment, it's good to have the choice. I find novels are perfectly good to read on a Kindle (for example), but books with illustrations really suffer on a digital device.

2: Does this affect your design process? Influence your approach to designing the physical book?

3: Would you find the front cover of a digital book more limiting to design for?

 

 At the moment I still design covers with physical books in mind. I have yet to design one specifically for a digital edition. But I have noticed the digital revolution has affected the way covers are presented. Very often a customer's first contact with a book is via a website; images are displayed quite small and as a consequence there is pressure to make the design quite punchy (high contrast, heightened colours, a general lack of subtlety). This makes covers look good on a web browser, but not so good on a hard copy.

4: Would you always like to take advantage of a book's physicality in your design?

 

I do find it particularly satisfying designing covers that don't just have an image slapped on - I like to think of a book as a precious, crafted object. My favourite projects are the ones where I get to design the typography, suggest print effects, etc. Illusionology is a good example of that. We threw every production technique at that one - embossing, foiling, the latest 3D lenticular technology - it's a lovely looking book and very tactile. Hopefully all the print finishing tricks helped create an atmosphere - they weren't just used gratuitously (in my opinion!)

5: How do you use your design to interest the modern audience in a classic book? If you had to design for one. 

I suppose I can't help but bring a modern feel to a Classic book, due to all the influences around me. I like to keep one foot in the past as a lot of my favourite artists came from a different era, but I've never been interested in recreating their style (even though I frequently borrow things from them). It's more about translating their sensibilities into the current age.

6: Do you think that interactive book designs are most suited toward a younger audience? Could they still interest adults?

 

I'm not an expert in this, so I can't answer with any great conviction. I have seen a few interactive storybooks on friend's iPads; only a few seem to genuinely work for me. I do think there is a lot of possibility there; the problem for me is that it involves a lot of different disciplines (programming, animation, etc.) so ideally you would need a lot of technical knowledge before you could realise a good idea. They are definitely great fun for kids - I'm not sure how you could do a similar thing for an adult audience; I suppose you'd have to invent an entirely new genre. I'm sure it will happen one day...

 

7: Matte vs. gloss? 

 

Matte covers always look good; often some spot varnishing on the design really brings the image to life. The problem is you have to alter your palette a bit as matte laminates tend to drain out the colours. Gloss is good if you want some really 'in your face' colours.

 

8: On a whole, do you prefer reading ebooks or the physical copy of a book?

Going back to the first answer, I'm a Kindle convert, but I find it impossible to enjoy illustrated books on a screen (or comics). Originally I bought my Kindle so I could see how Larklight (a series of heavily illustrated books I did with Philip Reeve) looked converted to digital - it was a bit of a disaster. There was nothing wrong with the quality of the illustrations having been pixelized - the problem was they didn't sit with the words properly. The book was designed so the text and pictures worked closely together - that went out the window on the e-book version, unfortunately.

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It was interesting to receive the opinion of someone who has designed a lot of illustrations for books, both as covers and as interiors. I found that he touched on something very true when he said that he did not think illustrations transferred as well on a kindle and were much more impressive as a physical copy. He also said that because you would see the front cover as a small image on a website, designers were having to make their covers more vivid and less subtle, which perhaps did not look as good on a physical copy. It must be difficult to reach the right balance.

Interview with Chris Wharton

Chris Wharton is a freelance illustrator and designer who is based in London. I was interested in interviewing him after my previous blog post and he was nice enough to reply.

1: Due to the recent rise in digital publishing do you think the physical book is losing popularity?

No. Although ebooks are lightweight, many volumed, legible in low light  and fantastic prop to pose with on public transport I think there will always be a place for good old ink and paper. Personally I would never use or own an ebook. I spend 80% of my day staring at at computer screen and the thought of relaxing in front of one makes my eyes feel like sand paper (more so). I think ebooks have opened up the world of reading to a wider audience and reading as a past time has only increased in years but I think essentially we are tactile creatures that like to hold, feel, sniff and run our eyes over the real McCoy. Plus theres a whole market of limited edition books and signed copies that will never die out.

2: Does this affect your design process? Influence your approach to designing the physical book?

I've never designed for an ebook, nor read one so I'm probably not the best person to ask this. However I will speculate that when designing for the physical book you can naturally play with its dimensions; wrap around designs, die cut parts, embossing and various bells and whistles that bring a cover to life and invite the on-looker to participate and investigate the cover further, which is essentially the whole point of having a cover.

3: Would you find the front cover of a digital book more limiting to design for?

I don't know, do they semi-animate ebook covers or anything fancy? I guess that would be the counter argument to the one above. You're limited by physical dimension but abundant in effects and motion in the ebook.

4: Would you take advantage of a book's physicality in your design?

If the design physicality lent itself to the content of the book or was a relevant exaggeration or elaboration I think its natural to play with the dimensions. I hate to use myself as an example but, if you look at some of the Hemingway covers I mocked up some of those make full use of the play and relationship between the front and back covers. the Bulls head peeking on to the front page from the back, when you turn to the back you can see the enormity of the bull and the exaggeration of fear and danger that the book tells of. By delaying the on-lookers reading of the illustration you can conjure different ideas or effects. 
Naturally other effects convey different concepts - embossing and gold foiling speak of quality and opulence, die cutting usually has some device relating to revealing or conducting the eye in a particular manner.

5: How do you use your design to interest the modern audience in a classic book? For example, your Ernest Hemingway series. 

I think stylistically the Hemingway series was well received with a touch of fluke. I think theres a renaissance of 50's style illustration-minimal illustrations which manage to maintain a sense of personality. The book being authored by a post-war writer it naturally lent itself to this style which happens to be in vogue. But in general, I think there are myriad ways of illustrating classic themes with contemporary styles. If you take a look at the Penguin 'deluxe edition' series its a collection of well known illustrators invited to illustrate the cover of their favourite books, its amazing you have Chris Ware drawing Voltaire, Tom Gauld with the Three Musketeers, Charles Burns drawing the Jungle and Jason with Jack Kerouac. These are all illustrators with very distinct styles drawing subjects from through out history. I suppose as long as your draw something convincing and engaging people will respond to it.

6: Do you think that interactive book designs are most suited toward a younger audience? Could they still interest adults?

I think it would be easy to assume that, but I was walking along the south bank yesterday and on the tube and tonnes of old(er) people are getting to grips with technology. and if you think about it you can magnify the page, read in the dark and they're light and portable, which is ideal for the older generation. So bearing this in mind its only a matter of time before interaction is just another aspect that they get to grips with too. Also this divide between old and young with technology is only a divide at present, as this young generation grows older and in the next 40- 50 years there won't be a single person that wasn;t born using a computer and all the inherent toys within.

7: Matte vs. gloss?

I make pretty pictures and then the publishers tweak and play with the results. But personally - matte.

9: On a whole, do you prefer reading ebooks or the physical copy of a book?

I think I've only ever read maybe two books online and this was only out of necessity (I was on holiday and ran out of things to read), it wasn't a terrible experience but neither was it as relaxing or as enjoyable as reclining with an actual book. I'll always prefer the hard copy.

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Chris Wharton's responses were very interesting to consider. He touched on what I had learned from my research; how ebooks are making books and reading more popular, but there is still a market who prefer physical copies. He also noted that there were different methods available to the designer when producing artwork for the physical copy.

Interview with Mick Brownfield

Mick Brownfield is an illustrator who works in advertising, editorial design and publishing. His work and visual language is inspired by comics. I was interested in interviewing him mainly because of the work he did for Vintage Books (seen in my previous blog post).

1: Due to the recent rise in digital publishing do you think the physical book is losing popularity?

I'm afraid so.

2: Does this affect your design process? Influence your approach to designing the physical book?

No.

3: Would you find the front cover of a digital book more limiting to design for?

Yes.

4: Would you take advantage of a book's physicality in your design?

If suitable.

5: How do you use your design to interest the modern audience in a classic book?

Either bring it up to date, or emphasise the period feel.

6: Do you think that interactive book designs are most suited toward a younger audience? Could they still interest adults?

Yes and No.

7: Matte vs. gloss?

Matt always.

8: What was the process of designing a book that is 3D?

It was all done in B/W layers. I pretended I understood the technique but I'm not sure I did.

9: On a whole, do you prefer reading ebooks or the physical copy of a book?

Physical, but ebooks can be useful on holiday or while travelling. Also they are cheaper and immediate. A real book can be compared to a vinyl album as opposed to a CD

or download.

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Though Mick's answers were short and sweet, I still found his insight helpful. I really liked the idea behind his last comment - "A real book can be compared to a vinyl album as opposed to a CD

or download" - and my research seems to confirm with his theory. People are starting to look at physical books as though they are for a special occasion, which is being reflected in their new designs.

Time Management Update

Due to priories of the Green Design and Pressure Project modules I have not been able to update this blog as regularly as I would have liked. However, I have still been collecting notes and finding more areas to research and with Pressure Project now finished I can now update more often.

Current Research Overview

In my research so far, I have discovered more than I thought possible in terms of making the most of the physical copy of a book. I had no idea that so many designers were exploring this method already and therefore the results of my research have been very encouraging.

In terms of primary research, illustrators and designers tend to have both good and bad things to say about ebooks. Many designers thrilled that the digital book is getting more people into reading, while they also say that ebooks are not necessarily limiting to design for. One of the most interesting comments I received came from Joe McLaren, who said, “Any limitations imposed by digital books will be outweighed by new freedoms and possibilities. I'm already having to engage with briefs that demand illustrations that move slightly, almost unnoticed. Imagine reading a horror story on an iPad late at night, and suddenly the curtain in a small illustration which you've barely looked at for the last three minutes flutters in the wind quite unexpectedly- wonderful stuff!”

However, I can't help but feel like there is more to play with in terms of the physical book and I certainly think my research backs this up. I have discovered books that come with 3D glasses, that come with stickers so that you can create your own cover, book covers that glow in the dark, books that are foiled and embossed, books (such as Jim Tierney's Jules Verne’s series and the Ology series) that can be touched and played with, books that come with decorative slip jackets and book designs that further the story by using their physicality.

When walking into a bookstore, I have noticed that so many graphic designers are employing these techniques when redesigning older books. For example, see my blog posts about the Planet of the Apes redesign, about The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy redesign etc. It seems that designers are trying to make these books appeal to a modern audience and trying to find new fans for the books. And they do this by creating something so unique. For example, in terms of the former book, by introducing 3D glasses and for the latter, including stickers. This is something I have considered, for I plan to focus my redesign on the gothic genre, most of which are old, classic books.

In fact, to further my research I plan to look at successful book jackets designed for gothic stories, even if they do not make the most of the book's physicality. I would also like to visit a book shop again and take a lot at new designs and what appears to be popular. Not only that, but I would like to interview more designers and ask their opinions about such matters.