last year when we first announced the penguin cloth-bound classic series everyone went crazy about these incredible book covers designed by senior cover designer, coralie bickford-smith. the only catch was that the books were only available in the UK – that is until this week! in honor of the US-release of the series we’re so pleased to have a very special interview with coralie all about the project, her work and where she finds her inspiration. this was such a special treat for me because beautiful book cover designs were one of the major influences that inspired me to become a graphic designer. we can’t thank coralie enough for taking the time out of her busy schedule to welcome us into her world. don’t miss more of her amazing work right here, and you can pick up your very own cloth-bound classics right here (scroll down to access more titles). {thanks, coralie!!} -anne
How was the Cloth-bound Classics project conceived? How did it evolve? Was coming up with patterns one of the original concepts?
The series grew out of my mild obsession with cloth bindings, which I’ve been able to indulge on an occasional basis for a while. Titles including Hans Christian Andersesn’s Fairy Tales and Penguin’s Poems for Life were well received and – crucially – sold well, so it was decided that I would bring a similar aesthetic to this series. I decided early on to use patterns that all conform to the same grid – it seemed the best way to impose a recognizable style that could work across a series of ten or more books, while allowing the covers to convey something of the character of the individual titles.
How did you choose the motifs for the patterns? Was it hard to narrow down an entire novel into one icon?
One of the great things about designing for the classics is that the material is so rich and full of possibilities – it’s not about finding the one and only perfect signifier for a book, but one that works within the context of this series, and perhaps which takes a slightly new angle on a familiar work. I read the books and discussed them with one of out picture researchers, Isabelle De Cat, then we created mood boards full of ideas, and narrowed it down from there. Some of the final patterns are more literal than others. The peacock feather on Dorian Grey, for example, plays on the book’s themes of vanity and the superficial, whereas the leaf motif on Jane Eyre refers directly to the lightning-blasted chestnut tree, a concrete element in the text that serves as a potent symbol of the book’s central relationship.
How did you go about picking the colors? Were they predetermined or did the books themselves evoke certain colors through associations?
My palette was limited by the available materials, so I began by finding compelling combinations and then matched them to the titles. Again, the connection with the text is more obvious in some cases – the black and white of Dorian Grey suggests stark duality, and also references Aubrey Beardsley’s Wilde illustrations – while others are more about capturing a certain mood.
CLICK HERE for the rest of coralie’s interview after the jump!
Is all your work done on a computer or do you start with hand sketches?
Everything ends up in the computer, but I start with lots of sketches, collecting and playing with images. I like the hands on creative process, especially with a project like this, which is all about evoking a pre-computer era of craftsmanship and fine binding.
What were the biggest challenges in this project?
Getting the foil blocking right took some time. Matte foil is a tricky material, especially on cloth, with different colour foils behaving differently on press, and I was quite demanding in terms of getting as much out of the process as possible. So there were visits to the printers, discussions and experiments. I had to make fine adjustments to some of the designs to take account of the tolerances of the machines, and the printers put in a lot of work to achieve the end result as well.
How do you “collect” your ideas?
Notebooks. I love a good notebook.
Where are your favorite places “to go” for inspiration?
As your quote marks imply, with so many great visual resources on the web there are plenty of places to go without leaving the desk. I can happily spend hours mooching around sites like Ffffound!, Ace Jet 170, But Does It Float, and Design Sponge of course, as well as checking out amazing objects on eBay. Sometimes though there’s no substitute for getting out and seeing things that aren’t mediated by a computer screen. London’s great for that, with so many amazing museums and libraries. The V&A, John Soane Museum and the London Library are among my favourites. Also bookshops and charity shops.
How would you describe your personal design style?
If I have a distinctive style it’s probably best left to others to describe. I suppose there are recurrent elements in some of my work, such as an Arts and Crafts influence, limited colour palette and a love of period detail, but I tend to approach each brief individually. That’s the nature of cover design really – the designs are there to serve the writing, and there’s such a range of material that we design for that a personal style isn’t necessarily what you want the customer to see.
Do you have any new upcoming projects you can tell us about (or at least give us a hint)?
I’m working on another hardback series – different materials and the work of a single author this time. Can’t say much more right now, except that I’ve been immersing myself in Art Deco influences. Away from work, I’m also working on a fun piece for this exhibition curated by the wonderful Garudio Studiage.
Is there a dream project you’d love to work on?
I’m very fortunate at Penguin to be able to work on dream projects regularly. Outside of books, I’m interested in moving into textile design. So far I’ve dipped a toe in the water with a t-towel design, but I have ideas for something on a larger scale.
