Responsive / Penguin / Research

Previous Winners

'The initial idea for my design sparked from the mention of Cluedo by the character of Michael Owen, and the relation of this to the murder mystery-style scenario that unravels at the end of the novel. Using the title as the main structure, I created a 3D model to act as a floor plan, with strong shadows adding a sense of mystery. As the novel was set in the 1980s when Margaret Thatcher was in power, I tried to represent the era through the use of floor patterns, and to also subtly suggest the divide in class and power.'

'The concept behind my idea was to make reference to the book’s title with the two knives, while using the negative space to make a link back to Tabitha Winshaw, a character from the book. Throughout the story Tabitha is particularly scheming until eventually killing herself and Michael Owen. I have referenced this with the use of two black knives, one for each character with the black resembling death.'

'After a thorough analysis of What A Carve Up! I decided to focus my design on the mysterious investigation that the multi-dimensional character Michael Owen undertook. In order to do this I depicted imagery from his investigative notebook, revealing a snippet of information for each member of the Winshaw family, carved up into sections. I wanted to emphasise the time period the book was set in through the use of typography and visual imagery, whilst at the same time infuse a more contemporary style of illustration. Each icon represents the certain employment sectors that each character manipulated.'

'Set against a dark and corrupted 1930s American society, Raymond Chandler’s The Big Sleep evokes a sense of noir and deep suspicion. Working through the direct medium of collage, my design focuses on the bold and brash protagonist Philip Marlowe, employing subtle imagery suggestive of Marlowe’s chief overlooking presence throughout the novel. In keeping with Chandler’s audacious writing style, I aimed to provide an immediate visual punch, utilizing minimal components to full effect.'

'Donna Tartt’s The Secret History is associated with the Greek classics. Greek sculptures are beautifully created and very pretty on the surface, but behind every story there is always an untold secret. It inspired me to create a ceramic book cover, so fragile that a secret is easily broken out. No matter how hard the story tried to keep a secret, the truth would eventually be spilled.'

Looking at Judges Comments out of context of the work gives a clear vision of their desires.

Deducting the judges aspirations for a winner can guide my own practice. 

'Concept, striking design... brilliantly executed'

'Strong graphics with a touch of narrative'

'Strong, bold and confident, it immediately stands out and grabs your attention'

'Gutsy inventiveness' 

'Captured the essence'

'Well judged and not overworked - this is a brave cover'

'What the judges are looking for:

We are looking for a striking cover design that is well executed, has an imaginative concept and clearly places the book for its market. While all elements of the jacket need to work together as a cohesive whole, remember that the front cover must be effective on its own and be eye-catching within a crowded bookshop setting. It also needs to be able to work on screen for digital retailers such as Amazon.

The winning design will need to:

have an imaginative concept and original interpretation of the brief
be competently executed with strong use of typography
appeal to a contemporary readership
show a good understanding of the marketplace
have a point of difference from the many other book covers it is competing against'