20 Book Cover Design Ideas You Should Try

“I wish the best book cover examples were gathered in one place so that I could get inspired without any fuss and searching.” Say no more!

In this blog post, we have collected 20 ideas for any genre, taste, and preferences. Hurry up to dive in and get inspired before ordering your cover design.

Idea #1. Intriguing silhouettes

Silhouettes are about intriguing moods and mystical atmospheres. They encourage readers to dive into the story faster to unravel all the secrets behind the book cover. In addition, silhouettes allow the audience to imagine the characters how they want without imposing specific images. This idea suits thrillers, mystery, and fantasy.


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Idea #2. Fascinating double exposure

The book covers with double exposure create immersive and magnetizing scenes. This design technique allows you to show the challenges and obstacles the main character faces. It also lets you include more details, but at the same time, the cover looks interesting and not busy. Double exposure matches any genre.


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Idea #3. Bright vector illustration

Vivid hues, bold typography, and appealing characters catch the readers’ eye at a glance. This idea works great for contemporary romance and romantic comedies. It instantly evokes a light mood and gives off love vibes.


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Idea #4. Color accents

Book covers with muted backgrounds and colorful accents blend sophistication and vibrancy. The gloomy and dark backdrop sets the overall story mood, while the pops of color add energy and intrigue, making the cover visually captivating and memorable. This trick is suitable for mystery and thriller books.

Idea #5. Attention-grabbing contrasts

Cover designs with contrasts play with the interplay of light and dark colors or elements to create visual impact. They convey themes, emotions, or concepts effectively, making the book stand out on shelves or online platforms. Contrasts work for a variety of genres, from fantasy to detective stories.


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Idea #6. Stylized typography

A book title in an unusual typographic style immediately catches readers’ eye. Instead of using a font, you can use thematic images to spell out the word. You can also replace certain letters with symbolic objects, reinforcing the book’s hidden meanings. Thus, stylized fonts are great options for mystery, thrillers, or even fantasy.


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Idea #7. Hinting minimalist

Sometimes, a few pictures or complicated scenes are enough to intrigue potential readers. One symbolic element is enough to convey the idea of the book subtly. Such minimalist covers are an excellent option for many genres, including poetry collections.


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Idea #8. Strong focal point

Eye-catching focal points effectively capture attention by featuring prominent elements that draw the viewer in. This technique is often seen in the fantasy genre. These focal points include captivating characters, magical symbols, and fantastical landscapes. This way, the cover communicates the essence of the story and entices readers with its intriguing imagery.


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Idea #9. Voluminous details

3D elements evoke an irresistible desire to take a book into your hands and touch the cover. So, they make designs really attention-grabbing. Voluminous details also create a connection between fiction and the real world, motivating the audience to read the story. The book covers with 3D elements match different genres.


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Idea #10. Non-standard text layout

Arranging text elements in a non-standard and original way enhances the immersive nature of the scene, attracts readers’ attention, and creates a more interesting composition. Words can be intertwined with other visual details or placed randomly, adding a dynamic effect.


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Idea #11. Abstract visuals

The book covers employ unconventional shapes, patterns, or designs to create a sense of intrigue and mystery. They include symbolic or suggestive imagery instead of literal representations, igniting curiosity and allowing for personal interpretation. Abstract designs work great for poetry, art, fantasy, and other books.


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Idea #12. Upside-down composition

This unconventional approach grabs attention and creates a sense of intrigue. By flipping the composition, the design challenges perceptions and invites readers to explore the book’s content with a fresh perspective. This unique design choice can be effective for stories exploring themes of inversion, transformation, or alternative viewpoints.


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Idea #13. Two scenes

A book cover design that showcases dual imagery is an engaging approach to highlighting the multifaceted nature of a story. The primary scene might showcase an emotional or action-packed moment, while the secondary scene could provide context or contrast. This design technique fits books about people’s relationships, like romance or drama.


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Idea #14. Meta elements

This kind of cover design incorporates meta elements that serve as portals into fictional worlds. It can be an image of an open book, door, window, or other passageways, suggesting that reading is a literal journey into another universe.


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Idea #15. Set of objects

The covers, adorned with thematic objects, offer a visual summary of the book’s content. They can intrigue readers by providing clues about the story’s themes and atmosphere. These items are often carefully selected to represent key elements of the story, character details, or the setting. Such designs are perfect for fantasy or adventure books.


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Idea #16. Ornate patterns

Intricate designs can give a book a timeless and luxurious feel. They promise the reading experience to come, offering a visual prelude to the story that awaits within the pages. Ornate patterns often appeal to readers who appreciate beauty and detail in art and writing.


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Idea #17. Floral motifs

They can hint at a connection to nature, growth, and sometimes romance or mystery. These designs are common in genres like literary fiction, romance, and cozy mysteries. Simple yet elegant, floral book covers appeal to readers looking for stories with depth and a touch of beauty.


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Idea #18. Shining, sparkling, and glowing

Such designs often suggest miracles, wonder, magic, and fantasy. The use of light effects can also imply a sense of hope, discovery, or the uncovering of secrets. Bright and captivating, these book covers appeal to readers seeking thrilling and enchanting tales.


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Idea #19. Impressive character

Images of characters can create an immediate emotional connection and pique interest in the hero’s journey. Such covers are straightforward yet powerful, often indicating the book’s genre and the character’s significance within the narrative. These book covers match a lot genres, from fantasy to science fiction.


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Idea #20. Eye-catching color blends

This trick involves using vibrant hues and gradients to create eye-catching designs. Depending on the colors chosen, these covers can convey a book’s mood, from joyful and lively to mysterious and intense. Bright, colorful covers often attract readers looking for dynamic, spirited stories.


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Summing up

We hope you have enjoyed this collection of 20 book cover design ideas, which prove the power of visual creativity in capturing a reader’s interest. From the intrigue of silhouettes to the magic of meta elements and the elegance of ornate patterns, each design approach offers a unique way to communicate the essence of a story.

What idea did you enjoy the most? Share your thoughts in the comments.

20 Book Cover Design Ideas You Should Try - GetCovers (2024)