The altering nature of ebook cowl design
Donna Payne, Faber's creative director, explains her creative process in designing a cover and discusses the impact of the pandemic and the associated increase in online sales
In January it was reported that more than 200 million printed books were sold in the UK in 2020, the first time since 2012 to exceed that number. Although bookstores are closed for most of the year, initiatives like Bookshop.org, an online bookstore where you can buy direct from local independent booksellers, and the growing influx of BookTubers and bookstagrammers on social media point to books Purchase as a lockdown saver.
But as more and more people share what they read, it feels like it's not just what you read, but how it looks. Of course, book cover design has always been an art that should be admired in certain circles. But more than ever, even people outside of the industry have an opinion on cover design, especially new releases that have to introduce virtual marketing campaigns and book cover revelations, and piles of "What I'm Reading" images and color-coordinated shelves, which will flood our feeds.
Above: Faber Stories, art by Donna Payne and Jonny Pelham. Above: Britain Alone, designed by Jonny Pelham. All pictures: Faber
Which begs the question, is it wrong to judge a book by its cover? "I hope not. I could be out of a job if it were!" Says Donna Payne, Creative Director at Faber. Payne and her team are behind the entire visual edition of Faber, which was founded in 1929 and remains one of the best-known independent The Faber team is often praised for their ability to create covers and jacket designs that feel contemporary and classic at the same time. Search the catalog and find beautiful and thoughtful covers for writers like Sally Rooney, Sylvia Plath, Kazuo Ishiguro, Rachel Cusk and many more.