Books; they are almost life itself. A bold statement that is true from our history to our future. They have caused great conflict and stirred emotions. Love and passion go hand in hand with science and belief. The past brought us the printing press, the future heralds a digital age.

One part of the books tale that is forever linked is the cover design. I love illustration in general but the importance of this aspect within the literary world cannot be overstated. Here is a video, inspiring to any illustrator, which shows the workings of one of the top book publishing design houses. Random House brings the authors masterpiece into a concise work of art that seduces the consumer and informs of what lies within those pages.

Album covers fall under the sphere of the illustrator’s talents. A cover can be just pure black with white writing, so long as it projects the image and emotional connection that the artist desired.

Here I am speaking of just books. Can you name the last time a cover engrained itself with the content? The imagination is used to the full while reading and an illustration can be part of this process. I feel it is that important as to now define a novel more than, say, a movie poster. It is a powerful connection that I believe only occurs in this symbiotic artistic relationship. It is one of the oldest too.