Chapter 4shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in/bitstream/10603/37128/6/chapter4.pdf · too the book cover designers try many new experiments in book jacket illustration. In Kerala the book cover

Chapter 4

Book Jacket Illustration in Designers’

Point of view

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Chapter 4

BOOK JACKET ILLUSTRATION IN DESIGNERS

POINT OF VIEW

4.1 Introduction

This chapter deals with the conceptions and estimations of book cover designers

on book cover designing. The presentation of the chapter is totally based on book cover

designers‟ perception. To get the authentic material from book cover designers, the

researcher interviewed famous seven book cover designers with a well prepared

questionnaire. The questionnaire comprises questions on what this present research wants

to get authenticated by. This chapter is organized by the key terms of the each questions

from the questionnaire by which it is made up of.

The other titles come under this chapter are the questions what may ask by

ourselves when we think of book jacket illustration. Not only by the genre of the book,

book jacket can be categorized but also by the factors like translated books, publishing

place, writers, edition of the books etc. All these factors affect book jacket illustration

directly or indirectly.

4.2 Book Cover Designers of Kerala – a small history

The commencement of Sahithya Sahakarana Sangam (NBS), in the post

independence era, made a boom in book publishing. At the starting stage more than to

book jacket illustration NBS had given importance to their logo. NBS might have thought


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to create a brand emotion and by that making themselves as a brand in book publishing.

C J Thomas, the first famous book jacket designer had designed NBS‟ logo.

Young generation of the Kerala book cover designers considered C J Thomas as

their godfather. Sankarankutty was another person who contributed a lot in the field of

book cover designing. He had designed around 25000 book jackets. Ashokan and C. N

Karuunakaran are the other notable names which we should read with the history of book

jacket illustration.

(Cover Design by CN Karunakaran, 1987, DC Books)


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(Cover design by Ashok, 1982, D C Books)

(Cover Design by Sankarankutty, 1977, DC Books)


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The designers of the first half of the book jacket illustration used their manual

potentiality to design book jackets. They designed book jackets by exploiting the scope of

calligraphy. Only the real artists and the persons who have good hand writing could

design book jackets. But it is difficult to note variety in book cover designing at its

beginning stage because the printing cost was higher. First and all publishers used the

system of printing with blocks. The block making was so expensive.

In Kottayam known as City of letters, is very famous even now for the

publications and printing; Antony from Antony Studio, Kottayam and John Mathew were

the unforgettable persons who had taken much effort in making print block making. As

the expenses to make print block was very higher, the designers were forced to shorten

their illustration on a book jacket into the size of one or two block. Because of these

expenses both publisher and book cover designer tried to control the size of the

illustration even in the popular books of Muttathu Varkey and Mathew Mattam.


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(Author- Muttathu Varkey, Cover Design by O Sundhar, !984, Current Books)


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(Author- Mathew Mattam, Cover design by Asok, 1983,SR Balachandhra Prabhu)

After the age of block printing, photo composing got introduced to the field of

printing. Compared to block printing, photocomposing was less expensive even then it

could not bring any boom in the area of book jacket illustration. After that the new

technology of DTP came into field of illustration. DTP uses the scope of internet. The

invention of software like Photoshop made the deigning easy again. With colour printing

too the book cover designers try many new experiments in book jacket illustration.

In Kerala the book cover designers are getting very less remuneration for book cover

designing. The publisher is expected to give a big amount as royalty to the author of the

book. Even the leading publications are having a pay scale of 1000/- to 2000/- for one book


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jacket illustration. The higher remuneration may be for senior book cover designers. For

illustration on children‟s book jacket book cover designers are getting only 30/- to 50/-.

Creativity in book jacket illustration is brought into practice by the small scale

publishers in 90‟s. At the starting stages they could not make stable stand by competing

with the leading large scale publishers because they have their own fame. So they tried

out new innovations in designing. We cannot say that leading publications imitate small

scale publishers. But they also started to use the scope of book jacket illustration after the

experiments tried out by small scale publishers like Fabian, Chintha, Puurana, Papirus,

Theo, Jeevan etc. The publisher Mulbury is a notable name who tried a lot of variety in

designing book jacket.

4.3 Visual

Book cover designers know what is visual. But most of them are not ready to

define a visual. Every book cover designers, who has been interviewed, have different

perception of visual. And they are common in an opinion that visual is different to each

observer. The perception of a visual is individual. Visual can be any frame. Most of the

visuals to a book cover designer is artificial. They opine a complete visual is made up of

certain elements. Visual is being as sense of the observer always. The combination of the

term visual with book jacket illustration gives one another aspect of visual, that to

express a story. A visual always have concept to communicate. The visual of the book

jacket illustration visualize the content or the story line of the book.

The beauty of the book jacket illustration can be evaluated only through the

common vision of the contemporary society in which the visual is being comprehended.


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Visual culture of society changes always. In Kerala, according to the views of the book

cover designers, a common Malayali does not show interest in perceiving the mystery

behind painting or an illustration. They always welcome simple denotative illustrations.

If common Malayali sees a painting by Ravi Varma and a modern art, he or she may

choose the Ravi Varma painting first. The perception of connotative and denotative

meanings is the matter of intellectualness purely.

The usage of texture in book jacket illustration is a modern trend and the

presentation of texture gives another face of visual. A texture can easily create a mood of

the publisher and what the book cover designer want to present. These are the sum total

of the thoughts on visual of the book cover designers. All of them have same idea but are

presented in different style.

4.4 Image as discourse

All the book cover designers who took part in the interview have agreed that

image is form and part of discourse. Discourse is a term used to generalize the meaning

of the words conversation. A discourse can be any type of communication. Every

enunciation is enunciated by a medium. An image or visual is the medium of a visual

discourse. So image is a form of discourse.

The comprehension of spoken or written language is equal in a speech

community. The realistic images, such as images related to human lives directly get

universal perception where visual perception always being defined by the cultural

background of the observer. The preservation and comprehension vary from society to


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society. The communication through the medium of images always result emotions.

Images process at the level of emotionality of the perceiver.

4.5 Visual Literacy

Every book cover designers are aware of visual literacy. Literacy means the

capability to read and interpret a printed text. Visual Literacy is the ability to perceive,

comprehend and negotiate the expressed through the form of an image. The perception of

every visual is not always complete. And it is because; the perception of a visual depends

on a lot of factors, such as culture, the past experience of the observer etc. When the

designer designs a book jacket for a children‟s book, he should be familiar with the visual

literacy of children. So the age group which is being targeted by the publisher is a fact

that decides the range of meaning of the book jacket illustration.

And sometimes the content of the book like, a real life situation, a travelogue etc

demands the real photograph of the same. For that types of books more than the

illustration, a photograph could say on the content and reliability of the book.

4.6 Visual Culture

Visual culture is a term used with the cultural studies and it focuses on the

cultural aspects rely on the comprehension of image. Like culture visual culture also

varies from society to society. Kerala society has an open mind to every new trend. So

the visual culture changes with the lifestyle. The visual culture of Malayali before ten

years has changed a lot if compared to the contemporary visual culture. That is the

perception of the visuals changes according to all other cultural changes. Book cover

designer designs by feeling the heart beats of the reader‟s community. Twenty years back


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even a popular fiction could be published with the face of women on the book jacket, but

now readers expects creativity and freshness in book jacket illustration. Every individual

seeks uniqueness and variety in everything.

4.7 Colour theory

The book cover designers are designing book jackets with their manual creativity.

Even if book cover designers are get assisted by technology. Most of the designers do not

have a degree or diploma certificate in graphic designing. And the designers have poor

knowledge of colour theory, still they use perfect blend of colours when designing a book

jacket. For a book cover designer, knowing the exact colour blend is very important in

designing. Every book cover designer knows the primary colour, secondary colour etc.

But they are not familiar with the definitions of the same. The result of the colour blend

of two or more colours defines the rudimentary colours of the book jacket.

4.8 Types of Visualization

Like colour theory, types of visualization is also new topic to the book cover

designers who took part in the interview. In their opinion more than the technical

perfection, manual capability should give beauty to the book jacket illustration. The

western book cover designers utilize the scope colour theories and visualization types.

Western publishers demand such type of book jacket illustration, here in Kerala, the

graphic designing degree holders are not ready to enter to the book cover designing world

for this very less remuneration.


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4.9 Impact of the variables like age group on book covers designing

Other than the child readers every reader reads all genres of books. The book

jacket illustration for children‟s books is always different. Children‟s book jacket usually

designed with cartoons in the background of attractive colours like pink etc. The book

jacket illustration for children‟s books constantly maintains a fresh look. Content based

and title based book jacket illustrations are common. For instructive or informative

books, content based book jacket illustrations are in use. All the book genres are targeted

to a particular group of readers. The readers who have real passion on reading will read

every type of book. The readers of literature may show interest either in poetry or in

prose. But it is not possible to identify which age group may read a particular genre. Even

spiritual or religious books are getting read by readers of all age group.

4.10 Contemporary Culture and Book Jacket Illustration

Every book cover designer has his own perception in this subject. Contemporary

book jacket illustration stands with the realistic mind of the viewers. Book cover

designers designs the book jacket by keeping the upcoming trends of the sensational

market. The book publishers target the readers, While the book cover designers target is

observers to make them readers. It is not possible to say that the book jacket illustration

reflex the contemporary culture through that.

4.11Order of elements in the visual of Book Jacket

Book cover designers have different opinion on the order of the elements of book

jacket illustration. All the components of the book jacket illustration have equal

importance. Most of the book cover designers opine colour is important component.


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Some of them give priority to the title of the book jacket illustration. The font use to write

the title of the book jacket has an unavoidable role to play in the book jacket illustration.

Ordering the elements of the book jacket illustration is individual. Like the visual

perception of book jacket illustration, the ordering of the elements of the book jacket

illustration is individual. The typography, the images used, the photographs used, the

technology used to print or laminate etc may be the first element. In fact there is no last

component of the book jacket illustration.

4.12 Powerful and Sick elements in the visual Book jacket

The most powerful element of the book jacket illustration is the colour. There is

no counter opinion for that. But for the book cover the powerful element may be

different. For the books of the famous the writers names may be get first look or photo of

the author. Sometimes it may be the blurb. Give Prathinayakan cover.

4.13 Basic spark to design a book jacket

The question on the basic spark to design a particular book jacket was ambitious

one. All the designers understood the question first as the basic inspiration to design. And

the starting stage of the designing is crucial too. A basic spark to design a book jacket

depends upon the mood of the content of the book, title and the popularity of the author.

Sometimes the book cover designer gets the idea to design the book cover from the

content of the book. In that case he may portrait or uses one of the incidents or the scenes

of the book‟s content. Designing based on the title of the book is very difficult one, says

one of the book cover designers. It is because most of the time titles of the book may also

have one or another familiar meaning. There is a probability for the designer to entangle


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within that meaning of that particular word and it may be far from the content of the

book. The publisher shows interest to give name and photo of the author on the book

cover of those books written by the famous authors. So the designer of the book jacket

gives importance to the typography to write the title of the book and the space on the

book jacket to place the photo of the author.

4.14 Content based book jacket illustration

Every book cover designer has the similar view on the content based book jacket

illustration. All of them believe in content based book jacket illustration. And it may be

either denotative or connotative in its semantic level. Beauty of vision is created based on

the commonalty of vision. The observer or the reader may not show much interest in

some book jacket illustration for which, the cover designer takes much effort to design.

Book genre also demands the content based jacket illustration. For example cooking

books, travel etc should have content based jacket illustration.

4.15 Tradition of Practice

In Kerala, there is no tradition of practice for book cover designing. At the

starting stage of book cover designing both designers and publishers tried to avoid the

expenses to print the book jacket. The only tradition, could find in book cover designing

is the content based illustration for genre like travelogue or cookery. Some book cover

designers often use some colours for illustrations. Typography is another element of book

jacket illustration which follows tradition of practice in usage. In common book cover

designing does not constitute any tradition of practices


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4.16 Developing designer’s own style

Making individual identity to their art work is every artist‟s style. But in the area

of book jacket illustration, no designers want to tie themselves with a particular style.

Both publishers and the readers are waiting for the freshness of the creative element in

the book jacket illustration. The freshness of the book jacket illustration is active element.

It can make the market move by attracting people.

4.17 Book Jacket Illustrations for translated books from other languages

to Malayalam

Famous written works of every language is translated into many languages.

Malayali reader always welcomes such translated works. Classics, popular works, award

winning etc are translated to Malayalam language. 20 to 25% of the books published by

book publishers in Kerala are translated books from other language. The great written

pieces from every language is translated to Malayalam. More than original works, the re-

written works are translated to Malayalam. Even though there are questions on the

aesthetic value of the translated works, the Malayali readers are interested to read those

translated works. The concern of Malayali readers on translated books is visible from the

number of the translated books published in Kerala by a year.

Some books like Metamorphosis by Kafka are translated by many Malayalam

writers and are published by different publishers. When designing covers for translated

books from other languages to Malayalam designer always concentrates on the culture

and tradition of the author. The culture of the society in which the original source work is


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published is an inevitable element while designing the book jacket illustration for the

translated work.

The colour, the landscape‟s elements are being usually the elements of book

jacket illustration. If the original work or author of the work is from Africa, red colour

should be the dominant element. The book jacket illustration of the translated book from

Russia usually constitutes fade colours. Using the alphabets of the language in which the

actual work has written is another style. Most of the designers choose the photograph or

figure of the writer of original work. And it is because the readers could easily be

attracted to the book. The technique of using photograph of the writer on book jacket

illustration is common. Using the original book jacket illustration for the translated

version is also not rare.

Name of the author is important to every book cover, for book jacket illustration

of the translated books it is the most important ingredient because only great works by

great authors are getting translated. On the book jacket illustration of the translated book,

author‟s name will be the protruded element. Designers use different styles and effects in

font (Malayalam fonts do not posses meaning difference). Likewise in title also designers

use the methods. And most of the designers give the name of the book both in Malayalam

and English. And designers sometimes book jacket illustration by joining the illustration

of the original work.

4.18 Same Book Jacket Illustration of different editions of the same book

Every celebrated book has several editions from the first edition to the running

business year. The most famous books never demand any advertisement even through its


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book jacket illustration. The title of the book and the name of the author are the adequate

components for all editions of renowned books. On certain occasions publishers go for

the same book jacket illustration of the first edition with a new and fresh look to the

newer edition.

There are a few Malayalam books like aadujiivitham by benyamin (published by

DCBooks), lajja by Thaslima Nasrin (published by green books) has same book cover

designing for each editions.


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4.19 Different Book jacket illustrations for books on its different editions.

This is very common in Malayalam book publishing sector. Even if those books

are the most popular and best sellers, the publishers change the book jacket illustration.

Even the most popular book too has different covers and can be counted with its editions.

Khasakkinte ithihasam is the best example for this. The book like Khasakkinte ithihasam

never needs any advertisement. As a self advertisement, book jacket illustration does not

have anything to do in the case of Khasakkinte ithihasam; still the publishers change the

cover for different editions.

Usually due to the business aspects publishers prefer different book cover for

different editions. The visual literacy and visual culture always changes. Even the criteria

of the selection of visual imagery are same but the selection style of the same may

change. When the publisher is sure about the creative dimension of the book jacket

illustration of a particular book, they may not think of designing the cover. The

effectiveness of the communication of book jacket illustration at its expected level is the

main fact which decides whether to change the book cover. To enhance the new edition

of a particular book, the publisher may necessitate fresh look to its cover.

4.20 Book jacket illustration of the books published in Russia

From 1966 to next 25 years there were many Russian books translated to

Malayalam. These books were printed at USSR and published by Raduga Publishers. The

distributer for those Russian fairy tales and children‟s books in Kerala was Prabhat Book

House. The known couple Omana and Moscow Gopalakrishnan introduced Russian

children‟s literature to Malayalam. The simplicity of the translation is remarkable.


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The Malayalam Books printed and published in USSR by Raduga Publishers

from 1966 are very colourful with thick papers. All the book jacket illustration of these

books resembles the mode of Russian visual culture. Those book jackets are the visual

presentation of their tradition. Book jackets of two books published by Raduga has given

here; swarnakappu by K,Tangrykuliev and valameen kalppikkunnu by M. Bulathove.

Both of these books are in the category of children‟s literature and have attractive covers.

The colours used in both the covers and the way of effectively mixing these colours

match to Russian culture.


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4.21 Book Jacket Illustrations for English Books written by Malayalam

writers

The British authority gifted all its territories with English Language. The Indian

English writers fastened their root before the British left India in 1947. The writers who

possess any Indian language as their mother tongue and who writes in English are known

as Indian English writers. The list of Indian English writers is very lengthy include the

names from V S Naipal to Chetan Bhagath. Indian English works are always keeping

smooth relation with the mass group of the society.

From Kerala the works of Kamala Das and Arundhathi Roy opens way of a new

attitude towards writing.


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The book jacket illustrations for all the books in the Indian English category

unanimously represent the culture and tradition of India. This is same in the case of The

Malgudi days by R.K Narayan and also Amish Tripathi‟s The secrets of the Nagas.

The book jacket illustration of the books those have won the booker prize like,

The God of small things written by Arundhathi Roy has used the image of a pond with

water Lilly. This is common in the west part of Kerala. The same book jacket illustration

is used in its translation to Malayalam.

4.22 The Embargo in Indian Book publishing facet

Amish Tripathi is an Indian author. He is known for his novels; The Immortals of

Meluha, The Secret of the Nagas and The Oath of the Vayuputras. Amish Tripathi


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describes Mythology as the genre of his works. The publishing process of these works

was celebrated by media. And the embargo was new to the Indian book publishing sector.

The book jacket illustration of these three novels posses a straight relation with

Indian Hindu mythology.

4.23 Book jacket illustrations of the books’ editions published most.

Oru sankeerthanam pole by Perumbadavam Sreedharan, ramanan by Changampuzha

and aadujiivitham by Benyamin etc are the examples of the books have more than 50

editions. The most popular books get published by different publishers. This is common

in publishing sector.

The book jacket illustration of these books gets changed to present with a fresh

look to the reader. Here we have given the book jacket of the book oru sankeerthaam pole


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by Perumbadavam Sreedharan. This presented illustration is on the book jacket of its 53th

edition.

4.24 Book jacket illustration of the books for Children

The book jacket illustration of the books for children commonly presents the look

of cartoons. The designers concentrate on the fresh colours like, pink rose, green etc

when they design the book jacket illustration of the books for children. The images of

animals, sun, nature etc are the often used tools to design the book jackets for children.

The major publishers like DC books have a different section (maambazham) to

publish children‟s books.


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4.25 Book jacket illustration of the books sold by hawkers

The books hawking books are common in Kerala. The books under this category

are usually published by the small scale publishers. The sellers sell these books by

roaming around the croweded places like railway station, bus hubs etc. There is practice

of selling the books on cookery, tailoring etc. It published by the large scale publishers

like this.

The book jacket illustration of these „hawking‟ books use the photograph of the

related cotent of the book.


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4.26 Advertisement of Books

Advertisement of the books in magazines and news papers are popular. The

publishers usually give the printed advertisements of their books in illustrated weeklies,

magazines and in newspapers. The publishers name and details, the details of the

availability of the books, title and the edition details of the book, descriptions and the part

of the review on the book written by other writers, the prize, offer prize and the image of

the front cover of the book jacket are the elements of the advertisement of the books.


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4.27 Acknowledgement of newly published books

Book publishers give acknowledgements of the book that they published every

month. These acknowledgements consist of the title of the book, image of the front cover,

a small description of the book and author, name of the publisher and prize of the book.

Giving the reviews written by famous writers on the newly published books in

print media is also common.


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4.28 Conclusion

The book jacket resembles the content of the book and the identity of the author.

It also includes the constituents of the marketing strategy of the publisher. The ultimate

aim of a book jacket illustration is to attract readers. But all these factors are effectively

come alive through the thoughts of the cover designer. From the cover designer‟s

responds to the prepared questionnaire it is understandable that most of the book cover

designers, who have participated in the interviews, have similar approximations and ideas

on book cover designing. The book cover designers have different agendas to design a

book jacket.


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The chapter included discussion on many other book jackets of the books are

noted for its top sale, have more editions and one book jacket and vice versa, Malayalam

books printed outside Kerala, Malayalam writers English books, English writer‟s

Malayalam book, translated books etc. The advertisement and acknowledgment of the

newly published Malayalam books are different and are common in Malayalam

newspapers, periodicals and magazines. As the book jackets are designed to attract

readers, the advertisements and acknowledgment of the books are important because the

publisher that also to attract readers.


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Chapter 4shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in/bitstream/10603/37128/6/chapter4.pdf · too the book cover designers try many new experiments in book jacket illustration. In Kerala the book cover