White girl in a dress, partially turned away from the cover, and often running, WALKED
so that these new ya covers could RUN.
I bet my girls were just running away to escape the terrible fate of being another victim
to the YA publishing industry tryna make them participate in another generic plotline.
Hi it's Divya G!
What does the g stand for?
The g stands for "good golly my dear, all these covers are the same are you sure you're
not a Gemini?".
Let's talked about cover trends in the past like three years.
Trends in book covers are not only useful, they are an art form - a statement reflecting
the periods and movements in which they were made.
For example, with the revolutionary technology of the photo camera and the polaroid popularity
in the 70s, we saw more covers using photo elements, abstraction and minimalistic geometric
design which follows the art movement.
They also help us to classify genre, story and target readers.
As much as we would like for the cover to JUST be a symbolic depiction of the novel,
more often than not these publishing houses choose designs that will help pimp out these
books BABY.
They want to use what works and what sells.
A lot of the time designers are under the constraints of what the publishing company
wants.
So, readers, these days are just blessed.
Don't get me wrong there's still books out here looking like the cover version of Quasimodo
but in like 2012 we had this awful, pervasive trend of stock photo cover art.
Either because cover artists weren't commissioned as much or when they were commissioned, they
were paid for in coochie hairs and they only had access to the cracked version of Photoshop
because WHAT is this cover.
they had the beautiful ball gown dress trend which a lot of you guys are familiar with,
and then this girl transitioned a little bit into girl drowning in water.
My poor girl just kept drowning... at this rate she's gonna evolve into a crab.
And then we have this iconic John Green crayon aesthetic.
Okay?
Okay.
I made a lot of videos parodying these types of covers and how you can make your own called
how to design a trashy ya [blank] cover series which will be in the description down below
if you wanna see or up here if you wanna watch it later :p and since then YA covers have
stepped up their game!
We've kind of branched off into bold and playful typography, illustrated graphics, bright colors
and that's for all books not just YA although each genre does have its own specific niches
and nuances like for example .. THE DAMN SNAAAKEEE.
Oh hey yeah um can i copy your homework?
Uh yeah just make sure you like change it up so it doesn't look like you copied.
Don't worry, don't worry i got you bro *fart noise*
Like... she is a paid actress.
'Queen of the conquered', here she is.. miss girl.. pretty in pink.
Boutta bounce on the set of Legally Blonde.
We also have her in the 'rule of many', 'the queen of nothing' now if that ain't a whole
fat mood.
'Ninth house' symbolizing something dark, fantastical mature.
Also 'dark age'.
I went to go check were these covers all made by the same person?
No.
Are all of these books under the same publisher?
No.
So then I went mm let's see what stock photo are they using so i went on shutterstock and
i typed in black snake and bam!
Look- uuh.
Like i can see why designers would use this, like the composition of the snake and the
3d texture makes it like a pretty substantially compelling piece already and it's kind of
versatile you can use it to kind of like intertwine with the typography in like a playful manner.
And black snakes are often used to symbolize suspicion, fear, power, deep transformation...
likewise you can expect these novels to feature many of the same emotions and themes and motifs.
And snakes paired with foliage seems to be a very popular trope.
The snake adds very interesting juxtaposition or contrast with the delicacy and the femininity
of the flowers and it ties us into the natural world.... pssy in power VENOM.
Murder?
Crime?
Mystery?
Raggy!
Say bonjour to the woman in glasses with a reflection on the cover.
There's a different variation of this cover for YA contemporary summer books think 'geek
girl'.
It's also used for psychological-mystery novels.
It's the idea that there's something behind the camera in the reflection of the glasses
that the reader slash audience can't see.
Hence, indicating that there's something hidden.
For example this to me is is telling me this is probably a muder mystery ignoring the blaring
serial killer hint in the title.
Did someone say a book set in a foreign country?
Turmeric filter.
This is also a film trope that's common in american slash western film where if they
want to depict countries of the global south they will add this striking yellow, tingy
filter to everything.
The yellowness makes viewers associate that particular land with scenes of deprivation,
or poverty, or heat.
And I do think whilst the color can be used in appropriate settings for example if you're
trying to indicate something like a dry desert scenario.
We use this almost unnecessarily and almost exclusively for foreign countries to the west
to make areas seem a bit more primitive and like grimy.
And it has been argued that this filter is used in a very stereotypical fashion it has
negative impacts on representation.
I'd personally argue that you can also see this in books and they just be adding so much
curry powder to all these books they'll be looking like jaundice!
Swords swords swords they are single, watch out for that sword!
Almost exclusively part of the fantasy slash historical fiction genre swords have long
been used in novels to signal courage, battle, power and chivalry.
FURYBORN which if you say a bit too fast my dear it sounds a little bit like FURRY PO-
Two queens, two women entangled in gold and blood and war.
Certainly makes for a striking motif as the focal point or even as additions in a cover.
With all the covers opting for this particular type of symbolism, although the 3d designs
and patterns embellishing some of the covers are gorgeous, without very unique or strong
elements of your design, I feel, personally, as if it makes a cover more difficult to be
truly iconic or memorable.
Because that is like "oh uh what's that book again um you know the one with like the sword
on the cover".
My g's I have so many more genres and trends to talk about but I want to gauge if you guys
like this type of content so if you do holla at me.
Let me know with a like or a comment if you yourself are hashtag i love graphic design
is my passion type of person and you've noticed some of these trends let me know the [ __
] now b- Whilst I'm all down for like the truly "I'm not like other covers" book cover
design.
Cover trends are so useful and they're so easy to let you know the [ __ ] what the book
is about like.
For all the g's that suck you out to the end i'll give you a smelly hug come on armpits
coming in the way ah my parents never hugged me so so this is what you're getting.
Follow me on twitter and instagram and if you like my content you want to support me
I would appreciate a subscribe like or comment in the end.
Okay too much coffee I'm going to have a severe anxiety now and i won't be able to sleep
Certain book covers really help reveal their whole insides to you.
Readers these days are blessed you are blessed i am telling you like jesus god allah vishnu
brahma guru nanak david attenborough they're all blessing you.
Don't judge a book by its cover!
Like yes I am going to judge a book by its cover bishh- What else have i got to judge
book about?
The content of its character?
In order for me to even open the first page the cover better be looking aesthetic and
pretty.
I was like darling I'm not trying to be superficial that's the way the world works you know just
gotta you gotta be looking like catch my eye like hey yo senorita I might take you off
the shelf myself