MAKING THE BOOKCOVER CARTOONS
Requirements of Bookcover Designs.
Modern bookcover designs do not follow closely the styles of the ancient
historical bookcovers, owing to the great change in the methods of manufacture. It is necessary, however, that
the designer should be familiar with the historical styles in order that he may introduce a historical character
into his modern work when the circumstances require it. In submitting a bookcover design to a publisher, there
are three things that will determine its practical value: First, its originality; second, the expense of its
reproduction; third, its technical perfection.
If the design is not original and attractive, it has no value whatever, no matter how cheap its reproduction may
be or how perfect the drawing. If the design be excellent in character, it may be so expensive in reproduction
that the excellence of the design is entirely counteracted, for there are limits in every case to the expenditure
that can be afforded in the reproduction of even the most attractive covers. A design may be original, simple,
and inexpensive to reproduce, yet utterly worthless, owing to the fact that the designer has not properly
considered the technical limitations that are concerned in its reproduction.
Occasionally an author may select a design, and, being unfamiliar with the difficulties to be encountered in its
execution on the finished book, may overlook some of the foregoing details, but his publisher is sure to discourage
its use; and though the design may have been ordered and paid for, its impracticability will prevent the
author from again employing the same designer. Such a design, therefore, does the designer more harm than good.
Knowledge of Reproductive Processes Necessary.
While the originality of a design and the skill of its
execution are of great importance in assuring its acceptance, it is necessary that the drawing be technically
correct in every detail and that it can be used by the publisher without the slightest alteration to suit it
to commercial requirements. The prospective bookcover designer must therefore give careful attention to the
commercial requirements and limitations in the reproduction of modern bookcover designs, and he must be
practically familiar with every detail of the processes that a design passes through, from the time the
cartoon leaves his hands until its counterpart appears on the finished book.
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