The first thing any potential reader sees about a writer's book, is not actually their prose, but it is the work of another: the book cover.
This single image entrusted by the publishers to grab the reader's attention is so unique to a book's packaging that cover designers are highly regarded within the industry.
The creativity to encaspulate the entire story and its tone with one image can see book cover designers leave their own signature mark in their body of work. The very best of them, create a style all of their own. Chip Kidd is one such individual.
"A book cover is a distillation. It is a haiku of the story." Chip Kidd
Working as a graphic designer at Alfred A. Knopf since 1986, Chip Kidd has been responsible for some of the most iconic book covers over the last twenty years. He has an unexpected twist to his designs across his diverse range of styles. Yet each book could be identified as his by anyone in the publishing industry, because he has his own unique voice.
This is even more apparent in the talk he conducted for the TED series. Laced with humour and intelligence, the distinguished designer explains his trade.