At this point, it’s obvious that most design relies on a collection of principles. Rare is it that we find a book cover that leans heavily enough into one that it’s void of the others. However, this week we’re going to focus on a principle that is only possible because of other Elements and Principles of design. It’s one of the most important, and for authors, one often felt if not named: emphasis.
The human eye is a thing of marvel. It’s suggested that the retina can take in upward of 10,000,000 bits per second. However, our brains have developed sophisticated filtering that removes unnecessary data and gives us an area of focus. To test this theory, we only need to look at the nose on your face… or the lack of a nose. Without crossing your eyes, do you see it? Nope. Your brain is removing it because of its constant presence.
So how does your missing nose connect to book covers? It’s not so different from scrolling through page after page of book covers. Despite the uncanny ability of the human eye, we also have to understand that the brain filters out things that don’t catch our attention. It’s not enough to be pretty or evocative. In a sea of book covers or advertisements, yours needs to reach off the page and scream, “Look at me.”
How do we override the brain’s filtering? We emphasize.
It seems almost daunting when we think of the visual noise, or in the case of books, the brightly colored scroll of a distributor’s carousel. This lull and automated response from viewers is the doom scroll. As viewers scan the information, the brain is cataloging it (even after we’ve moved on), and suddenly there’s a thumb slammed on the screen. They stop. Up two photos, and they’re grinning from a cute meme of puppies.
We should emphasize a piece of our design that not only speaks, but will elbow its way past the humdrum of the scanning eye. This is where terms like “striking” or “eye catching” come into play. Or, if you’re daring enough, the occasional “wtf?” Bringing emphasis to the forefront requires revisiting past Elements and Principles of Design. Let’s look at a few that I think can fast track your project.
Space
Often overlooked with book covers, space is necessary for the brain to register the content. Crowded designs turn into visual noise, and if the brain can’t process what it’s seeing, it files it away as, “no idea, let’s move on.” Give breathing room to the most important element. This might be an exploding space ship, a woman wielding magic, a couple embracing, or even stellar typography. The negative space around these items gives the brain a chance to process and say, “Huh, that’s interesting.”
Contrast
Every genre has a color palette expected by the reader. While this is important to maintain expectations, if the palette is tight, contrast is necessary to make an element stand out. The background can rely on muted colors, darkened to where it becomes background noise. This allows the bright and vivid object to leap off the page. Focus on the values (light and dark) and ensure that one allows the other to shine. The technique can push an element or a group of elements forward. As the viewer scrolls, this singular thing can catch the eye long enough to become more than visual clutter.
Color
Every genre has a color palette expected by the reader. Yes, it requires repeating. However, a palette doesn’t require it to fall into the trap of looking identical to every other cover on the page. This is where I believe authors have a chance to be bold and take a risk. Think of the palette as a jumping off point, not a limitation. If the dominant colors are purple, pull in a vibrant yellow to stand out. Have deep blues in the background? A bold orange halo can thrust an object forward. I find authors fall into the trap of limiting their color palettes when it’s an opportunity to be daring (within reason.)
Proportion
A book cover isn’t a lot of space to convey the complexity of our narrations. Between title, subtitles, author name, it feels as if the composition barely has enough room to be striking. This is when authors need to make the hard choices. Who are you targeting? If it’s existing readers, you might want your name to take top billing. Does the title relay the contents enough to snatch attention? Frequently, authors try to balance their proportions, and while this might be pleasing to the eye, it doesn’t mean it’ll stop the scroll. Pick one element, make it big… no… bigger… even bigger than that. Let it dominate and adjust the other elements accordingly. Catching the eye isn’t about subtle, it’s about the oomph.
Chances are, a design already has these to varying degrees. In an age of visual clutter, subtlety can get lost. To combat the doom scroll, I’d suggest at least one principle be brought past subtle and teeter on extreme. Whether it needs the white space increased to highlight a figure or bold complementary colors or stark contrast, at least one principle needs to be visible at a glance.
To help ensure your designs are gripping the viewer, a visual audit might be in order. If you’re working on a book cover, grab a dozen covers from a similar genre. Open them all and tile them across your screen. Close your eyes and get ready to look at your screen. Open them for a fraction of a second. Ask yourself which design stood out? If it’s not yours, then it’s time to re-evaluate. Easy ways to break through? The list above.
Homework
This week’s assignment is going to include a scavenger hunt to help you get comfortable spotting emphasis out in the wild. You’ll be searching for the use of specific elements and/or principles of design. Use a collection of artwork, book covers, or adverts. You’ll need a lot of images. To complete this, you’ll need to find:
- Emphasis created by using space.
- Emphasis created by using contrast.
- Emphasis created by using color.
- Emphasis created by using proportion.