I found an interview by The Independent with Anna Billson who is one of the judges for the Penguin Books Children's Cover Award. She talks about what she looks for in a cover design. The first things she mentions is "A connection. Something that sparks an emotion – powerfully and appropriately." This statement highlights two very important elements of illustration, the first is creating a dialogue between the viewer and the artist, I want to create images that trigger a thought process rather then just relaying information. the second is the need to create artwork that is appropriate for both for the target audience and the platform it is being for, as the image is for a book cover it needs to serve a purpose and contain information about the book. I want to design a cover that looks like a purpose made piece of artwork not an image with text added afterwards.
Anna Billson also mentions that she also looks for "Beauty and originality". Beauty is a hard thing to define and critique but I think you can try and create a visually stimulating illustration that draws the eye. Good use of colour and crafting can make an image more appealing. I would say that originality is key in this brief as the book has had a number of different covers, I don't want to create an image that is similar to the previous ones. I want to create a new look for the book that holds onto the character and tone of the narrative and celebrates its history.
Two more important aspects to consider are attention to detail and skill in execution. A well thought out design can be let down by poor execution or not enough thought put into each and very aspect. A book cover could be ruined by a badly chosen font or the placement of the text. I need to make sure every aspect of my work is designed and executed to the best possible standard.
Anna Billson is they asked "How do you feel a design can impact a reader – either in a good or bad way?". In her response she talks about the way we make snap judgements and physical appearance has an effect on us. She says "A good cover design is all about kick-starting the imagination of the reader. A good cover will intrigue and inspire, tap into memories or ignite new passions." I always talk about the importance of creating intrigue and sparking conversations with the viewer, this is easier said than done but is definitely what I am aiming to achieve with my cover design.
"tap into memories or ignite new passions". I think this is even more important in this case than when illustrating for a new book as it covers both segments of the target audience, I need to trigger the memories of the adults that remember the book from their childhood while simultaneously igniting the interest of new readers who are not familiar with the story.
In response to how a cover can impact a reader in a bad way she simply says "A bad cover will just stop you picking up the book!"
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