Many industries are struggling in 2020.
But we are seeing two major trends: more people than ever before Start a business, And expanded the book publishing industry.
The blockade of the pandemic has inspired people to view reading as a safe form of entertainment and an excellent way for children to participate and learn.
By October 31, 2020, book sales will reach 7.1% increase Than the previous year.Moreover, this does not take into account Traditional holidays surge In terms of book purchases.
However, if you want to compete in this growing market as an author, writing a good book is not enough. Your book must also have a great, eye-catching cover that can magnify the book marketing strategy.
Actually, Book cover design More important than ever. With so many buyers buying online, cover design is the most direct and powerful sales tool you have.
So, let’s take a look at the biggest book cover design trends in 2021.
Top 8 book cover design trends in 2021:
1. Creative title graphics
Designed by crowdspring book cover designer Sujaypaul
The title is one of the most important parts of any book.
It helps to attract the attention of potential readers and tell them important information about the story or content.
Designed by crowdspring book cover designer EspacioM
Finding a unique and creative way to attract focus to the title is one of the main goals of graphic designer cover design
When we look at trends in 2020, we see book cover designers replacing single (or multiple) letters in book titles with photo images, icons, and illustrations.
These “in-title” images help draw the viewer’s attention to the title. If chosen wisely, these images can also share insights into the themes, themes, or characters in the book.
This versatile graphic design trend can make the cover design more eye-catching and help people better understand your book. These are two important steps to help convert browsers into buyers.
This is why we hope to see more authors and book cover design teams embrace this book cover design trend and rely on bold typography to attract attention to the cover.
2. Illusion of Depth
Designed by crowdspring book cover designer Graphic_world
Since then, artists have begun to accept “trompe l’oeil” (or the technique of creating art to fool the eyes) Zeuxis and Palasius duel In ancient Greece.
Moreover, book cover designers today still know that deceiving viewers’ eyes with fascinating illustrations is a good way to attract their attention.
However, designers continue to push boundaries and innovate. So, don’t expect to see only standard, ordinary, and surreal trompe l’oeil paintings. Today’s designers are also playing their role in the classics while maintaining eye-catching visual impact.
Designed by crowdspring book cover designer Sucre
In 2021, look for illustrations that seem to break the tangible boundaries of the cover (as you see in the cover above), artificial windows that seem to reveal hidden depths (like the cover on the right), or implicit textures (like torn pages) ).
Dazzling designs like these breakthroughs or jumping out of two-dimensional covers will continue to be popular as a book cover trend in 2021.
3. Minimalism
Designed by crowdspring book cover designer titikapi
Minimalism is a popular design style all year round.
You will find it in 2021 Logo design trends, Packaging design trends, Web design and book cover design trends.
But what is minimalism?
The minimalist cover design has clean fonts, simple graphics and a lot of white space.
This can be a very effective design technique that can draw the focus to your book. A peaceful rest point on a visually busy shelf will naturally attract attention.
The challenge of minimalism is to choose the right typography, graphics and layout-because there is no extra decoration to rely on. You should also ensure that all elements are in balance. For example, the title should use a larger and bolder font than the author’s name, unless you have a large number of established readers buying every book you publish.
Every graphic and detail must convey the correct information. Sufficient white space (leave space for text or images) must be arranged to draw the audience’s eyes to important text and graphics.
No one has ever said that simplicity is easy. However, if executed properly, minimalist book covers are very effective.
In 2021, minimalist design will continue to appear on book covers across the market.
4. Bold pattern
Bold pattern book cover designed by crowdspring book cover designer wizarddesign
In 2021, brave writers and book cover designers will use bold patterned covers to stand out in a sea of ​​minimalism and pastel colors.
Now, you should never choose a bold pattern for your book cover to become a contrarian design.
However, if a bold model supports the theme of your book, then this may be a trend worth adopting.
Bold pattern book cover designed by crowdspring book cover designer wizarddesign
For example, in the above example, the gradient arrow points to a range of chaotic directions, as a visual metaphor for the disharmony resolved in the book.
A custom design like this can help your readers better understand the content of a book.
If you choose to use a bold pattern on the cover of a book, it is also important to remember to choose the same bold typography (text elements) that will not be overwhelmed by the pattern.
Legibility should always be the primary consideration beyond all book design trends.
Does the bold pattern appeal to you and suit your book? If so, then the cover trend of this book might be for you.
5. Retro nostalgia
Designed by crowdspring book cover designer RGraphic
Whenever the situation becomes difficult, people often look back to the past with nostalgia.
Therefore, it is not surprising that after 2020—one of the toughest years many people know—the power of nostalgia is growing.
This leads us to believe that comfortable retro design elements will become more and more popular in 2021. In fact, the evidence has grown.
However, this book design trend does not apply to every book. If your work does not address nostalgic themes or takes place in a bygone era, the retro cover design may confuse your readers.
We recommend handling this design trend with caution.
If your book has a logical theme relationship with a specific time period, please feel free to use the style elements of that era in the cover design, such as black and white colors.
However, cover images that clearly depict a specific time period should be reserved for works actually set within that time period.
Old-fashioned design elements can inspire readers to recall the past, and even evoke positive emotions related to those times when flipping through the pages.
6. Natural Image
Designed by crowdspring book cover designer Esolbiz
In our outlook for 2020 trends, we see an increase in natural elements in book cover design.
As indoor activities became unsafe and cancelled, people began to embrace outdoor activities and reconnect with nature.
Is this why we see a proliferation of natural elements on book covers?
We can’t be sure.
We know leaves, trees, flowers, grass, clouds, sea, rivers, lakes, mountains, animals, more Very popular in book cover design in 2021.
And, it seems only natural This trend should continue.
In any case, as with any design trend, it is beneficial to feature birds, bees, mountains, or trees only if the theme fits your book.
This is a rather versatile trend, considering you have the whole nature to choose from. Therefore, please work with your designer to choose the element that best represents the theme, plot, or background of your book.
Or, if Mother Nature is not suitable for your book, please ignore this trend.
7. Illustrations
Designed by crowdspring book cover designer Lagrell
Custom illustrations are highly adaptable.They are everywhere, from Custom logo to Web Design And everything in between.
The style of illustration can be clean and elegant, simple or chaotic, playful or serious. The only limitation of illustration is the designer’s own creativity.
This adaptability enables the illustrated book cover to effectively capture the tone and characteristics of the book through the original artwork. It also ensures that the illustration style can leave a unique impression and stand out visually.
Moreover, this is why illustrations continue to be popular in book cover design.
Last year, illustrations were popular in romantic covers, youth novels, mystery novels, and comedy books. In 2021, we expect illustrations to appear on a wider range of covers.
Which illustration style best captures and represents your book?
8. Clear and readable layout
Book cover designed by the creator SafeerAhmed
Clean, easy-to-read typography is always popular.
However, with the beginning of 2021, it is more important than ever.
For those who can go to the bookstore in person, people will shop quickly because it is safest to minimize time in indoor public places.
And, for others, books are purchased online through tiny thumbnails.
Book covers with clear typography are easier for people to read from a distance (or smaller scales, such as thumbnails), and are more likely to attract the attention of shoppers.
We see cover trends across topics, from romance books to non-fiction books.
Therefore, authors who are considering the logistics of selling books and the books themselves are prioritizing the clean layout of book covers in 2021.
Pro type: Serif fonts are easier to read when printed, while sans-serif fonts are easier to read online. Therefore, please choose your layout according to the media you will publish the book in.
Turn a new page
New cover trends appear every year.
Although it is important to make your book look timely and relevant, it is more important to have a cover design to represent the book inside.
So, in any case, check out the cover trends we outline here. And choose to accept or abandon these cover trends based on your unique book and unique audience.
This year, prioritize book covers that can help you tell your story, attract new readers, and sell more books.
Want to take a closer look at all the design trends in 2021?
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Top 8 book cover design trends in 2021
