When I design the cover for a book I like to read the book first, this is not always possible, but it is important to talk at length with the author and get the feeling and meaning of the book. The next step is researching the book to find related information about the topic or genre. Taking that information into account, I find it important to brainstorm. I like to get away from the computer and sketch out ideas on paper. One great exercise is to take a page full of blank thumbnails and quickly sketch out different ideas. It’s a fun way to find connections and meanings and develop a relationship between the book and the cover.

To make it easier for myself, I’ve created few pages of blank thumbnails that I use when I work on book jackets, and I’d like to share them with you. Included on the PDF are thumbnails for hard cover, paperbacks and for fun I threw in a tri-fold brochure. Download them, print them and brainstorm away! Please use them and pass them along if you found them useful.

Click here to download

Don’t for get to check out my portfolio and see some book jackets I’ve designed.