OUGD503 - Penguin Student Design Award - Previous Winners

Researching into last years winning designs will allow me to identify common characteristics that the judges are looking for.

Adult Fiction Cover Award

A Clockwork Orange - Anthony Burges 

1st Place:

Zack Crook

University of Central Lancashire

'With my cover i decided to focus on the language famously used by Anthony Burgess in his novel. I picked out words from the language which I thought related to the themes in the book and illustrated this on the cover using my own typographic style which I tried to relate to the dystopian future setting of the book. I then started to pick out details in the typography, such as Alex’s face, in orange and then also the name of the book in black.'

• Crook identified theme of language from the book
• Relating it to an appropriate graphic design principle - typography
• Developed the typography so that it illustrates the 'dystopian future'
• Crook's concept can be presented so well using typography there is no need for image
• Combine themes and concerns to create a cohesive outcome

Judges’ Comments:

‘I was immediately drawn to the clever idea of using the language as the only device on the cover’ Alexandra Shulman

‘With so much symbolism and iconography attached to the story it is refreshing to see an approach that looks at the book in a different way’ Richard Bravery – Senior Designer, Penguin General Books

‘A clever and original design. It has the inside of the book on the outside.’ David Shrigley

‘So good to see a typographical solution, almost the only one submitted - I love the simple confidence of the design and typography’ Jim Stoddart – Art Director, Penguin Press

Adult Non-Fiction Cover Award

How to be a woman - Caitlin Moran 

1st Place:

Zachary Wieland
University of Texas

'Caitlin Moran is taking a pen to dated definitions of feminism that exist today and starting a new conversation about being a woman that needs to be had. I wanted this cover to reflect what the book represents as a whole, as Moran shares her fresh take on what has begun to feel like a dated and overlooked topic. This new cover pulls design elements from feminist non-fiction novels of the 1970s and 80s but looks as though Moran took her own pen to it and pulled out everything we didn't know that we needed to know about it.'

Judges’ Comments:

‘Bold, clean and refreshingly simple’ Suzanne Dean – Art Director, Vintage

‘Pure, clean and very impactful’ Jason Smith – Art Director, Cornerstone

‘Zachary has produced a very confident package which is influenced by classic design but feels cool and relevant’ Richard Ogle – Art Director, Transworld

‘I love the confidence and assertiveness of this design, it looks like it really means business’ Tracey Thorn

Children's Cover Award

Emil and the detectives - Erich Kastner

1st Place:

Ailsa Johnson
University of Edinburgh

'When thinking about the book I considered the setting of 1930s Germany and the sharp contrast between town life and the lights of Berlin. The train scene is quite tense – Emil has already been getting wound up thinking about the police and about the money in his pocket; and now he has to sit on a train, alone, and make sure nothing happens, all while worrying about Berlin. I wanted to use this scene because it’s where the story really kicks off, but it doesn’t give much away to the reader, either.'

• Identifying a specific event in the story helped to create an engaging concept
• The illustrative style is relevant for a young audience

‘This design has everything, which is why it won! Great typography, very strong and clear design and evocative imagery. It manages to capture the era of the book while still looking very contemporary and having huge appeal for the target audience. The cover wittily conveys the adventure ahead, drawing the reader in wonderfully. The design on the reverse is just as compelling as the front cover. Great attention to detail ’ Sophy Henn

‘The design conveys a real sense of story, inviting us into the book – making us want to find out what’s going on. Very clever and very funny. Beautifully designed, this would attract attention on the bookshop shelves. I’ve never seen a cover that looks like this before’ Anthony Browne

‘What fantastic storytelling in the design! I loved this cover, really accomplished composition, humorous touches and attention to detail. Definitely our winner!’ Francesca Dow – Managing Director, Penguin Random House UK Children’s

‘Our stand-out winner – a very accomplished illustration, with fabulous detail, combined with great design’ Anna Billson – Art Director, Penguin Random House UK Children’s

• The judges are considering target audience
• Attention to detail
• Front and back are consistent

From this research I have identified that the successful designs consider themes and concerns touched upon in the publication. A lot of the judges praise simplistic and clean compositions that are relevant for the context of the book. I noticed that a lot of the feedback for the children's cover award is more emotive due to the use of exclamation marks and adjectives such as 'fantastic' and 'great' which suggests the judges for children publications are looking for something friendly and expressive.