Norwegian Wood Research into Previous Winners - Penguin Books - Competition Brief

In 2018 the winner of the Adult Fiction prize was by Raemarie Lee with their simplistic Animal Farm cover. The second place entry was similarly simple, by Louis Hartley, showing the symbol for inequality.

Explanation of Work - 1st Place 2019

'This minimalist, flat design references the book without overtly showing the image of a pig or communist elements. I employed basic shapes to create a symbol which, in the context of Animal Farm, is clearly recognizable as a reference to the story’s central characters. The ‘snout’ is set against a sombre, stone-like texture that calls to mind the brutalist style often associated with communist architecture.'

This conveys something essential to consider. It is clear that the judges will have encountered many entries that show obvious imagery related to pigs and the animals of the farm. Whereas this 'stripped back' approach becomes far more striking and affecting. I should think about how a bold symbol can convey a lot more than a detailed design.

Raemarie Lee, Kingston University, 1st Place

Explanation of Work - 2nd Place 2019

'For my design I chose to focus on the primary theme within the book and really boil it down to the primary interaction between characters: inequality. Every action within the book boils down to this word, this theme. I chose the red to grab attention, but also to show that this is a story with a lot of intense themes.'

This again confirms the success of a symbolic cover design, especially something which is quite clever and highly related to the themes of the story. Something as simple as this conveys a lot and can be clearly recognisable in a bookshop. It is also something that classic readers may want to repurchase for it's contemporary approach.

Louis Hartley, Northumbria University, 2nd Place

Explanation of Work - 1st Place 2016

This cover also conveys the power of simplicity. With a high focus on type, this is exactly what the Penguin brief suggests they look for. The idea uses the types of slang used throughout the book which is something only people reading the book would fully understand. This shows the importance of creating a cover which makes readers feel good for understanding - of course the cover also can't be so complex and symbolic so that very few understand. This is a very experimental idea and it should also be noted that this is something the judges look for - especially in relation to the style of writing.

Zack Crook, University of Central Lancashire, 1st Place 2016

Explanation of Work - 1st Place 2017

Finally this work shows more of an illustrative approach, which the judges sometimes take to. The hand written type creates a gritty, effecting style of design. The colours black and yellow are alarming and immediately grab attention. The books themes are similar, tackling issues of race and suicide - thus needing something quite harsh. The lines on the hand also relate to an element of the story, showing some meaningful relationship with the content. It is interesting that in the 2018 competition, the winner's image is so simple it doesn't entirely relate to any theme - this is something I will need to consider.

Madalyn Farley, Kingston University