Book Cover Analysis

I am going to be deconstructing this media text, which is a book cover. The book I have chosen is 'The Hobbit' written by J.R.R Tolkien. It was first published in 1937 and as since been published again many times with different covers, which most of them J.R.R Tolkien designed himslef. The one I have picked is a Collector's Edition, published to mark the 75th anniversary of his first publication. It is apparently 'one of the most influential books of our generation'. I can tell that it is a book cover as it has all the main conventions which a book cover aquires, such as ; spine, flaps either side, front cover, back cover, title, author's name etc.

First of all, I am going to talk about the overall layout. I would describe it as ordered, everything is spaced out, but there is also a lot of white space. These two observations accompany eachother, as this creates simplicity and almost makes it more spohisticated. This will encourage an older or more mature age group, which is what the author was aiming for when he wrote the book. The layout is also very centre aligned, there is evidence a grid has been used. There is also symmetrical balance between the design on the front and back cover, this means that two designs have been arranged as vertical mirrored images on both sides of an imaginary centre line. This is to create repitition within the design which creates visual consistancy for the reader, but it isn't monotonous, there are slight differences the design on the back cover, is broken up by text and institutional information. A border has been used on front, back and flaps, this creates structure it also makes the images stand out. This overall clarity look of the design, creates classicality which catches the eye of an older audience.

Secondly, typography, the same type and font has been throughout the book cover. Using only one type or font, gives a feeling of unity which creates a feeling of wholeness, it brings the whole design together. Although the same font is used everywhere, it varies in size and colour. This is to help the audience know which different parts of text are, and also what order to read it in. For example, the institutional information, which can be found on the flaps, is written in brown instead of yellow, this is to make it differ from the rest of the text, as it is much less important.  Also here it is italisised, which again makes it disparate from the rest of the text on the cover. The type of font used is serif, this is very formal and looks much more like a mature font. This font could also be associated with nature and trees. Which is fitting to the book, as the main theme is a journey outdoors. It also almost looks like tree branches, which also gives an insight to what the book is about. Also this variety of font is universally used and represents sturdiness and truthfulness as it was used so long ago. Sturdiness, because it may well have been used on temples and columns in times such as the romans. It is also a trusted type, wich is used for many things around us in the world. This could cause the audience or reader to think that the 

book is therefore trusted and a commendable book.

Next I am going to look at the hierarchy, and how it is portrayed on the book cover. Fistly on the front cover, the prime convention that the audience's eye is drawn to, is the title of the book. This is because it in a bigger text size than the author's name. Also because it is a highly saturated, vibrant colour, which has been placed on top of a dark, neutral colour. This generates it to stand out a lot more. Then the eye oves down to look at the author's name, as it has, again been written in the vivid yellow colour, but just in a slightly smaller size. The eye then looks at the yellow part of the illustration, as it contrasts against the neutral colours of grey and brown. The back is generally the same, there is larger text at the top and smaller text underneath, but are both in yellow. Then the the illustration, but part of the design that is in yellow first, then the barcode, as this is the only part of institutional information on the back, and has been made smaller, as it isn't that important to the reader. On both the flaps there is yellow txt, again, which the eye looks at first, then the rest of the institutional information, it is in brown because it is less important to the consumer, but that has a hierarchy within itself, as the author's name logo, is biggest, then the website, as the author is more important than the publishing information and ISBN number. As the website, is of more use to the reader. everything is placed in what order it is most important or has ost significance to the reader.

There is evidence a grid has been used as I said before, it creates an ordered layout, which encourages generally, a more mature audience, which is what audience the author had in mind when writing the book. It also makes it easier on the eye to look at and take in all the detail and conventions on it. Also all the text looks as if a grid has been used to place it. This would make it a lot clearer as to what order to read different parts of the text in. On both the flaps and the back cover, the text has been centre aligned. This brings out the design, especially on the back. It also creates symmetry, within the design and the white space, which again creates simplicity and classicality, for the targeted audience.  Also, a border has been used around each page, there is the same spacing and width between the border and text or illustrations. This also creates symmetry. Finally grids have been used as to place enough white spacing between instutional information and other conventions, to seperate them, to let the reader know they are different. If it looks like a grid has been used by the designer, it tells the audience, that the media product has been thoroughly thought out and gives a cohesive feel and if the items are level and not uneven, it helps the audience feel more at ease and comfortable looking at it.

I am now going to view how the images or illustrations have been rendered. The same illustrations have been repeated throughout the book cover. Silouhettes have been used to create the apperance of a woods, almost in a sunset, as the colour yellow has been used for the sky. Simple shapes have been used to create an effective illustration, where smaller drawings have been used, which are repeated all over the book. On the front and back, some of these smaller shapes, look as if they have been cut out of the image. All the images are to do with nature, woods, trees, leaves and butterflies. These all gove an insight to the reader of what the book will be about, but also at the same time, let them use their imagination. As it is an image of a woods, that is quite vague, almost mysterious in a way. Also the butterflies flying away, almost represent new beginnings. This contrasts the image of the leaves, as they are fallins which represents death or changes. Again, it gives the reader an insight into the themes of the book.  The hills are grey on the front cover, the same as the background of the rest of the book, this almost makes it feel, as if they go on forever. Also on the back cover, there are no hills or sunset, which could represent that their journey has come to a dead end and is over. The texture is brought in from the other drawings which look like dandelion seeds, as these are used for seed dispersal in real life, this could have connotations with birth and new life. The images of the butterflies are repeated on the spine and also at the top of the the flaps, this brings the design together, therefore everything looks as if it is supposed to be there and has been created for a reason. It also assures the reader that the book cover is a whole thing and is meant to be looked at as a whole. 

An accented neutral colour scheme has been used throughout the cover, this combines the neutral colours, brown and grey with one accented colour, which here, is the yellow. The neutral colours have connotations with nature and adventure. Grey is the colour that is used the most, it has connotations with being stylish and classy, which goes hand in hand with the simplicty of the design. Brown represents wholesomeness and friendship, which gives the reader ideas of the characters feelings and relationships, also siplicity which as I said before is needed for the targeted audience. Yellow has connotations sunlight and new beginnings, and as Tolkein said himself, 'the sun refers to the magic attatching the door of Bilbo's house'. It also connotes cowardice, this could tell the reader about the character traits and personalities. Also hope and optimism, which as we beleive it is a story of an adventure, that they have hard ties, where the characters are optimistic, it could also create the audience to feel hope owards the book at the same time. Finally it tells us about the weather and seasons, that the story could be set in the summer. It is also the easiest colour to see, so that the book attracts to a range of different audiences, they are also quite mature colours, which again targets the older audience. The neutral colours have quite a cool feel, whereas the yellow brings in warm feelings. The colours contrast eachother, this could represent the clashing themes or characters in the book. It is quite indecisive, whch could leave it up to the reader to have their take on it.  As I said before that nature could represent adventure, maybe the yellow could represent fire almost danger that meets the characters. Finally, the yellow is extremely eye catching, therefore draws the readers attention to the background, which looks onto the horizon. This could be a another symbol for hope and the end of the character's journey.

Not much graphics ornamentation has been used, but where it has, it really accentuates the design. Borders have been used around each page including the spine and flaps. It encourages the eye to really concentrate on the design which has been centered within the border. Also the author has a logo which has his initials incorparated together. This creates something interesting for the reader's eye to look at and also breaks up the text and white space. It is also used by the institutional information, maybe to create a less boring space, it creates some diversity for the reader. This logo has also been made to look like lettering called runes, which can be seen on the maps throughout the book and which also appears on the ring.

The institutional information is found on the flaps, all apart from the barcode which can be found on the back cover. I think this has been done to try and keep the simplicity that, makes the design. It has been placed on the flaps where there is ore white space to be utilised, but where it can still be kept uniform. On one flap the only institutional information is the price, because it has less white sace than the other flap. Also I think the price needs to be kept on its own, so it can be seen clearly, and so the reader doesn't have to be sifting through lots of other information to find it. It is right there for the reader to see, as our of all the information, i think that is the most important to the reader. Also the publishing information is all grouped together, to put it all in one place, to make it easier for the reader to find.

Overall i think that the layout and the simplicity of the book, athough to some people it may come accross as bland and boring, it actually works really well. I think this is because of the audience that it is aimed towards, a more mature audience. Therefore because of this, the book needs to have a classy feel to it. Also the colour choices are very original, despite the fact that sometimes they don't go well togther, they contrast eachother really well. It gives the book a unique feel to it, also gives the reader a relevant insight into what the book is about. The connotations of these colours have extremely applicable representations of the themes and characters in the book. I think the illustrations are well designed, beacause the lack of detail accompanies the simplicity again and really reaches out to the target audience. I think that the colours and plainess of the book cover, creates an old feeling towards it, as book were found to be extremely plain, centuries ago. This gives it a an exhausted and matured look which gives it a majestic and noble feel. The drawings are again very interesting and exclusive to the genre and themes of the story. Finally, I think the type chosen, brings all of these ideas together and really brings out the themes and ideas included in the book. It also makes it appeal to the target audience of more mature buyers, as that was what was intended by the author when he wrote it. Although it is famous for being children's literature, I think that is trying to be aimed more at older children and adults.