Books are really important and have a lot of helpful information and stories. Like other things sold, books also need to be marketed well. This is when a design for the front of a book is made. The book cover design should represent what the book is about and have a design that people will remember.
The design of a book cover should match current styles. People like to see popular styles, colors, designs, and fonts when discussing graphic design. Book cover designs change quickly, just like other graphic design trends.
Different cover designs keep changing and disappearing as time goes by. The most important thing is to make sure that your book cover looks nice and professional, following the style that readers of that genre expect.
As we have now reached 2024, we need to make some changes to the book cover design to match the current trends of this year. Let’s check out these book cover designs that can give us some advantage in competing with others in the market.
1. Pastel Colors
People have developed a weird liking for pastel colors. Industries such as fashion, interior design, book cover design, and even the culinary industry have embraced and admired the beauty and softness of pastel colors.
Nowadays, many authors prefer getting their book covers designed with pastel shades. Stories that are based on subjects such as womanhood, feminism, or romance are marketed better if their book cover design matches the dominant theme. Another reason why pastel colors are in style is that they still appear minimal and classic, yet bold and chic.
2. Collage
A popular trend for book covers in 2024 is using collages. The designers use a mix of distinct images to portray the underlying ideas discussed in the book. Collage can also be used to make book covers look unique, different, and original. This is a helpful way to briefly overview a book’s content and the message it wants its readers to understand.
Collage is a classic trend that can be used in various styles. This makes designers want to try new and creative ideas. The designer can try different shapes, textures, and image combinations to see what works best.
3. AI-generated covers
An AI-generated Book Cover is a book cover that is made using artificial intelligence technology. AI Book Cover generators use computer programs and learning methods to make attractive and engaging designs for book covers automatically.
Authors and self-publishers commonly choose AI book covers because they are convenient and affordable and provide many design choices. These covers help authors make attractive covers that catch readers’ attention in the highly competitive book market.
If you’re an author, AI-generated book cover design enables you to escape from old-fashioned limitations in design and try out new ideas that match your book’s genre, theme, and intended audience. Whether you have written many books or are just starting out, using AI to design book covers can help you draw in more readers and sell more copies.
4. Minimalistic Designs
Graphic designers are now leaning towards making designs that are easy for everyone to understand immediately. They use a basic and simple style when creating book covers. You will see book covers with only the book and author names written in small letters.
Then, there are books that have a cover with just one picture and one color. This is different from the book covers that used to have patterns and letters all over them. Instead, a minimalistic design style lets you concentrate on just one main thing.
Another thing about minimalistic book covers is that they have a lot of empty space on them. This is done to make a clear impression. The designer wants to ensure the viewer focuses on one specific thing in the book that shows the main idea or story.
5. Big and Bold Typography
Fonts have always played an important role in making special graphic designs, like book covers. Large and noticeable typography has been commonly used in recent years. There is no way this trend will stop in 2024.
The designers will keep using big and eye-catching fonts to get more people interested and attract potential readers and customers. A book will attract our eyes if we can immediately see the letters. This is why most book cover designers use big and bold typography.
The designers will use more capital letters in the fonts they choose. These fonts make a statement about what is in the book. Even authors who are not very well-known are still expected to have books with covers designed with large fonts.
6. Ornate and Complex Patterns
In these designs, the whole surface of the book cover is decorated with intricate and ornate artwork. They have different patterns, symbols, and objects that are blended together nicely. The person reading can keep looking at them for a long, trying to find hidden meanings.
Typography is important in this kind of book cover because it needs to match the intricate designs. When picking fonts, it’s best to go for ones with curls and little decorations called serifs. Serifs add a touch of elegance and sophistication and can help draw the reader’s eye to the cover. For example, a fantasy book might call for a more whimsical font, while a mystery novel might need a more somber font.
7. Ornate and Complex Patterns
Another style of book cover design is when one color takes up almost 90% of the space. These covers are colorful and attention-grabbing. They make a great background for text design. But having only one color doesn’t always mean being simple.
You can include many different shades of one color or choose a few colors that won’t use much space. For example, a bright and cheerful color might be a good choice for a children’s book, while a darker and more somber color might be a better fit for a mystery novel.
8. Messy Designs
While simple designs will dominate the world of book cover designs, we can still find some chaotic designs as well. There are already similar covers for books in stores. A messy design is when elements are spread throughout the book cover. So, we use fonts from the top to the bottom of the cover.
But simultaneously, there will be a jumbled combination of strong and small letters. In addition to fonts, we can also see pictures and other things in between. The book cover is made to look complicated on purpose so that it stands out and people remember it.
9. Photograph Covers
Photos are a really good choice to add feelings to your cover. You know how sometimes a picture can say a lot without using any words. Well, that’s what I mean. Pictures can show different feelings and vibes for your cover, and they can make a big impression. Choose a photo that will evoke a strong emotional response from potential readers. This could be a happy, sad, funny, or even scary photo.
10. Main Character Covers
Photos are a really good choice to add feelings to your cover. You know how sometimes a picture can say a lot without using any words. Well, that’s what I mean. Pictures can show different feelings and vibes for your cover, and they can make a big impression. Covers with protagonist pictures can be a powerful tool for introducing readers to the protagonist and creating a visually appealing book cover.
Conclusion
Books will always be in style regardless of the millions of other tools of entertainment and education. A good book is created with an engaging story, interesting characters, and an eye-catching book cover. Book cover design is vital in the book’s marketing and helps the reader make up their first expression of the story.
Creating a book cover design can be tricky as you have to make sure the design you are opting for aligns with the genre and plot of the book and the popular book cover trends. If you want an elevated book cover design for your book, you can feel free to seek help for book cover design services from our designers at Universal Ghostwriter. With their touch of expertise and your brilliant ideas, your book cover design will hook the audience!
FAQs
- How do you design a book cover?
There are a few steps involved in designing a book cover. For starters, make sure the color scheme, fonts, and graphics match the genre and message of your book.
- What are some famous book cover trends?
Some of the famous book cover trends are:
- Pastel Colored Covers
- Main Character Covers
- Collage Covers
- Minimalistic Covers
