Colours & Shapes on a Cover

Use of Color in Your Cover Design

Much has been written on the use of color in marketing, and how the proper use of color in your cover design results in increased sales. For example, since blue is widely regarded to be the color of trust, a self-help book would benefit from the use of blue on its cover. If your book is to be marketed specifically to women, purple may be a consideration as this is the second most popular color among women (it is not popular at all among men). The following is a summary of the most popular colors, and what they represent:

• White - Cleanliness, simplicity, and peace
• Black - Power and formality, but can also be associated with death
• Blue - Trust, sincerity, and tranquility
• Red - Energy, passion, and danger
• Purple - Royalty, creativity, and extravagance
• Green - Growth, harmony, environment, and safety
• Yellow - Joy, warmth, and energy
• Orange - Happiness, creativity, and success

Use of Shapes in Your Design

As with color, the use of shapes can play an important role in the making of an effective cover design. The use of squares or rectangle convey order, stability, and trust, while circles convey an idea of completeness. Men strongly prefer the use of squares and rectangles, while women tend to prefer the use of circles and ovals.