Looking at a lot of different book cover designs from a range of sources, it's clear to see the trends and patterns within contemporary book cover design. These tend to be incredibly abstract especially when it comes to type - most designers make type the main focus of the design or decide to scrap it completely and use image to visually communicate the book instead. One way or the other, there are a lot of covers that stick to just type or image. For the cover of 'Hopscotch' for example - imagery is not necessary as the clever idea is conveyed only through type.
Furthermore, negative space is utilised well within contemporary design as it is often used to draw focus on to important elements of the design. Once again, pushing this theme of abstraction, the negative space seen in a lot of designs allows for a simplified cover that focuses on one element of the book.
Colour is also important in contemporary design and it seem that when appealing to a younger audience, bright colours are used to grab the attention of readers. It has been proven that young children respond better to bright, primary colours so perhaps this is being utilised in contemporary design also? A good example of using bright, contrasting colours is 'It's Freezing in LA!' - where purple and green is incorporated into a beautiful, natural texture. The colours create a contrast that is both eye-catching and engaging.
Book Covers I Like
I work in a small bookshop and often look through the shelves to find my favourite covers. When thinking about contemporary book cover design I pictured the bookshop and tried to pick out which ones stood out the most to me. Immediately two came to mind - Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell and American Psycho by Bret Ellis. Although very different, I like both covers for very similar reasons. Gladwell's Outliers focuses on the best and the brightest, the most famous and the most successful. He asks the question: what makes high-achievers different? This is brilliantly conveyed through the simplistic gold star on the cover - just a small nod to the content that finishes it off perfectly. The typeface and hierarchy paired with the comfortable negative space also suits the informative yet relaxed tone of writing. Furthermore, the cover design for American Psycho does a very similar thing in a different context. Instead of simply communicating all the best people on the Earth, the designer hints at Patrick Bateman's psychotic tenancies with just a smudge of blood. The book is described as incredibly controlled, careful, and important and this is all here on the cover. Less is truly more.
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