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.

University of Iowa Press

Designer: Kimberly Glyder

Art Director: Karen Copp

Kimberly Glyder is one of my favorite book designers and this cover perfectly summates why that is: she's a jack-of-all-trades who perfectly combines her illustration skills with photographs and beautiful type treatments. Every single thing she touches exudes elegance! I also love the simplicity of this color palette on this and how delicately the shapes interact with the type.

Wilfrid Laurier University Press

Designer: Michel Vrana

This is such a powerful all-type solution, an absolute MUST for this subject matter! I love the subtle conceptual approach combined with a clear understanding of the history of the type design from this period. I've said it before, but the best academic design is when the designer not only shows their command of design and typography, but also of the subject matter they are portraying. A perfectly bold result.

University of Pittsburgh Press

Designer: Catherine Casalino

Art Director: Joel Coggins

Full disclosure: I designed the interior for this title so I may be a little biased, but Catherine designed a perfect cover as a jumping off point for the interior design. The crumpled and lipstick-stained cigarette on the cover is so stark and powerful, and having read the stories, an absolutely perfect image for this book. Catherine mentioned she had seen this image on Gallery Stock before and had it in the back of her mind waiting for the perfect chance to use it and she nailed it! The printed copy has a fifth metallic color for the silver pieces and a spot gloss treatment, both tastefully and perfectly executed effects.

Baylor University Press

Designer/Art Director: Savanah N. Landerholm

I love the striking simplicity of this type overlay on this beautiful Ingres painting. The transparency gives it an ethereal, almost spiritual effect, which is perfect for the subject matter. I often find it difficult to position and overlay type on detailed paintings without making the type difficult to read or distracting from the image, but the designer truly struck a perfect balance on this.

Cornell University Press

Designer: Henry Sene Yee

Art Director: Scott Levine

Henry has such a bold and distinct style that has graced some of the most important literary works for the last two decades, so it's a joy to see him bring his talents to the world of UP design! There have been countless books written about the Beatles, and many of the covers resort to the same cliches and imagery so it's refreshing to see a unique and graphic take on this iconic subject. This warm yellow totally vibrates against the iconic crosswalk graphic, and I love the off-kilter collage style typography pairing.

McGill Queen's University Press

Designer: David Drummond

Art Director: Elena Goranescu

I love the graphic and conceptual approach to this cover. It's definitely a challenge to design covers that are about music or sound sometimes, and this simple illustration is the perfect solution. There's also something so soothing about this color palette. I also love how David's colors and illustrations are so striking and dynamic that the type can be so reserved and simple.

University of Washington Press

Designer: Thomas Eykemans

Art Director: Katrina Noble

Wow! There is so much going on on this cover, yet it doesn't feel busy or overcrowded. The image choice is absolutely perfect, gorgeous colors and dynamic angles, and so many symbols and objects that perfectly summate the city of Seattle. The vertical type is a bold choice (why can I never get away with that on covers?!) but is perfect as a mirroring of the verticality of the buildings in the left panel. I love that UP's cover so much great regional content!

University of Virginia Press

Designer: David Drummond

Art Director: Cecilia Sorochin

This is the second time I have totally unintentionally chosen two David Drummond covers in one month (I pick the covers before I look up the design credits) but it's no surprise since he's one of the most talented and prolific book designers in the UP-verse. Images of slavery on book covers is a very tricky thing to depict, and this was done in such a delicate and sensitive way by using this perfectly conceptual illustration of a chain in the shape of a Christmas tree. I could not have thought of a more perfect solution myself. The first time I saw this cover a few months ago I was absolutely staggered at how thoughtful and creative it was.

---