cover art [ Edited ]

[ziki]

This question is always interesting. Everybody's preferences differ, personally I like the UK cover better because it is visually more 'elegant'(do I dare to say?) and to me it looks more interesting, inviting. The US cover plays more on the prejudice cues (colors, the way the pic is cut, the font etc.). I am one of those who admits that the look of the book cover matters to me as a buyer. Even on the classics.

Mohsin, did you have anything to add to the art team work?

What do others like or dislike about the cover(s)?

ziki

Message Edited by ziki on 05-01-200708:38 AM

[Mohsin_Hamid]

Hi Ziki,

Covers are always difficult. For an author, it a bit like being allowed to choose what your newborn baby's face looks like! In other words, you are mainly concerned that the child is healthy, and you realize you had no idea what the "right" face would be. That said, I certainly did turn down some "wrong" directions. And funnier still are the range of different covers around the world. Here are some examples:

Italy (quite lovely):
http://www.einaudi.it/einaudi/ita/news/can4/107-488.jsp

Germany:
http://www.hoffmann-und-campe.de/go/809589e9-0424-3b3e-ccb3f05431905bb7

France:
http://81.93.4.22/gallimard-cgi/AppliV1/affied.pl?ouvrage=0020059477005875306470000

India:
http://www.penguinbooksindia.com/Books/BookDetail.asp?id=6523

The Pakistan one is also quite different, but I can't seem to find it online yet!

All the best,

Mohsin

Message Edited by Mohsin_Hamid on 05-01-200710:42 PM

Message Edited by Mohsin_Hamid on 05-01-200710:44 PM

[ziki]

What a great metaphor, Mohsin
How very different the covers are...that was interesting, thank you.

ziki

[bentley]

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Mohsin_Hamid wrote:
Hi Ziki,

Covers are always difficult. For an author, it a bit like being allowed to choose what your newborn baby's face looks like! In other words, you are mainly concerned that the child is healthy, and you realize you had no idea what the "right" face would be. That said, I certainly did turn down some "wrong" directions. And funnier still are the range of different covers around the world. Here are some examples:

Italy (quite lovely):
http://www.einaudi.it/einaudi/ita/news/can4/107-488.jsp

Germany:
http://www.hoffmann-und-campe.de/go/809589e9-0424-3b3e-ccb3f05431905bb7

France:
http://81.93.4.22/gallimard-cgi/AppliV1/affied.pl?ouvrage=0020059477005875306470000

India:
http://www.penguinbooksindia.com/Books/BookDetail.asp?id=6523

The Pakistan one is also quite different, but I can't seem to find it online yet!

All the best,

Mohsin

Message Edited by Mohsin_Hamid on 05-01-200710:42
PM

Message Edited by Mohsin_Hamid on 05-01-200710:44 PM

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I like the Italian one and the Indian one...the Italian one is very creative and it is almost like one of those pictures where the inverse shows something completely different. It is funny how each country puts it individual national style and/or stamp of approval on the book covers. What a range of differences?

Thank you Mohsin for sharing this with us.