I think the designer was trying to channel Saul Bass. Didn’t quite hit the target in my opinion, but nice to see something different on the mystery shelves.
I think this design shows that both the publisher and the designer were willing to take a risk, which is always great to see. I bet this looks even better in person.
While yes, the designer is channeling vintage Hitchcockian title design, I don’t feel like he’s trying to mimic the style completely. There’s something effortless and soothing about this cover. I’m not really sure why I should like it—the mix of high resolution photography and simple vector graphics should repulse me. The colors, I guess, and the simple blending of the elements make it work. I even like the use of fonts.
I would like it even more if the picture was less cliché, as Ian hints at. It’s the least successful element. A simple fix would be to remove the photo, keep the blind effect, and simple place a white profile of a man in there. But then it would be trying too hard to mimic the 50s… lets just leave it the way it is.
I agree, and think the cover is well done, and the perspective of the text adds some nice dimension and interest. Good use of color to add wight to the top and bottom edges.
The title/author treatment makes me most unhappy. If faking perspective, at least pretend we’ve learned something since Giotto. The author’s first name has become detached from the rest of the type because it rests between perfectly parallel lines. I also don’t understand quite what the open door image has to do with the geometry of the black frames in which it resides (except to imply fracture).
I do owe some credit where due. This cover is a marked improvement upon previous Colin Harrison titles, which have had the hell mass-marketed out of them (http://us.macmillan.com/Author/colinharrison).
I’m glad this cover of mine was better received than the last one that ended up on these forums. To explain the geometric frames you really have to read the book (fantastic by the way if you are in to the whole crime thriller genre). If you really must know just zap me an email, I’m always up for debate.
Great comments, I would also like to add that the interior design is fantastic as well (not done by me but by Abby Kagen).
Side note, if I was attempting to hit Saul Bass it was on a subconscious level; interesting observation though.
I think the designer was trying to channel Saul Bass. Didn’t quite hit the target in my opinion, but nice to see something different on the mystery shelves.
— Eric Jacobsen, 2008-04-07 11:08:00
this cover was designed by Aaron Artessa
— anonymous, 2008-04-07 12:46:00
Nice. The basic cliche design components of a mystery novel are here though: Dark, shadow figure, doorways…
Oh, and massive title and auther.
Perhaps my favorite part of this whole thing and most visually confusing: I read the title as Harrison The Finder…
Overall it is refreshing in terms of crime thrillers…
— Ian Shimkoviak, 2008-04-07 12:55:00
I think this design shows that both the publisher and the designer were willing to take a risk, which is always great to see. I bet this looks even better in person.
— nate s., 2008-04-07 13:28:00
Strangely, I find myself drawn to this one.
While yes, the designer is channeling vintage Hitchcockian title design, I don’t feel like he’s trying to mimic the style completely. There’s something effortless and soothing about this cover. I’m not really sure why I should like it—the mix of high resolution photography and simple vector graphics should repulse me. The colors, I guess, and the simple blending of the elements make it work. I even like the use of fonts.
I would like it even more if the picture was less cliché, as Ian hints at. It’s the least successful element. A simple fix would be to remove the photo, keep the blind effect, and simple place a white profile of a man in there. But then it would be trying too hard to mimic the 50s… lets just leave it the way it is.
— C-Dog, 2008-04-07 22:03:00
I agree, and think the cover is well done, and the perspective of the text adds some nice dimension and interest. Good use of color to add wight to the top and bottom edges.
— Ryan Scheife, 2008-04-08 11:02:00
The title/author treatment makes me most unhappy. If faking perspective, at least pretend we’ve learned something since Giotto. The author’s first name has become detached from the rest of the type because it rests between perfectly parallel lines. I also don’t understand quite what the open door image has to do with the geometry of the black frames in which it resides (except to imply fracture).
I do owe some credit where due. This cover is a marked improvement upon previous Colin Harrison titles, which have had the hell mass-marketed out of them (http://us.macmillan.com/Author/colinharrison).
— Michael McCartney, 2008-04-08 11:09:00
I sort of dig all the problems you just listed. I think I like this cover better every time I look at it.
— Eric J, 2008-04-08 14:16:00
I’m glad this cover of mine was better received than the last one that ended up on these forums. To explain the geometric frames you really have to read the book (fantastic by the way if you are in to the whole crime thriller genre). If you really must know just zap me an email, I’m always up for debate.
Great comments, I would also like to add that the interior design is fantastic as well (not done by me but by Abby Kagen).
Side note, if I was attempting to hit Saul Bass it was on a subconscious level; interesting observation though.
— Aaron Artessa, 2008-04-09 19:27:00
Hi Aaron!
— C-Dog, 2008-04-10 09:03:00
What I like about it is that, at thumbnail size, I thought the image was a car’s headlights on a dark road.
— Kelly C, 2008-04-24 15:41:00
nicky
— yagodich, 2008-05-02 16:28:00