Ideas 1

When I think of a type of design for this cover, Saul Bass's Anatomy of Murder comes into mind.

I like the disjointedness (a bit like the book) of his designs and would like to use them as some sort of inspiration to my design.

I found a typeface that is not unlike Saul Bass' work called Hitchcock.

Initially I designed something very simple and kept in line with the old fashioned Penguin books, using block colours and white space.

I used the black to depict the noir themes that run throughout the book and red for the bloodshed that concludes the story. And obviously (too obvious!!) a carving knife! I'm not happy with this first design. I feel it lacks depth and interest.

Thoughts

I decided to do a spider diagram of words and images that came to mind about the book to help me with the design process.

Book Designers - Chip Kidd

For a bit of inspiration I've looked at a book designer called Chip Kidd. He's really inspirational and breaks the design process down to make it less daunting. Below is a link to a TED talk...

http://www.ted.com/talks/chip_kidd_designing_books_is_no_laughing_matter_ok_it_is.html

He's a really interesting guy and I'd like to have quick look on his outlook...


Some of the book covers mentioned in his TED talk - and the reasons behind them.

I particularly liked it when he said the typography was in denial in this design - almost like an alcoholic.
Very clever, but so simple.

The Winshaws

Mainly centered around the a family called The Winshaws. Each one plays a part in the demise of Britain in the 1980s (Maggie Thatcher era). They all treat others as puppets on strings! A good analogy that I could use in designing the cover!

I just want to establish the main characters portrayed in the book and what they are about:

Thomas Winshaw: Banker. Fascination with Cinema. Voyeuristic tendancies.

Henry Winshaw: Career Politician. Member of Conservative Association. Knew Margaret Thatcher (nee Roberts). Instrumenal in policies to reform the National Health Service.

Dorothy Winshaw: Agriculture/Farming. Inhumane treatment of animals to produce meat. Builds a business empire around this.

Mark Winshaw: Arms Dealer involved with Saddam Hussein.

Roderick Winshaw: Arts Dealer/Gallery Owner. Seduces female artists and drops them straight after.

Hilary Winshaw: Tabloid Journalist. Takes advantage of other peoples generosity and betrays them. Right wing

Each chapter depicts one of these characters and the distressing and far reaching consequences their actions have on people, including the "biographer" in the book, Michael Owen. (Example - the reforms made on the NHS meant that Michael's friend died before they had chance to find out she had Lymphoma - no staff, no beds!!)

I've picked a quote from the book to describe the family (said by one of their own!!)

"They're the meanest, greediest, cruellest bunch of backstabbing, penny-pinching bastards who ever crawled across the face of the Earth. And I include my own offspring in that Statement." Mortimer Winshaw.

The ending replicates the 1961 film the book is named after. The surviving members of the Winshaw family, Michael Owen, Phoebe Barton (a young aspiring artist who was duped by Roddy Winshaw, but later ended up working as a nurse for Mortimer Winshaw) and the family solicitor are invited to the reading of the late Mortimer Winshaw's Will. But one by one they are picked off and murdered by the "undead" Mortimer Winshaw. Quite amusing!! Reminds me of Cluedo!! Another idea I could bring into the design!!

Reading the Book

Michael is a lonely, rather pathetic writer, obsessed by the film ‘What A Carve Up!’ in which a mad knifeman cuts his way through the inhabitants of a decrepit stately pile as the thunder rages. Inexplicably he is commissioned to write the family history of the Winshaws, an upper class Yorkshire clan whose members have a finger in every establishment pie, from arms dealing to art dealing, from politics to banking to the popular press and factory farming. During his researches Michael realizes that the Winshaws have cast a blight on his life, as they have on Britain. His confidence, his sexual and personal identity begin to reform. In a climax set in the Winshaws’ family seat the novel turns into the film ‘What A Carve Up!’ as a murderous maniac stalks the family and Michael discovers the significance of Shirley Eaton’s lingerie. 

This blurb is taken from the Penguin brief. Its a great description of the book. Its a satirical novel detailing the political and social environment in Britain in the 1980's. Jonathan Coe critiques British politics with the conservative reign of Maggie Thatcher, where National policy seems to be dictated by narrow minded, powerful groups. 

Penguin Competition: What A Carve Up!

What A Carve Up! by Jonathan Coe

A brilliant noir farce, a dystopian vision of Britain, a family history and the story of an obsession.

Michael is a lonely, rather pathetic writer, obsessed by the film ‘What A Carve Up!’ in which a mad knifeman cuts his way through the inhabitants of a decrepit stately pile as the thunder rages. Inexplicably he is commissioned to write the family history of the Winshaws, an upper class Yorkshire clan whose members have a finger in every establishment pie, from arms dealing to art dealing, from politics to banking to the popular press and factory farming. During his researches Michael realizes that the Winshaws have cast a blight on his life, as they have on Britain. His confidence, his sexual and personal identity begin to reform. In a climax set in the Winshaws’ family seat the novel turns into the film ‘What A Carve Up!’ as a murderous maniac stalks the family and Michael discovers the significance of Shirley Eaton’s lingerie.

‘Big, hilarious, intricate, furious, moving’ Guardian

‘Probably the best English novelist of his generation’ Nick Hornby

‘Everything a novel ought to be: courageous, challenging, funny, sad – and peopled with a fine troupe of characters’ The Times

‘A sustained feat of humour, suspense and polemic, full of twists and ironies’ Hilary Mantel, Sunday Times

The Brief

Your cover design should reflect the richness of Jonathan Coe’s writing to appeal to a contemporary, discerning, literary readership. There are many layers and themes within the book. Read it and discover what the book means to you.

Your cover design needs to include all the cover copy as supplied and be designed to the specified design template (B format, 198mm high x 129mm wide, spine 31mm wide).

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.

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