Don't Judge a Book by its Cover - Book Cover Design
Lesson Date: July 09, 2023
Duration: 1.5 hours
Lesson by: Annette
Assigned Teachers: Suren, Piyumika, Tharshika, Ruwanmalee, Moneli (shadowing)
Today we will create a book cover for a very famous book "the little Prince "by Antoine de Saint Exupery
Story Summary for Volunteers only:
You will need:
paper, colors (felt pen, water color, any pen/type of colors can be used)Lesson
Lesson:
1. Introduction (5 minutes)
Introduction of the topic of book cover design.
Explain the expression and the importance of “not judging a book by its cover”
and how illustrations can help tell a story.
Encourage the kids to let their ideas and imagination flow
2. Visualization and Observation (15 minutes)
Ask kids about their favorite books and why they love that particular book the
most.
Do they all remember the book cover as well?
What are the elements of their favorite books they remember and why?
What is important when designing a book cover?
3. Making and Problem Solving (45 minutes)
Now kids will listen to the story of “The Little Prince”, a famous book by Antoine
de Saint-Exupéry
Instruct the kids to design their own book cover for the story they just listened to.
Encourage kids to all do their own cover of the book, as everyone imagines and
remembers different key elements
Based on the essence of the story, kids should draw key characters, key points, imagine the setting of the story, the mood of the story and the colors associated with it, lastly, text compliments the book cover
Think carefully about the composition of the book cover
4. Community Building (15 minutes)
Invite the students to share their book covers with the class, appreciating their unique perspectives and creative expressions, and let each of them explain their artwork ideas
5. Conclusion and Reflection ( 10 minutes)
What have the kids learned from the story? What makes this book so unique? what are the key takeaways for us?
Examples of famous book covers
Outstanding book cover design entails the following:
Here are some key elements that contribute to the success of a book cover design:
1. Visual Impact: A compelling book cover should grab attention and create a strong visual impact. It should be visually striking, eye-catching, and capable of standing out among other books on a shelf or in a digital marketplace.
2. Conceptual Coherence: The book cover design should effectively communicate the essence of the book's content, genre, or theme. It should reflect the tone, mood, or central idea of the story, creating a visual representation that resonates with potential readers.
3. Clear Typography: Typography plays a crucial role in book cover design. The choice of font, its size, style, and placement should be legible, appropriate, and complement the overall design. The typography should be easily readable and enhance the visual impact of the cover.
4. Engaging Imagery or Illustration: The imagery or illustration on the book cover should be captivating, relevant, and intriguing. It should create curiosity and entice readers to explore the book further. The use of imagery should align with the genre and target audience of the book.
5. Skillful Composition: A well-composed book cover design considers the placement and arrangement of elements such as title, author's name, artwork, and other visual elements. The composition should be balanced, visually pleasing, and guide the viewer's eye across the cover seamlessly.
6. Color Palette: The choice of colors plays a significant role in creating the desired impact. The color palette should be carefully selected to evoke the appropriate emotions, convey the genre or theme, and ensure harmony within the overall design.
7. Originality and Uniqueness: An outstanding book cover design should be distinctive and avoid clichés or generic elements commonly associated with the genre. It should offer a fresh and unique perspective that captures the interest of potential readers.