University Press Cover Round-Up
We welcome you to another in our ongoing feature in which notable book cover designer Jordan Wannemacher periodically highlights a selection of recent university press cover designs. Please enjoy this celebration of amazing work.
This list is in no particular order. Credits are listed below.
If you are a book cover creative and want your work or the work of your department reviewed by Jordan be sure to get in touch with us!
As with any cover design we feature in our publications, we encourage you to head to your local library and/or bookstore to view the work in its full splendor when possible.
McGill Queen's University Press
Designer: David Drummond
Art designer: Elena Goranescu
I love the tension created with this all-type design and how the shapes and scale of the different pieces look like the birds-eye Google Maps view of how different building sizes appear in a big city. I'm not sure if this was intentional but it's a great effect. The clever color trip of "hip" and "hop" in the top right corner is so clever.
University of Minnesota Press
Designer: Kimberly Glyder
Art Director: Rachel Moeller
The drama of the photograph paired with the bold saturated color overlay is absolutely stunning. There's also a very subtle texture in this painted overlay that gives these colors depth despite their stark contrast to the photograph below. Totally unexpected for a novel, I love it.
University of PIttsburgh Press
Designer: Kelly Blair
Art Director: Joel Coggins
Okay, so I may be a little biased since this is one of my favorite shades of green, but this cover is so striking. The red pieces absolutely vibrate in contrast, it's almost psychedelic. I love seeing more covers return to simple mid-century geometric illustrations.
University of Georgia Press
Art Director/Designer: Erin Kirk New
Illustrator: Julian Louie
This is such a lovely cover, the delicate typography paired with this gorgeous illustration creates such a light and airy effect. Fun fact: the illustrator is actually the author's son, who also happens to be a fashion designer! Having seen fashion designer's sketches, paint treatment and line work really lends itself to the movement of those sketches so I love this tidbit of information. A gorgeous color palette to boot!
University of Chicago Press
Designer: Rae Ganci Hammers
Art Director: Jill Shimabukuro
Do all of you typography nerds out there agree that "8" is the most beautiful numeral? I always love how it's various curves and strokes are drawn, either in high contrast, evenly divided counters on top and bottom, or sometimes asymmetrically. I love that the designer took all the best elements of this numeral form and incorporated them into this beautiful textured illustration making the piece of the title art. The bold type set smaller gives it enough weight to be readable but doesn't distract from the beauty of the illustration leaving plenty of negative space to let it shine. Just stunning!
New York University Press
Art Director/Designer: Adam Bohannon
It's truly a shame that the internet isn't a 3D medium because I would LOVE for you to see this cover in person with the spot varnish. Maybe it's my fondness for my favorite city that I am missing right now, but I absolutely love this cover. The title typeface is also really unique and something I haven't seen before. It's hard to make a complex illustration like this work without distracting from the important typographical information but Adam really pulled it off.
Cornell University Press
Designer: Henry Sene Yee
Art Director: Scott Levine
Inevitably when you're designing for a UP, you're asked to use historical images or paintings. These can sometimes be hard to come up with unique solutions for without looking flat, dated, or well... boring. Henry really gave this a warm modern twist that still lets the art shine on the cover. I also love the color palette of the gradient he continued that gives this a cohesive look. Something about this cover also makes me feel like the October weather we're experiencing right now!
University of Virginia Press
Art Director/Designer: Cecilia Sorochin
Some months it seems I'm really into red and I think this may be another one! I love the simplicity of this all-type cover. The type treatment gives it so much movement yet keeps things bold and regal. A perfect update to a very classic serif treatment.
Jordan Wannemacher is a book designer based in the NYC area. She was born and art school educated in the Southeast at the Savannah College of Art and Design where she focused on graphic design and creative writing. Currently, she is running Studio Jordan Wannemacher, a boutique book design studio based out of her home in Montclair, New Jersey.