Recently, that certain type of cover was Siobhan Vivian’s The List.

The first thing that caught my attention about this cover art was the model’s face. The multitude of emotions flashing in those eyes make me feel slightly uncomfortable. This is one of the best kind of reactions when you’re looking at a book, because they tend to lend themselves to thoughts like, “I need to know what this book is about yesterday. What is on that list?“

Today, fabulous author Siobhan Vivian stops by on the blog – who willingly allowed me to prod her brain a bit for more details about The List’s cover. Welcome, Siobhan!

TCG: In our email conversation, you mentioned to me that the cover took a LOT of work. So, please to share your story behind the artwork. Inquiring minds need to know! 

Coming up with a cover concept that we all felt good about took many, many, many conversations between my editor, the designer, and myself. The book’s subject matter is complex, there are a lot of characters and they all share equal billing.

While writing THE LIST, I found a stock image that I used as an emotional reference, and I pitched it as a possible cover for the book when the discussions about concept began. The shot is of a girl peering into her compact mirror. I just love the look on her face. She’s not admiring her reflection, she’s scrutinizing it. She’s judging herself. I also liked that she wasn’t obviously pretty or obviously ugly. She was smack dab in the middle, a real-looking girl, wondering what side of the coin she’s on. I felt this image perfectly captured the essence of my book. Unfortunately, the team thought it was too quiet.

It was decided that we would have a photo shoot. We would cast a few girls, shoot them in a school setting in a bunch of different poses, and see what worked best. I was very concerned about having “models” on the book cover. I didn’t want to take away from the reader’s imagination, and also I didn’t want the “ugly” girls to seem less so…because they were models, obviously. It was important that whoever was on the cover didn’t need to be one of the characters, and I wanted her expression to be real.

We looked at a lot of models. I tried to pick girls who had interesting features, non-traditional looks.

My editor fought hard to have one of the characters in my book to be shot at a very particular moment in the story. That character was Sarah, and she has a very visceral reaction to being put on The List. My concern was that Sarah was the least universal of all the girls in my book. I was also afraid that shot, while arresting, might be off-putting to potential readers. And I didn’t feel like that image would properly communicate what the list. I’m glad we didn’t go in that direction.

Another idea was to have all the girls in a pack, filling the hallway, taking a stand against The List. Since that didn’t really happen in the book, we scrapped that idea.

In discussing possible poses, I found a bunch of stock images for reference. I concentrated on girls who were alone, girls looking in mirrors, girls looking contemplative. This is ultimately the shot that they based my cover on.

What are some of the details that you love about the cover?

I love the look on the girl’s face. She’s shocked. And you don’t know if she’s on the list, if it is her friend. I love the moment that it captures. To me, it feels really authentic. The thing every girl would feel on that particular morning in Mount Washington.

What was it like working with your designer/photographer/art director?

Elizabeth Parisi (part of the team responsible for The Hunger Games cover) was a total pro. She worked so hard and did a lot of research to get things just right. She also emailed me pictures of the girls throughout the day, so I could weigh in on hair, make-up and styling.

What’s the level of involvement you’ve had with cover design with the novels you’ve published? How was this different/the same for The List?

I have always been consulted on direction and design. I think that is because I was a teen fiction editor before I became a writer, so I understand the marketplace and positioning concerns. Scholastic has always asked me to participate in the model casting, in styling, to brainstorm concepts. In the case of SAME DIFFERENCE, I selected that image from a stock photo site.

I have a new book coming out this fall co-written with Jenny Han. It’s called BURN FOR BURN. For that book, Jenny and I were brought to the shoot. It was an amazing experience.

Personally, what speaks to you most about book covers? What’s a turnoff? And what’s your favorite book cover (that’s not your own)?

I love covers that look dreamy, that pull a feeling out of me. I don’t like to see faces, which is funny, because all of my covers have faces! My favorite all-time cover is THE GIRL’S GUIDE TO HUNTING AND FISHING by Melissa Bank.

Thanks so much for stopping by the blog, Siobhvan. I’m looking forward to reading The List later this year!

Exhibit A: How To Steal A Car

I picked this up at one of my local libraries about two years ago based on its cover alone. (This was before I spent a majority of my time poring over blogs to pick my Next Favorite Book.) There’s something slightly feminine about this cover, despite its generous covering of Matchbox cars. It could be the baby blue, or that slim sans serif title that reminds me of old Hollywood glamour. Last but not least, I love its symmetry that balances the cover perfectly.

Exhibit B: The Big Crunch

I could write another paragraph about why I love this cover, but I’ll use some math instead. Wonderful illustration + tells a story in its artwork + designed by Christopher Stengel = love.

Exhibit C: The Obsidian Blade

Honestly, when I first saw this cover, the first thought that popped into my head was, Seriously? What kind of books does this guy not write? But lo and behold, this sci-fi gem popped up and I had to share it here. This cover isn’t trying to be anything it’s not, so I assume that the shiny ball represents the shimmering disk of air described in its synopsis. (If anyone’s read an ARC of this, please correct me if I’m wrong.) At this cover’s face value, I can expect to read about loads of adventure, mystery and suspense.

What about you? Are there any authors that you’ve noticed that have pretty awesome covers for most of their books?

Today’s post is actually dedicated to this gem and the AD responsible for seeing it come to life. Please give a warm welcome to Liz Connor! 

TCG: Pure’s cover falls into the category of simple and symbolic cover art. Was it always foreseen to be simple and symbolic? What was your process like from concept to final design?

LC: My boss, creative director Anne Twomey, actually came up with the front cover image fairly early on. Having read the manuscript we knew this book required an evocative cover rather than a literal one. We wanted to set a tone, to show rather than tell. And for a book like this you want to keep the cover “simple” in a way that allows it to appeal to the broadest audience.

So Anne came up with the idea of a “live” butterfly in a bell jar, and someone else—I can’t recall if it was me or the editor, Jaime Levine—thought of a similar image where the “live” butterfly was replaced with a mechanical one, to stand in for the bugs Pressia builds out of scraps. Both ideas seemed fruitful, and when Anne considered what was involved, she immediately thought of a photographer whose work she had admired but with whom she’d never had the chance to work, Kevin Twomey (no relation). We started talking to him about our plans, and in our research both he and I independently came across the work of Mike Libby. He’s an artist and the driving force behind something called Insect Lab Studio. In essence, he re-builds insects using real carcasses and filling them with tiny clockwork bits and pieces. The he mounts and displays them in sealed bell jars. (It’s no wonder he’s been embraced by the steampunk community…) We got in touch and hired him to build our mechanical butterfly.

© Mike Libby/Insect Lab Studio

Kevin shot both scenes—we’d decided to leave the mechanical butterfly on the outside of the bell jar/dome for a little variety—and sent them to us. With the publisher’s input, we decided pretty quickly to use the “live” butterfly version on the front cover. Its appeal was more immediate, I think. We knew people would want to pick it up in the store if the blue butterfly was on the front.

We had tried a number of different typefaces—from the simplest serif faces to much more niche-y, sci-fi looking options—but Anne’s combination of the swash capital (which she blurred so it seems to vibrate) and the small, spaced-out lower-case italics, just seemed to capture the right tone.

When all the design decisions were made, we had to consider production issues. Our production manager, Antoinette Marotta, found us a super-soft, almost velvety, matte lamination that would make the book feel really good and set the background back in space. She also recommended an extremely glassy-smooth spot gloss treatment for the bell jar. And the combination of the two has created a package that is really hard to put down. And that was that.

Okay. I’ve picked up this hardcover and I’ve flipped it over with my own two hands. That matte lamination feels exactly like butter tastes: extremely rich and so, so good. The spot gloss doesn’t make reflections annoyingly blinding, either. The final print is perfect.

When designing, how important was it to factor in designing for an audience?

It’s always important to consider your audience when designing the cover of a book, but a good design by its very nature will reach a wide range of people. That’s what we wanted here. Certainly there is an expected audience for this book, but I think there are many more people who would like it if they gave it a chance. We figured if we made the cover design beautiful enough, and went broad enough with the concept, then even people outside that anticipated readership would have a hard time ignoring it.

Also, while the book leans slightly towards the YA readership, that didn’t mean we should alienate adult readers. On the contrary we wanted the cover to appeal to readers of all ages.

How do you feel about design trends in the YA genre? How do trends fit into your own design methodology?

We don’t really work on YA books in our department, but I read quite a few for someone my age, and there have been some really lovely things happening in the genre. As a huge Lois Duncan fan in my teens I was really excited by the new graphic, hand-lettered repackaging done by my colleagues at Little, Brown for Young Readers. Also the ornate layered feel of the Incarceron series does a good job of straddling genres, I think. And I adored the progression-of-concept on the Hunger Games covers, but it’s hard to separate my appreciation of the design from my love of the books themselves…

Trends are definitely on our minds when we’re designing covers. But we try not to let them dictate what we do. You do your best to stay current and pay attention to the trends, but in an ideal world you try to create the next trend yourself.

When I look at Pure’s cover art, there are design elements that make it feel familiar to its genre but also different from its YA cover art family as a whole. And though artwork will always be interpreted differently, what is the one thought that you’d hope each person would take away after just one glance?

After just one glance? That’s tough.

I guess I would hope that after just one glance a viewer decides they need to look again. And again. Repeat until they can’t help but purchase, consume, and enjoy it. And then, once they’ve finished the book, I hope they look at the cover with new eyes and realize that not only is it a beautiful cover, but it’s also an extremely appropriate one.

That’s what I would hope anyway.

“Repeat until they can’t help but purchase, consume, and enjoy it.” That quote’s going on my quote wall, for sure. A million thanks for stopping by and letting me pick your brain about Pure’s artwork, Liz!

There isn’t anything particularly striking about the cover art besides its funny title, since it’s a parody of the original artwork. I’m cheating a little bit here, because it’s actually the synopsis that made me laugh-snort. (The laugh-snort was very unattractive, btw.)

WINNING MEANS WEALTH, FAME, AND A LIFE OF THERAPY LOSING MEANS DEATH, BUT ALSO FAME! THIS IS THE HUNGER PAINS

When Kantkiss Neverclean replaces her sister as a contestant on the Hunger Games—the second-highest-rated reality TV show in Peaceland, behind Extreme Home Makeover—she has no idea what to expect. Having lived her entire life in the telemarketing district’s worst neighborhood, the Crack, Kantkiss feels unprepared to fight to the death while simultaneously winking and looking adorable for the cameras. But when her survival rests on choosing between the dreamy hunk from home, Carol Handsomestein, or the doughy klutz, Pita Malarkey, Kantkiss discovers that the toughest conflicts may not be found on the battlefield but in her own heart . . . which is unfortunately on a battlefield.

And while I’m sure you’ve seen your share of The Hunger Games parodies on YouTube, give this book trailer a look-see anyway:

For those who are curious, the book actually releases tomorrow, only a handful of weeks away before The Hunger Games hits theaters. But I think this giggle-inducing cover art may be able to tide me over until I start turning into a neurotic wreck right before the film comes out. Maybe.

A big thank you to Patch for texting me a photo of this gem.

This post is about a month overdue, and contains a gaggle of bookish Christmas and birthday gifts! Needless to say, I think I’m pretty set for 2012 on literature.

This first group of books were all Christmas and birthday gifts! Two of these books were featured here on the blog, Where Things Come Back and Between Two Ends. (Not pictured: Legend by Marie Lu)

I loved how S&S kept the detailing from an alternate cover for Where Things Come Back’s interior title page:

The Between Two Ends‘ cover wins out of all the books pictured in this post, though:

And after disrobing its jacket:

Shatter Me was quite the looker, too:

And because of gift cards and recommendations from book bloggers, this second group of books was purchased! (Not pictured: One Con Glory by Sarah Kuhn)

This final group of books I’m calling my Mel Stack. My lovely friend and book blogger Melanie sent these to me out of the kindness of her heart. (Sap much? Oh yes.) It’s a great feeling knowing that she’s sent me these books based on what she thinks I would like/connect with. She’s awesome like that.

I was so excited to get this for Christmas I think I squealed a little when I unwrapped the box and discovered what it was. Like, a 12-year-old girl squeal and everything. Obviously I talk about art here on the blog, but I’m not sure if I’ve ever expressed my zeal for Pixar. Well, now you know. Y’all, I could watch some Pixar BTS for days. Some out of my own curiosity and love for Pixar, others out of babysitting my nephew when he was a wee one. Toy Story and I? We go waaaay back. (As an 11-year-old, my nephew now thinks Pixar “is for babies,” and upon discovering this my heart basically shattered into a million pieces.)

This book is about the colorscripts of Pixar/Disney. And this isn’t just about some pretty art and glossy pages. There are only 8 pages dedicated to breaking down what colorscripts are, and every single paragraph is worth the read. Amidi brings you from a shallowly curious state to chest-deep in wonder in less than an hour. And poring over those 300-odd pages can’t be fully understood prior to reading those pages. Trust me.

Ever since I saw author Adrienne Kress tweet about getting a box of Penguin postcards in the mail, I knew I was in love and it was imperative to have them in my grabby hands.

I can’t even begin to express how happy these postcards make me. The stock is solid, the covers are awesome, and more of ‘em need to be released into the wild. Because these postcards fit in with one of my resolutions to write more, I’d love to send you one. So shoot me an email if you’re interested, and it’ll be on its way soon.

Last but not least, I have a new way to enjoy movies, creating music, art, playing games, and now — reading digitally on a screen that’s actually larger than the size of my phone. Twitter friend Jennifer also introduced me to Morning Glories, which is my current comics obsession. (Bless you, comiXology app.)

He’s the guy who illustrated this cover. You might have seen it around somewhere or something.

A fangirly moment here, if I may. I have not read Chains yet. I’ve heard fantastic things about Chains but the reason why I want to read it is because of this cover. I’m not a historical fiction aficionado. I haven’t read much of it, to be honest. But there is something so poignant about this cover that just makes me want to pick up and hold this book. I want it to whisper its secrets to me. (I’m sure those whispers would include whisper-yelling, “Geez woman, READ ME ALREADY.”) From its combination of color to its handcrafted lettering and even to right down to its shading, this is the type of cover art that doesn’t feel manufactured or contrived.

And all of Neal’s work on his site feels the exact same way.  There’s something quietly beautiful about his illustrations. I was introduced to his work last year by my coworker (another illustrator) Vince. He sent this image via instant messenger, and I was immediately in love:

Cover for an MG novel by Kate Elise. Click through for Goodreads link.

Grounded is the perfect example of what I think is missing on the face of a lot of YA literature. It’s incredibly emotive. It can stand on its own as a work of art, but it gestures to its story within, paying respect to the fact that some author slaved over writing its insides. When I see a SGiPD (or Girls in Gowns) cover, I feel like I already know what the novel is about. Or, conversely, I don’t necessarily need to know what the novel is about because 80% of the time, its cover is a fraud and that sad skinny girl would never be caught dead in that dress anyway. 

Before I get too ranty, here’s more of Neal’s beautiful work.

Have I mentioned how unfair it is that MG gets all the good covers? Also, it’s a bit ridiculous how talented this guy is. Because if illustrating covers I’d like to have framed on my wall some day isn’t enough, he’s also made a little film for Kate Spade.

I mean really.

I would totally JPEG-bomb the rest of this post but you probably ought to go to cyber-stalk Chris on his tumblr or follow him on Twitter instead.

It could be the cover’s use of negative space. Or perhaps that loud cluster of colors I heard from clear across the room. Actually, it was those two attributes joined by that doozy of a title that made me hone in on this cover, like moth to flame.

Pun totally intended, of course.

I digress.

Today’s interview is embarrassingly overdue. For those of you who weren’t aware, I’ve been a bit absent as of late, but for now I’m back in the cover-lovin-artist-diggin’ driver’s seat. And when I say “for now,” I mean until I get distracted by some new TV show or fun nail polish color. Or leave the country again.

But! Today’s post is about the incredibly talented illustrator, Hugh D’Andrade. I became enamored with his work when I discovered he was responsible for the paperback cover art for Dust City which came out back in September:

And out of the kindness of his heart, Hugh let me badger him with a slew of questions. Welcome, Hugh!

Hugh D'Andrade

Hardcover artwork

TCG: The original hardcover artwork for Dust City has a completely different feel next to its paperback counterpart. What was it like working with the team over at Razorbill? Were you able to read Dust City prior to working on the illustration? What kind of direction were you working with?

HA: I did read the book. Usually, when I get a jacket assignment, I get a copy of the book from the publisher. If I don’t like the book, I won’t bother reading the entire thing, I may just skim it. In the case of Paul Weston’s book Dust City, I devoured the book quickly, and loved every minute of it. It’s such a fun, amazing, interesting book, with a fascinating combination of fairy tale icons with contemporary political reality.

The cover of the hardback was perfectly nice, but didn’t really reflect the hipness and noir cartoonish-ness of the book. I think the publishers wanted to try something new with the paperback, so they called me.

Razorbill is actually a division of Penguin Young Readers, and I worked with Natalie Sousa there. She had really good ideas, and gave some really good direction that I think resulted in some great changes to my initial ideas. Working with a good art director is like that — it’s a collaboration that pushes you in a positive direction.

Did you find any part of DC’s design process particularly challenging?

The thing about working with publishers is that you often have to wait a long time for feedback, since so many people’s voices have to be consulted and synthesized. Sometimes that loses a little momentum. But I think that’s just the nature of the industry!

The second cover seems to show an alternate point of view. I haven’t read the novel yet, but it seems as though the paperback focuses more on Henry’s character, and the hardcover focuses on the threat of his father in the gritty city. What type of story did you intend to tell on the illustrated cover?

I really wanted to focus on Henry, who is a young wolf who has a good heart but appears dangerous and menacing to people around him. I think a lot of young guys can relate to being misunderstood in this way.

My neighborhood — San Francisco’s Mission district — is full of young kids of all ethnicities. They lumber around with their backpacks and hooded sweatshirts, looking cool and dangerous, though if you talk to them you find they are mostly pretty sweet kids. I wanted Henry to have that feel, so I made sure he had a hooded sweatshirt and looked pretty big, but with a semi-sweet face.

Henry runs quite a bit in the story, so of course he had to be running on the cover. Turns out it’s a bit tricky to draw an anthropomorphized wolf running, but I think I pulled it off. If you look carefully, there’s a swirl inside his pupil, which alludes to his confused state through much of the story.

Do you have a particular methodology when it comes to illustrating on commission, or does it constantly evolve? How does it compare to when you’re creating art for yourself?

I always draw small thumbnails first. Lots of them! Thumbnails, in case you don’t know, are small quick sketches, maybe 1 or 2 inches tall, done quickly for concept and composition. I draw on scraps of paper, envelopes in particular, and just plain copy paper. This way I don’t worry about the image sticking around in my sketchbook. Most of these go straight into the recycling bin.

After drawing dozens of these, I’ll find one that speaks to me. I blow that up in the computer, re-draw it a couple times, and submit some versions to the publisher. Usually I send them 3 full concept ideas, they choose a direction, and then we refine that with a few more rounds.

Funny that you ask about my process for my own personal work. It’s identical! However, that wasn’t always the case. I used to consider myself a fine artist (I studied this at school), and back then my process was simply to attack an oversized canvas and make a mess. This illustrator’s process works great, in my opinion, and when I teach I make sure my students use this practice.

Where does your artistic inspiration come from? What other artists’ work do you admire?

I have so many sources of inspiration! I love folk arts of all kinds — early American folk art in particular, but also Mexican traditions and other cultures around the world.

I love street art, and I’m always photographing things I see around town. I love old pulp fiction paperback novels. I love the rock poster tradition of the ’60s, as well as what that tradition has developed into since the ’90s.

I look at a lot of contemporary illustration and fine art. I like anything that is well drawn but not too slick, that tells a story, that involves the reader, and that makes use of good design and typography.

© Tara McPherson

Some artists I admire: Posada, Margaret Kilgallen, Jim Houser, Tim Biskup, Marion Bantjes, Chris Ware, Tara MacPherson, Henrik Drescher. I could go on!

It’s really hard to not fall in love with your artwork when you’re browsing your website and blog. I’ve fallen pretty hard, I’ve gotta admit. There’s fantastical and whimsy and beauty and wonder ingrained into every illustration. How would you personally describe your artistry?

Oh, thank you! I love hearing that. I have a hard time when I’m put on the spot to come up with a brief description. I want my work to be fun, accessible, hand drawn, strange, goofy, elegant. Also: useful, clever, delightful, energetic, curious.

You’ve illustrated cover art for some pretty iconic works of literature. From beautiful jackets like Carroll’s Alice to Lee’s To Kill A Mockingbird to Speare’s The Sign of the Beaver, and even newer pieces like Gidwitz’s A Tale Dark and Grimm. What kind of pressures come with creating something new for beloved, classic work?

Funny you should ask. Yes, for To Kill a Mockingbird I did feel quite a bit of pressure! I loved that book as a child, and only a few years ago re-read it with my book group, and loved it all over again. It’s just a truly great American classic. Aside from the important moral and political message it delivers about the nature of racism and social change, it also has a strange, lingering beauty. It evokes a time and place in such a powerful way. I don’t know how Harper Lee did this, and I don’t know why this is her only book.

I had to set all that aside and just treat this as a job, in order to get started. I didn’t watch the movie, because I didn’t want that visualization affecting me. And I tried not to look at the other classic covers, but actually I had no choice. I had to look at the one that was the famous, silhouette cover, since this was what the publisher wanted to evoke without ripping it off in any way.

(Do check out Hugh’s post about the cover art on his blog, too!)

With the other books, I do feel pressure, but I’ve gotten pretty good at just using that as a kind of cattle prod to get me to chain myself to the drawing table. All jobs come with pressures. There are deadlines, the fact that many people will see the work, the desire to make something long lasting and valuable, the fear of failure. Par for the course, I guess!

Are there any covers out there that have grabbed your attention, or, in your opinion, have stood the test of time? What kind of cover art captures your attention?

I love old book covers that were printed on cloth using limited color palettes and traditional printing techniques, the type of stuff you find that was printed from the early 20th century to the 1950s or ’60s. This is one reason I have enjoyed working with Sterling Press, the publishers of Barnes & Noble’s classics that I did Alice in Wonderland and To Kill a Mockingbird with. They print on leather using foils and beautiful embossing. It’s really a pleasure.

I also love all contemporary book covers. One of my favorite ways to spend an hour is to peruse a bookstore, just looking at the covers. I’m guilty of judging books by their covers! In particular, I love the iconic hand drawn typography of book designer Jon Gray, who did the lovely Jonathan Safran Foer covers, and others.

Thank you so much for the interview, Hugh! Next time I’m in San Francisco, I will be stalking your art shows and I’m pretty sure my bank account will be pretty pissed at me afterwards.

For more Hugh, be sure to check out his website, Tumblr, and follow him on Twitter.

For example, this is where I am right now:

(That’s Japan.)

Just wanted to let you know I haven’t forgotten about you. And if you’ve seen some awesome covers, do let me know. (And no, I’m not trying to play the lazy card, I’m genuinely interested.)

I’m also hoping to find and explore a Japanese bookstore while I’m here. Here’s hoping I find a severe lack of SGiPD covers.

Last but not least, I hope you have a wonderful new year!

What’s black and white and red all over?

(And looks like a Rorschach test?)

I’ve had my eyes on this particular cover ever since Thea from The Book Smugglers posted it as on her radar.

It’d be easy for me to start tagging Ellison’s The Butterfly Clues with several different descriptors that make it a likable cover. Intriguing. Mysterious. Simple. Haunting. I certainly wouldn’t describe it as pretty, even with its title and object of affection.

But as much as I do like the final cover art, I wish Egmont USA had gone with an earlier design:

It’s easier for me to picture a “seedy, violent underworld” (taken from the novel’s synopsis) with a cover like this. How awesome would it have been to see a final print with that aged paper in hardcover? Both designs come from the incredibly talented Jen Heuer. I’m not even kidding when I say that looking at all of her design work makes you want to read every single book she’s had a hand in fashioning. It’s unreal.

And while I prefer the unused cover art, I understand why Egmont USA chose to go with the The Butterfly Clues’ final design. I’m still excited to see what the novel looks like out in the wild.

What say you? Do you prefer one cover over the other?