The Best of Cover Design: Books, Magazines, Catalogs, and More

Altitude Associates

may 2011 · Rockport Publishers

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You can't judge a book by its cover, or so the saying goes. We beg to differ.

Each of us is exposed to several thousand messages a day. To be successful, covers not only have to stand out amongst all the clutter, but they also need to make an instant connection with viewers. Designing covers isn't an easy task. It's a minefield of requirements, constraints, and subjective opinions, oftentimes resulting in what we like to call the “design-by-committee pit of despair.� Make the logo bigger. The CEO's daughter doesn't like orange; change it. The sales team begins art directing. Welcome to the land of mediocrity. We've all been there, and it requires ninja-like skills to traverse and emerge in one piece. Despite the challenges, some covers clearly rise to the top. You can't help but pick up the magazine, open the brochure, or buy the book. They draw you in through their cleverness, simplicity, or boldness. These are the covers contained herein.

Of the more than 2,000 covers received, the authors had the dubious task of selecting about 350 to be featured in The Best of Cover Design. The chosen covers were selected based on their initial visual impact and effectiveness in conveying the message within. It is an inspiration feast for the eyes.

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Altitude Associates in San Francisco, CA, was founded by Brian Singer in 2004. Altitude is a creative agency that helps consumer brands engage people through inspiration, working on programs with companies such as Apple, Adidas, Stanford Lively Arts, and Chronicle Books, among others. Singer’s work has garnered recognition from Communication Arts, AIGA 365, Print, How, Graphis, Step, and AR100, and he has work in the permanent collection of the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art.