Need help with the cover design for your book, booklet, workbook, catalog, magazine, or other multi-page document? We can help with cover design!
We’ve all heard the saying, “Don’t judge a book by its cover.” But in actuality, most books are judged by their covers, so it’s critical to have a a well designed cover that attracts potential readers.
For just $100, we can design a custom book cover design based on your specifications. Send us the text and graphics you want on the cover, along with a brief write-up of your document’s contents. Our team of designers will then design a custom cover with proper bleeds and a spine.
You’ll receive a PDF proof of the cover. If you’re not totally delighted with the design, don’t worry! You get two free rounds of changes. After that, changes are only $25 per round.
If you want us to design your cover, simply select Cover Design in the additional options section of our calculators. Once you submit your order, your customer service rep will reach out for the following information:
If there is something specific you want for your cover design, be sure to let us know. Maybe you want the title in a specific font. Or you’re really looking for a certain kind of picture. Or you really hate a certain color. Whatever it is, be sure to let us know so we can incorporate your preferences in the cover design.
Once we have all the information, our designers will start working on your cover design. You will receive a PDF proof of the cover in 3 to 4 business days.
The $100 cover design charge includes two free rounds of changes to the design. If you still need changes after two rounds, additional changes are only $25 per round. Our ultimate goal is to make sure that you are 100% satisfied with your cover design.
In addition to perfect bound covers, we can also design covers for plastic coil, saddle stitch, and wire-o covers. There is no spine for these three options, but we will still design the front and back cover with bleeds.
Once you approve your cover design, we can move on to printing your book. Rest assured that the cover belongs to you. We will send you high resolution PDF files with bleeds for you to keep.
If you are designing your own cover, keep these tips in mind:
Make sure your spine size is accurate. The spine width will depend on the number of pages in your book and the type of paper you are using. Here’s how to calculate the spine size:
For 60# uncoated text, 70# matte and gloss text stock, and 80# matte and gloss text stock:
Number of pages divided by 440 = spine in inches
For 70# uncoated text and 100# matte and gloss text stock
Number of pages divided by 370 = spine in inches
Any text on the spine should be centered and have .05 inches of blank space on the top and bottom. If the text is the same width as the spine, there is a chance that some of the text will roll to the front or the back of the book. Leave space on the top and bottom so the text is nicely centered on the spine. Typically, you will need at least 80 inside pages for the spine to be wide enough for text.
Design the cover so that the front cover, spine, and back cover blend together. Many people will design their covers so that there are three very distinctive colors on the front cover, spine, and back cover. The problem with this is that if the cover is even a little bit off, it will be very noticeable because of the different colors. On the other hand, if all three pieces of the cover have the same color scheme, you won’t notice the difference.
Make sure the cover is set up correctly. Add at least 1/8 inch bleed on all four sides of the cover. Make sure any critical text is at least a half an inch from the edge of the page. This will ensure that there are no issues when trimming the book to your designated size. Often, designers will crowd the cover with text and/or graphics. Keep in mind that less is more. A cover with a striking image and lots of space will always look much nicer than a cover that is crowded looking.
Use high-resolution images. The cover should only contain images that are 300 dpi or higher. If you enlarge a 300 dpi images, you reduce the resolution. For instance, if you enlarge a 300 dpi photo by 400%, you will reduce the printed quality to 72 dpi.
Graphics should be saved in a CMYK format. Most photos are taken in an RGB (red-green-blue) format. Since the printing process used CMYK (cyan-magenta-yellow-black), you should convert to CYMK before submitting your files. Otherwise, there may be color shifts in your photos.
Send your cover as three separate files. It’s best if you send us your cover as three separate files — the front cover, the spine, and the back cover. Each file should have 1/8 inch bleed on all four sides. That way, it is easier for us to correct the cover if one piece is not set up correctly.
You might also want to check out this article to inspire you when designing your book cover.
If you have any questions about our cover design service or covers in general, please feel to chat with us online (our online chat function is in the lower right corner on all pages of our website) or call us at 1-877-977-3779. You can also email us at help@publishingxpress.com.
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