The Importance of Color

Jimmy
Thomas

The question of hiring a professional cover artist or making your book cover yourself, is a topic I am very passionate about. Whether you are an amazing writer or not, it is your book's cover that will be the bookshelf-browser's attention-grabber, not the words hidden inside craving to be read. Your cover forms the reader's first impression of the book's content and your writing style. It should attract attention and leave your viewers wanting more. The back cover content then needs to assure the reader that the book is worth their investment of time and money.

The following information is not to help authors make their own covers, but to inform you of what you may want to be aware of when discussing your cover art with your cover artist...

The publishing industry relies on visual stimuli to sell books.  Your book needs a cover that tells at a glance what it is about.  Think of your cover like a billboard, trying to catch the attention of viewers as they pass by. Don't fall into the trap of loading your cover with too many elements, three or four photos should be the max. The overall design should instantly portray the genre of your book, and it should be kept simple, yet visually descriptive.

The difference between an average cover and an exceptional cover lies in the balance of the overall layout; the placement of text in relation to the images or artwork, the psychological effect of the colors, and the balance between the theme and design. Books from newer authors require an especially attractive cover.  They must rely on their book's good looks, rather than name recognition, to attract readers.

As for the cover design itself, using the background is most effective. Avoid white backgrounds; they will disappear on website retailer's white screens. Use a color, a texture, or a background illustration instead. Be sure your title is large enough so that at thumbnail size it can be easily read. The font should also be easy to read when at thumbnail size, since this is the size your potential customers will see first. Lastly, stick with just a few colors. Most colors carry both positive and negative implications. They can greatly impact buyers and influence their feelings about products. With that in mind, when making decisions about your cover design, consider the psychological responses that each color evokes.

Traditionally "warm colors" in the spectrum, including red, orange and yellow, are high-arousal colors that cause feelings of warmth and stimulate the senses. These shades tend to appear closer to the viewer and can attract attention from across a room. "Cool colors" of the spectrum, including blue, green and purple, are low-arousal colors and may evoke feelings of relaxation, calmness and tranquility.

Red -
The color of extremes. The second most popular color in the world, it is a symbol of  strength and energy, and is associated with feelings of excitement, passion and love.  It can be seductive, or erotic.  Aside from the light and dark shades of red, there are two types of red; Tomato Red and Berry Red. “Tomato” reds are yellow-based reds, while the blue-based hues are called "berry reds." It is believed that males are more attracted to tomato, females more to the berry reds. The other side of using the color red is that is can evoke aggressive feelings, suggesting anger, violence, blood, danger and adventure. Context is everything when using red. When red is placed on a black background, it glows with fire.  On a white background red appears somewhat duller, and in contrast with orange, red appears lifeless. Regardless of how it is used in a design, a little bit of red goes a long way, as it captures attention. It is one of the most visible colors, second only to yellow.


Blue -
Calmness, decisiveness, coolness, distance and reserved elegance.  Most blues convey a sense of trust, loyalty and understanding. Dark blue implies trust, dignity, intelligence and authority. Bright blue evokes cleanliness, strength, dependability and coolness. Light (sky) blue connotes peace, serenity, ethereal, spiritual and infinity. Although blue is the favorite color of most people, in its negative mode, we  think of the "blues".  The implication can be one of sadness, passivity, alienation, or depression. Blue can be over-used and may wind up a design cliché if used alone, so combining blue with another color creates a more creative effect.

Purple -
Creativity, inspiration, healing, fantasy, playfulness, impulsiveness, dignity, royalty and dream states. Purple was used primarily for garments of the emperors or privileged individuals. It symbolizes nobility and luxury to people in most of the world, and is associated more with supernatural energy and the cosmos than with the physical world as we know it. It symbolizes spirituality, mystery and magic . Light purples are light-hearted, floral, and romantic. The dark shades are more intellectual and dignified. The negative meanings of purple can suggest nightmares, madness, decadence, conceit and pomposity. Most young people view purple as a happy color, and is a symbolic color for the gay community in many Western cultures. Light purple is a good choice for a feminine design as it evokes romantic and nostalgic feelings, while dark purple evokes gloom and sad feelings.

Yellow -
The color of wisdom and quest for knowledge, optimistic, upbeat and modern.  Symbolic of  happiness, enlightenment, creativity, sunshine, warmth and spring. The energy of yellow can become overwhelming, though, because it is the most luminous of all the colors in the spectrum and captures our attention more than any other color, as the human eye processes yellow first. The dark side of yellow is perceived as cowardice, betrayal, egoism, madness, caution and physical illness, and excessive use of bright yellow can irritate the eyes.

Orange -
Confidant, vibrant, engaging, well-being, approachability, energy, vitality, cheer, excitement, adventure, warmth, fruity and good health. The negative side implies a lack of discrimination or quality, abrasiveness and crassness. People either love the color orange or hate it. Darker oranges offer a sense of comfort; some are spicy, some are earthy. Lighter oranges are soothing and healthy. The complementary color scheme of orange and blue is dynamic.  The triad color scheme of orange, green, and purple is exceptional.

Green -
Balance, life, stability, restfulness, naturalness, growth, rebirth, fertility, grounding and connection to nature.  In certain contexts (such as green skin) it might instead suggest decay (fungus, mold), toxicity or artificiality. There are more shades of green than of any other color.

Black -
Evil, depressing, scary, the color of mourning or death, black is often used to create negative imagery.  As black is a very powerful color, it can also portray an image of class, elegance and wealth. Black is a color that can fit into almost every design to add contrast, type, and make the other colors stand out more, as black combined with other colors makes a very strong statement.

White -
Symbolic of purity, cleanliness, safety, perfection, light, fresh, positive, goodness, innocence, virginity and marriage .

If you've grabbed a reader's attention with your front cover by effectively using color, they will most likely read the back cover blurb for more details. The brief plot synopsis on the back cover is the best opportunity for an author to convince buyers to make the purchase, or “seal the deal” so to speak.  It too deserves careful thought and attention. Try to keep it simple; just enough information to intrigue the reader and make them want to read more.
 

 

Having worked as a personal trainer, writer and architect (where he continues as a part-time consultant), Jimmy has found his niche in the romance novel industry. Gracing the pages of over 3000 (and rising) novel covers, Jimmy now owns and operates the hugely successful stock image website, www.RomanceNovelCovers.com. He is also the founder and owner/operator of the innovative new community website, www.RomanceNovelCenter.com and is currently developing the third of this trifecta, www.RomanceNovelStore.com. Jimmy is also a popular trainer, host, and speaker on branding, marketing, networking and cover art.