Books Covered by Tobias

Group Thinkery is up and running

Spurred on by the original post on this site, Group Think, I've started a community blog for book designers. Group Thinkery. You can read more about it here.

We Love Books Book

Earlier this winter, as I've noted before, four of my covers were included in a book exhibition in Paris which featured designers from all over the world. Today I received my copy of the show's book in the mail. A few thoughts:

First, this was a huge honor. Out of the seven  US designers, I am the only one from outside NY. It is a little funny to read: "États-Unis / New York" for the first six entries and then "États-Unis / Davisburg, Michigan". Not only is it a little funny, but a little daunting. I am totally grateful to the show's curator and directors for including me. To be honest, and I'm not trying to put on some false humility here, I'm not sure why I was asked to be included. The other designers included here are top-notch and for me to be listed next to them is a little embarrassing (Michael Beruit, Paul Sahre for example). And I can think of a dozen other designers who I would included before me if I wasn't me and was the curator (like Henry Sene Yee, Peter Mendelsund, Richard Ljoenes, to name just a few). But, alas, I am totally honored and grateful. I wish I would have sent in some different covers now. I wish I had a few of my newer pieces to include, but nevertheless it is what it is.

One caveat about my biography. It makes me sounds like a pompous wannabe. I am, in my own mind at least, a wannabe to some extent. But, I really don't want to sound like a pompous one. What I submitted was something along these lines: 

"...he has even had the privilege of having some of his covers show up on the New York Times bestseller list...".

 Since the book was published in France it has both the french and english translations. The latter came out this way:

"He produces 100 covers a year, particularly for the New York Times bestsellers."

Ugh. No, not particularly for the New York Times bestsellers. That's the other six US designers and the Art Directors of New York who were featured speakers and participants (Kidd, de Wilde, Gall, Carson). They design bestsellers. I am lucky when that happens. Eesh.

Nevertheless, it is inspirational to see all the great work from all over the world. Amazing, amazing stuff that I am honored to have just a small bit part in.

Cover Featured on Design:Related

Thanks to the publishers of Design:Related for featuring my cover design of A Slobbering Love Affair this week.

The publisher wanted the cover to mimic a mid-century movie poster. Original comps featured vignettes of Chris Matthews, Keith Olbermann and other media-celebs. We were careful to find a flattering photo of the president as the author's contention is that the media is swooning over him. Therefore it was important to give Obama the stature and glow of a classic Hollywood leading man.

Check Out

... Galley Cat presents yet another example of duplicate cover images.

... the inspiring packaging design of  Mily Nguyen of 3dotr. and here.

... the result of government over-regulation: children may be banned from library book rooms in Maryland. Not kidding.

... the new section on my website of rejected cover designs: File 13

Shameless Self-Promotion

I have updated my site and added some spanking-new covers.

Buzz: Because there are so many book cover blogs and so little time.

I have started a new blog which is in essence a "feed reader" for book design blogs. I found myself forgetting about certain blogs or confusing them  due to very similar names (Book Covers, Books Covered, Book Covers Anonymous, etc.). I hope that you will find Buzz to be a valuable resource.

If you have a blog you think would be a good addition, please leave a comment.

Books Covered Gets Overhaul

I am in the process of sweeping the cobwebs away from this site. I am beginning with a new, fresh clean design which I hope the readers will like. I threw away a bunch of junk and in the coming days will be streamlining my links on the right. Most importantly, the content of the site has been neglected in recent months. I hope that is where you will see the biggest improvement in the days and weeks to come.

What's New

Well, I guess fall is here. To celebrate the end of the summer we spent a few days off with the family riding roller coasters at Kings Island near Cincinnati. I spent a lot of time at this park when I was a kid and it is great to be able to relive those memories and make new ones with my own kids. (This photo is of Firehawk, a coaster I rode with my 11 year old. You ride this one lying down. It was a blast.)

I am thrilled to be working on a cover for Henry Yee at Picador and another new project for Jonathan Sainsbury at Random House. These guys are both some of the most respected art directors in the industry and it is a real honor to be working with them.

Making Lemonade

The Detroit area was hit by incredibly hard storms Sunday night and into Monday. The result: over 200,000 DTE Energy consumers are without power—including us. So, we are half-living at home. We live in the sticks and have a well and septic system which require pumps to work. So we have no "facilities". Thankfully my wife's parents live on the other side of our small town and they do have power.

Since I work at home that leaves me in a bind. No power=hard to work. But, providentially, and I do mean Providentially, last week I purchased a new MacBook Pro 17". The theory was that it would come in handy on our vacations we have planned for the summer and fall. Little did I know that I would be needing it so quickly.

So, here I sit in the Springfield Township Public Library Quiet Study Room; or STPLQSR for short. I schedule 2 hours at a time and it seems no one here in Springfield Township wants to study or study quietly at least. They have wireless access and bathrooms: definitely two plusses in my view. So here I work. Really nothing is different than working in my office except a slightly smaller screen and no food is handy, which is probably a good thing.

So, Tobias' Outerwear for Books is open for business. Maybe I can find a book cover or two here for inspiration....

My First Cover for Collins

This cover should be really nice. I think it is going to print with some great special effects as well.