Common mistakes in book cover design

Book Cover Design Tips – The single biggest mistake you don’t want to make…


A book cover gives your prospective reader their first insight into the story within. If it’s going to be suitable for them, and they will invest their time and money in your writing. That’s what they mean by ‘Shelf Appeal’. To help you make sure your books fly off said shelves, I’m putting together some book cover design tips… From my almost fifteen years in book cover design, I’ve seen great things, and not so great things. So kicking off… Here’s the mistake I see most often with book cover design.

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Need a book cover?
Two fantasy book covers side by side, illustrated by the noble artist
jamie noble frier, The Noble Artist

Hi I’m Jamie!

With over a decade of professional experience working with authors, I have developed a great working process that gets the best out of the project, delivers a gorgeous final product, and gets us to goal quickly to make sure your the only bump in your launch, is the bump in your sales.

Cluttered or Complicated Book Cover Design

Confusing your reader with a overly complex cover can make them feel uncomfortable and may even make them assume the story within is equally as incoherent.

Clear focal points, and iconography that represents your novel will trigger the reader’s interest and natural biases, making them feel at home with your writing, which is especially useful if you’re an author who is new-to-them.

Why Focal Points in Book Cover Design are Important

A focal point is the area of any image that attracts the eye first. Some book cover artists excel at using titling to do this, and others like me, compose illustrated scenes to draw the eye and satisfy the viewer so they are enticed to purchase a product. In this case, your book.

A horror book cover by The Noble Artist. Windows in an apartment block are set ablaze, the fire in each window creates what looks like a skull.

In fantasy illustration is used heavily in book covers to convey the book’s genre and mood. It’s critical to trigger the reader’s assumptions, nostalgia and preconceptions about a genre they know they enjoy. This all happens subconsciously, and it’s a wonderful tool in the author’s arsenal!

A focal point can be a single striking close up on an object or character, or even a combination of elements that work to create one resting spot for the eye.

As an artist, I use visual paths to guide a viewers eye around an image. I create a hierarchy of elements that don’t clash and keep the viewers eye on the image as long as possible. By creating these natural paths, our eye doesn’t flit confused across the image, trying to make sense of a thousand bits of conflicting information. Instead it glides in a pleasing meander from the strongest element to the least important.

A fantasy book cover by The Noble Artist A female warrior lit by flames. A bear roars at the moon in the distance.

Establishing a Focal Point

Size and Scale

Larger elements draw more attention. By making the character in the Umbra Moon cover here larger than the other elements, she makes the initial impact before the readers eye explores the rest of the image.

Contrast

Similarly, I’ve used a light moon in the background to really push her dark shape and make her pop. The fire in the front allows for nice little rim lights to pick up the edges of her armour and give her form. Often I create atmosphere layers between important elements to give them contrast and clarity. Smoke, mist and battle debris are great for this!

Jason Farrell
Jason Farrell
2024-06-20
I had the pleasure of working with Jamie (the Noble Artist) a few years ago when he made the cover for my book, Demon Lord Rising. He was fantastic to work with and seemed to really enjoy trying to get the cover the way I envisioned it. I found him to be incredibly skilled and reasonably priced. I can't imagine doing a book without him working on the cover.
Peter Adler
Peter Adler
2024-03-10
Jamie did a fabulous design for my fantasy book cover, The Treasure of Trenalon. I had a pretty clear conception of what I wanted going in. He asked for a lot of detailed information to make sure that he understood what I wanted, and more importantly, what the right feel was for the characters, setting, and genre. In all of our interactions, Jamie was friendly and enthusiastic. He sought input and was open to feedback every step of the way. His initial thumbnail sketch blew me away. There it was: everything I wanted. And more! He put in elements I hadn’t considered that fit the story to a T and made for a stronger image. I asked for a few tweaks, which he quickly delivered. He knocked the final cover out of the ballpark. I also needed to brand the cover with a previous cover in the series, and he nailed that. Every step of the way, I felt his commitment to my being happy with the finished design. He also finished the job according to our timeline. Jamie is a consummate artist and a pleasure to work with. I will definitely seek him out for my next project.
Ben Boardman
Ben Boardman
2024-02-04
Jamie is a great artist and so much fun to work with. He brings enthusiasm and excitement to every project. I'm looking forward to working with him many times in the future!
Kev Crean
Kev Crean
2024-01-27
I hired The Nobel Artist to design a book cover, and a short book trailer, for me on a limited budget and relatively short time frame. He was quick with all communication throughout our time working together. The work, in my opinion, was exemplary and I will definitely be considering The Nobel Artist as my first choice for my next book cover. We had one slight delay during our project which he was honest and swift about informing me of (something unavoidable came up - not important for the review). As I said, his work is amazing and he was a pleasure to work with. I would highly recommend this talented artist to everyone.
Jon Fabris
Jon Fabris
2024-01-18
Superb artist. Did a book cover for me and it turned out great! Reasonable rates.
Daniel
Daniel
2024-01-17
I have used Jamie for numerous corporate projects, from marketing collateral to case study production. The reason for approaching Jamie was to have a more creative approach to the look and feel of the collateral I needed. The final product has always provided me with an increase in engagement, and the use of his graphic production in wider content sharing. Highly recommend if you are looking for your content to stand out!
Pyroslayer92
Pyroslayer92
2024-01-16
I've worked with the Noble Artist since 2015ish, and he is always reliable, and produces some wonderful artwork. Not only does he do a fantastic job with the artwork side of projects. But on a personal level he is friendly, easy to get along with, and passionate. 🙂
Stijn De Vleesschauwer
Stijn De Vleesschauwer
2024-01-14
When my girlfriend and me found out we were having a baby and when I told Jamie, he made a beautiful drawing of a baby, so we could surprise our families. He also drew me the best portrait for my D&D character. I told him a little bit about him and when the portrait was finished it was like looking into a mirror and seeing Istorvir Nirinath, the ever smirking Half-Elf Bard 😊
Charles F Bond
Charles F Bond
2024-01-07
The Noble Artist is ever expanding and a great creator of artworks for authors among others. If you need art for your project, I highly recommend taking a look.
Rasmus Desdorf
Rasmus Desdorf
2024-01-06
Absolutely stunning work I've had the please of working with Jamie on a board game project and I must say that I absolutely stunned by his ability to take my rough sketches and concept ideas and turning it into amazingly detailed illustations, that not only fit the idea but also expands on it and makes it even greater. Furthermore he is a pleasant person to work with and I've experienced fast responses to both my initial query and later questions. Good on updating you on the proces and giving timely updates. Perfect !

Positioning

Having a classic central focus works well, but there are other techniques in a cover artist’s repertoire. Placing a key element on a line that divides the image into thirds is a great way of offsetting an image, and allows for other elements to feature, that draw they eye around the art.

Hot tip! The Rule of Thirds

I often use the rule of thirds in my illustrations. I would roughly create a 3×3 grid on my artwork, and compose the key elements on the lines of the grid or even better, at the intersections. It creates a nice balanced piece, that allows for some dynamic relationships between the elements. That dynamic feel can be harder to achieve with a fully centred image, when generally centered images work well with symmetry.

Colour

Colour theory is deep, exciting and complex, but a rule of thumb… Bright, vibrant, or contrasting colours can draw attention to a focal point. For instance, the single red object on the otherwise monochromatic Gahbreeil cover grabs immediate attention.

Isolation

Isolating an element by surrounding it with negative space (empty space) also helps it stand out as a focal point. This works especially well when highlighting a central image, such as a character or symbol like the the moon on the Gahbreeil cover. I like to mute or blur backgrounds when working on more complex character scenes. You’ll here me use the term “makes it pop”. Which just means the object or character really stands off the background in a pleasing way.

Fantasy Book cover with graphic elements by The Noble Artist for Gahbreeil
Use of lines in design. Book cover design tips by The Noble Artist

Use of Lines

Sometimes the design itself uses implied lines or shapes that guide the viewer’s eye to the focal point. For instance, the cover might feature a character’s gaze or weapon pointing towards the title, subtly directing the viewer’s attention.

In this cover for A.J. Calvin, I used the character’s gaze, combined with structural elements to create natural arrows pointing at the focus (the glowing statuette). His hands and other structural elements and the brickwork create circles which reinforce the point of interest.

Multiple characters making a single focal point

Sometimes my clients will be so excited about the characters and events in their novel, they will almost write their brief like writing a movie:

“The characters are fighting the demons in the river, it’s a close up on their faces as they struggle, then the asteroid hits and they look up, and their faces turn to fear as their world explodes around them. They dive for cover and everything is ablaze, then the demons join together in the demon lord’s image and their attention turns to their new foe. Make sure to show their full armour as it’s pertinent to the story, and also the MC has hazel eyes which is important, and their weapons glow in an array of colours.”

Single focus pieces are great. It could feature multiple characters, but there must be a focus. The elements around the focus (including characters) are the supporting actors in this particular image. Giving the audience too many places of interest to try and assimilate all at once makes an image confusing and unattractive.

A fantasy book cover by The Noble Artist. A Swashbuckling male and female duo brandish swords at the viewer, overlooking cliffs with choppy waters and a pirate ship in the background.

This is a series of events, not a moment in time. Sure creating a chaotic scene of desperation is possible, but it needs to be a freeze frame. Unless it’s a montage piece, we can’t both zoom into the eyes of the protagonist and pan out to see the sky ablaze with fiery asteroids, and the transformation of their foe in real time.

Conclusion

Focal points are critical in book cover design because they guide the viewer’s eye and communicate key information instantly. In fantasy book covers, the focal point is often an exciting visual using elements of the illustration to hold the reader’s attention. Well-placed, balanced focal points create a cohesive design that captures the eye and conveys the essence of the book effectively.


Hi I’m Jamie!

I work on fantasy book covers for self published authors. I have had some great clients working on both established IPs and new settings. I’m always interested in hearing about more projects I might be needed on, so feel free to drop me an email to info@thenobleartist.com

If you’re looking for a fantasy artist, feel free to snoop through my illustration portfolio or head straight over to contact me for work. You’ll find my email address and some handy forms which guide you through some of the starting info I’ll need to be able to quote for you. Typically I’m booked up a month ahead of time, but do drop me a line if you have anything time sensitive. Sometimes I’m able to move things around in a pinch. Hope to hear from you! In the meantime, stay informed of my new work and availability and sign up for the mailing list.

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