Penny Dreadful
Shannon Stewart
March 31
Penny Dreadfuls were popular, cheaply produced 19th century magazines filled with brutal and sensationalist tales. At the center of this book of poetry is the story of accused serial killer Robert Pickton who murdered women from Vancouver’s East Side.
March 31
Penny Dreadfuls were popular, cheaply produced 19th century magazines filled with brutal and sensationalist tales. At the center of this book of poetry is the story of accused serial killer Robert Pickton who murdered women from Vancouver’s East Side.
The Telephone Gambit
Seth Shulman
It turns out Alexander Graham Bell may not have been the true discoverer of the telephone. Elisha Gray may have beat him to it but missed out on the lucrative patent. I really liked this idea of showing the discovery as a race with Gray actually winning.
In the end we went with showing the original device Bell used to call Watson with a shadow reflected in it. Who the shadow is will be left up to the reader.
It turns out Alexander Graham Bell may not have been the true discoverer of the telephone. Elisha Gray may have beat him to it but missed out on the lucrative patent. I really liked this idea of showing the discovery as a race with Gray actually winning.
In the end we went with showing the original device Bell used to call Watson with a shadow reflected in it. Who the shadow is will be left up to the reader.
The Squandering of America
Robert Kuttner
I can’t say this cover was 100% successful but I am happy that they let me get away with putting the title on the side of a bus.
I can’t say this cover was 100% successful but I am happy that they let me get away with putting the title on the side of a bus.
The Parker Novels
March 7
The publisher wanted a hardboiled mystery look for this reissue of the famous crime novel series. They also wanted it to have a film noir sensibility with a strong sense of locale/place. It also has to have an element that ties the series together.
The publisher wanted a hardboiled mystery look for this reissue of the famous crime novel series. They also wanted it to have a film noir sensibility with a strong sense of locale/place. It also has to have an element that ties the series together.
Canada’s Rights Revolution
Dominique Clément
March 1
I Just finished this sketch. The book is a history of social movements and social change in Canada from 1937-82. The publisher wanted a conceptual approach and I thought that a windswept tree would be an original way of expressing revolution and change. I have an entire collection of books I have done about Canada and each time I start a new one I always try to find an original way to use our national symbols. The tree used in this case is in fact a maple tree.
March 1
I Just finished this sketch. The book is a history of social movements and social change in Canada from 1937-82. The publisher wanted a conceptual approach and I thought that a windswept tree would be an original way of expressing revolution and change. I have an entire collection of books I have done about Canada and each time I start a new one I always try to find an original way to use our national symbols. The tree used in this case is in fact a maple tree.
Push!
The Struggle for Midwifery in Ontario
Ivy Lynn Bourgeault
The author wanted to use an image of a pregnant woman. I went completely in the other direction with a type only cover with a twist. Needless to say the author hated it at first and really needed a lot of convincing.
Ivy Lynn Bourgeault
The author wanted to use an image of a pregnant woman. I went completely in the other direction with a type only cover with a twist. Needless to say the author hated it at first and really needed a lot of convincing.
The Politics of Postal Transformation
Robert M. Campbell
This is one of those books that could easily have a had a very straightforward cover - image of a modern postal facility with type superimposed. I included an enlargement of the stamp to show that the figure is looking from left to right. I can’t believe I got away with such small type.
This is one of those books that could easily have a had a very straightforward cover - image of a modern postal facility with type superimposed. I included an enlargement of the stamp to show that the figure is looking from left to right. I can’t believe I got away with such small type.
The Silver Palace Restaurant
Mark Abley
This is a recent poetry book cover. The cover has matte lamination with a spot gloss varnish on the melting butter.
This is a recent poetry book cover. The cover has matte lamination with a spot gloss varnish on the melting butter.
What’s Wrong with Children’s Rights
Martin Guggenheim
From the back cover: “He Challenges the conventional views of children’s rights advocates, arguing persuasively that children may be better off without (some kinds of) rights and that legal disputes about children’s welfare are often driven by the interests of adults.” That’s my daughter up there. The actual stilts end about 8 inches below her feet. I added the rest in photoshop.
From the back cover: “He Challenges the conventional views of children’s rights advocates, arguing persuasively that children may be better off without (some kinds of) rights and that legal disputes about children’s welfare are often driven by the interests of adults.” That’s my daughter up there. The actual stilts end about 8 inches below her feet. I added the rest in photoshop.
Ghosting
Jennie Erdal
This is a story about a ghost writer. From the back cover: “... she was also secretly writing her boss’s love letters, hundreds of newspaper columns and two well reviewed novels.” The shadow of the hand forms a man’s face.
This is a story about a ghost writer. From the back cover: “... she was also secretly writing her boss’s love letters, hundreds of newspaper columns and two well reviewed novels.” The shadow of the hand forms a man’s face.
Dr. Delicious
Robert Lecker
With a title like this and the fact that the book deals with the author's lifelong love of Canadian literature this seemed like the way to go with this one. The sketch version of this is on my website but the printed cover came out much better.
With a title like this and the fact that the book deals with the author's lifelong love of Canadian literature this seemed like the way to go with this one. The sketch version of this is on my website but the printed cover came out much better.
The Rent Collector
Glen Rotchin
This is actually my wallet which has achieved a certain degree of notoriety over the years. It was sitting beside my computer when I was working on a concept for this cover and I couldn't resist. This is an example of a cover that met with a fair degree of initial resistance and probably would have been rejected if not for the support of the publisher. The only change I had to make to the image was adding a cheque in one of the folds. I no longer have this wallet. It literally exploded one day - no one was hurt.
This is actually my wallet which has achieved a certain degree of notoriety over the years. It was sitting beside my computer when I was working on a concept for this cover and I couldn't resist. This is an example of a cover that met with a fair degree of initial resistance and probably would have been rejected if not for the support of the publisher. The only change I had to make to the image was adding a cheque in one of the folds. I no longer have this wallet. It literally exploded one day - no one was hurt.
Learning to Look
Lesley D. Clement
In this work of literary criticism the author traces the evolution of Mavis Gallant’s visually evocative style through five decades of her short fictional works. The author contends that “Gallant envisages and renders her fictional world with the techniques analogous to those of visual artists”.
In this work of literary criticism the author traces the evolution of Mavis Gallant’s visually evocative style through five decades of her short fictional works. The author contends that “Gallant envisages and renders her fictional world with the techniques analogous to those of visual artists”.
X,Y and Z
Karen Rivers
This was my first foray into young adult fiction. The mandate was to provide a new and contemporary look for this category. Each book in the series is about a young person with super human powers. X can fly, Y is invisible and Z can read thoughts.
My favorite part of doing this series is the spine treatment. When the spines of all three books are put together, XYZ can be seen in the background.
This was my first foray into young adult fiction. The mandate was to provide a new and contemporary look for this category. Each book in the series is about a young person with super human powers. X can fly, Y is invisible and Z can read thoughts.
My favorite part of doing this series is the spine treatment. When the spines of all three books are put together, XYZ can be seen in the background.
Bamboo Church
Ricardo Sternberg
A bamboo church is a birdcage. Ricardo Sternberg is a poet who was born in Brazil and now resides in Canada. “Ricardo Sternberg’s poems dance the steps of an earthy muse, traveling from south to north.” The bird on the cover is in a cage but also in a jungle. This seemed like a fitting visual metaphor for the poet’s life and also his poetry. I got so excited about using a dye cut in this way that I was even willing to forgo my cover fee which wasn't necessary in the end.
A bamboo church is a birdcage. Ricardo Sternberg is a poet who was born in Brazil and now resides in Canada. “Ricardo Sternberg’s poems dance the steps of an earthy muse, traveling from south to north.” The bird on the cover is in a cage but also in a jungle. This seemed like a fitting visual metaphor for the poet’s life and also his poetry. I got so excited about using a dye cut in this way that I was even willing to forgo my cover fee which wasn't necessary in the end.
Sedaris
Kevin Kopelson
This is the printed cover. The only stipulation was that concept had to feature a cigarette prominently.
This was another option that came in a close second.
This is the printed cover. The only stipulation was that concept had to feature a cigarette prominently.
This was another option that came in a close second.
Can I Have a Word With You?
Howard Richler
This is a book that moves through the alphabet from A to Z singling out words that may look innocuous but contain treasures of hidden meanings. Kudos to the publisher for going with a risky concept.
This is a book that moves through the alphabet from A to Z singling out words that may look innocuous but contain treasures of hidden meanings. Kudos to the publisher for going with a risky concept.
Sprawling Places
David Kolb
The author contends that the suburbs and communities away from urban centers are actually more complex than you would think. They are blossoming centers of human activity. From the back cover: "Kolb agrees there is a lot not to like about many contemporary places, but to write them off simply as commodified “nonplaces” does not treat them critically. Ultimately, Kolb believes that human activity within a place is what defines it."
The author contends that the suburbs and communities away from urban centers are actually more complex than you would think. They are blossoming centers of human activity. From the back cover: "Kolb agrees there is a lot not to like about many contemporary places, but to write them off simply as commodified “nonplaces” does not treat them critically. Ultimately, Kolb believes that human activity within a place is what defines it."
The (Un)Making of the Modern Family
Daniel Dagenais
This is a book about non-traditional families. I had done another cover a couple of years ago on a similar subject. The challenge was to find an image that shows where families come together without defining what type of family it is. The collection of toothbrushes did that and so does the cutlery drawer which can be found in every kitchen.
This is a book about non-traditional families. I had done another cover a couple of years ago on a similar subject. The challenge was to find an image that shows where families come together without defining what type of family it is. The collection of toothbrushes did that and so does the cutlery drawer which can be found in every kitchen.
The Art of Living Series
This is a project I am working on now. “The Art of Living” invites philosophers to write for a popular readership on aspects of contemporary life that interest them. There will be 10 titles in the series: sport, fame, sex, clothes, illness, work, wellbeing, pets, hunger and deception. Here are the first four.
Pardon Our Monsters
Andrew Hood
Quoting from the back cover: These unapologetic stories deal with an assortment of foolish self-destructive small town anti-heroes. They are unlikely odes and elegies for human shabbiness.
Another novel in the same fiction series. As technology erases the lines between reality and virtual reality, a boy nicknamed Garbage Head develops the ability to say what those on TV and radio will say before they say it.
Quoting from the back cover: These unapologetic stories deal with an assortment of foolish self-destructive small town anti-heroes. They are unlikely odes and elegies for human shabbiness.
Another novel in the same fiction series. As technology erases the lines between reality and virtual reality, a boy nicknamed Garbage Head develops the ability to say what those on TV and radio will say before they say it.
After Auschwitz
Herman Gruenwald
This was a case where the author had come up with a sketch on his own that he wanted to use for cover art. The visual metaphor of a single shaft of wheat figured prominently in his story of surviving Auschwitz and his life after the war.
I felt the same idea could be expressed in a more sophisticated and poignant manner and in the end, after a fair amount of convincing, he accepted my version. His tattoo number was moved from the front cover to the back.
This was a case where the author had come up with a sketch on his own that he wanted to use for cover art. The visual metaphor of a single shaft of wheat figured prominently in his story of surviving Auschwitz and his life after the war.
I felt the same idea could be expressed in a more sophisticated and poignant manner and in the end, after a fair amount of convincing, he accepted my version. His tattoo number was moved from the front cover to the back.
Making Witches
Newfoundland Traditions of Spells and Counterspells
Barbara Rieti
This is another one for the salon des refusés. I rearranged the icebergs – a common sight off the Newfoundland coast – to form the letter W but nobody got it.
This is the approved cover which shows two crows on a rock. This makes reference to “the Rock” which is what Newfoundland is often called in Canada.
Barbara Rieti
This is another one for the salon des refusés. I rearranged the icebergs – a common sight off the Newfoundland coast – to form the letter W but nobody got it.
This is the approved cover which shows two crows on a rock. This makes reference to “the Rock” which is what Newfoundland is often called in Canada.
Digitizing Race
lisa Nakamura
This was one of the options I really liked for this cover but in the end it wasn't chosen.
This is the printed cover.
This was one of the options I really liked for this cover but in the end it wasn't chosen.
This is the printed cover.
Ox
Christopher Patton
For this poetry book cover the poet was adamant he didn't want an ox on the cover which I could totally understand. No ox, just the evidence of it passing through.
For this poetry book cover the poet was adamant he didn't want an ox on the cover which I could totally understand. No ox, just the evidence of it passing through.
Wet Apples, White Blood
Naomi Guttman
Another recent poetry cover. From the back cover copy: “In Wet Apples, White Blood, Naomi Guttman offers glimpses into the ambivalences and pleasures of breastfeeding mothers and wet nurses.”
Her blue robe opened
for his lips
and in jealous
gulps he drank
like any other.
The descending drop has a spot UV gloss varnish.
Another recent poetry cover. From the back cover copy: “In Wet Apples, White Blood, Naomi Guttman offers glimpses into the ambivalences and pleasures of breastfeeding mothers and wet nurses.”
Her blue robe opened
for his lips
and in jealous
gulps he drank
like any other.
The descending drop has a spot UV gloss varnish.
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