People may tell you to never judge a book by its cover, but the truth is that many of us choose books based on the cover alone. I’ve been introduced to some great books by grabbing titles that had interesting cover designs.
So how have book cover designs changed over the years? Let’s take a look.
The Middle Ages
The medieval period, also called the Middle Ages, started in the 5th century and lasted until the 15th century. During this time, parchment or animal skins were used as pages and books were hand bound. Book covers during this period were incredibly ornate, often featuring jewels, pearls, and gold.
19th Century
The emergence of machines and different kinds of manufacturing changed the book industry. People were now able to mass-produce books, which meant that both pages and covers were easier and faster to make. Many of the covers were made with cloth or leather, which led to an era of gold-stamped covers.
20th Century
Near the end of the 19th century, books began using dust jackets — an easier to produce version of the cloth covers of the past. Many people started using dust jackets as a kind of advertisement for the book. Due to the rise of technology and bold, graphic styles of art, book cover designs completely changed.
Book Covers Today
Many of the book covers we see today feature bright colors and bold fonts. However, as time goes on we see different styles emerging. If there is one thing they all have in common, its that today’s book cover designers are not afraid to think outside the box.
