Exercise: Conceptual cover design

This is a very similar exercise to the previous one. I have looked at a few of the covers and made notes:

The Honeymoon's Over - Edited by Andrea Chapin and Sally Wofford-Girand
I actually really like this cover design. It is cleverly thought out with the theme visualised into a piece of burned toast. The book is a " provocative collection of essays by prominent women writers on the turning points in their own marriages" (Amazon UK, 2015) Honeymoon is a word associated with marriage and the term Honeymoon Period is nowadays referred to not only for marriage but also for any new venture, whether it simply be a new relationship or a new job. The phrase the honeymoon is over is also thrown around in the same way now meaning that things aren't as perfect as they were initially when the relationship/job started and things aren't as brilliant once you've settled in. Everyone knows your honeymoon is meant to be bliss, however the designer has used the term as a reference to the content of the book, being about the moment the relationships turned for the worse, the same as the toast. It's meant to be browned and perfect, much like the honeymoon but now its not as great or as perfect as it should be.  A simple cover to photograph but a well thought out concept.

A General Theory of Love - by Thomas Lewis, Fari Amini and Richard Lannon
 This again is a simplistic cover design with a well thought out concept. Amazon UK (2015) summarises the story as "an original, lucid, at times moving account of the complexities of love and it's essential role in human well-being."
The designer has symbolised the story into the two chairs, representing two people. The tilted chair could be seen as a symbol of affection with it gently touching the other chair and it also gives the impression of stability, which is the heart of an relationship, with the one chair leaning on the other. This all ties in with the storyline of the book and works very well as a cover design.

Presence - by Arthur Miller
 I thought this was such a basic book cover and couldn't find this cover straight away as it appears to have many different cover designs. From what I can gather by looking at the other versions, this is a collection of stories published after Miller's death. In which case I believe this cover design is representing that fact as opposed to the actual storylines contained within. The word presence means something is there or felt without being seen. I think the figure in the photograph represents Miller himself, a silhouette in the mist, showing his presence is still felt after his death with his book being published, but he is not physically visible anymore. A very simple yet effective cover design.





References:

Amazon Uk(2015) The Honeymoon's Over:True Stories of Love, Marriage and Divorce [online] available at: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Honeymoons-Over-Stories-Marriage-Divorce-ebook/dp/B00FOTRB4A/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1427276507&sr=1-1&keywords=the+honeymoons+over+Andrea+Chapin [accessedMarch 25th 2015]

Amazon Uk (2015) A General Theory of Love (vintage) [online[ available at: http://www.amazon.co.uk/General-Theory-Love-Vintage/dp/0375709223/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1427277485&sr=1-1&keywords=A+general+theory+of+love [accessed March 25th 2015]

Amazon Uk (2015) [PRESENCE BY (AUTHOR) MILLER ARTHUR [PAPERBACK] 12-02-2008 [online] available at:http://www.amazon.co.uk/PRESENCE-AUTHOR-MILLER-PAPERBACK-12-02-2008/dp/B0079F9PLY/ref=sr_1_14?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1427277992&sr=1-14&keywords=presence+arthur+miller [accessed March 25th 2015]