Contestant Number 1:
Contestant Number 2:
Right now, both covers are tied neck-and-neck here in the McCann household. Hubby is cheering for one, I am strictly a fan of the other. I'm not telling which is which, so as not to influence your opinion in any way.
Please help us decide by using the comments to let us know which cover reigns supreme, and which one belongs on the scrap heap. Thanks!
285 comments:
«Oldest ‹Older 201 – 285 of 285Two votes for number two (there are two of us; only one has a blogger account)!! It's campy and in the spirit of the Vegan Lunch Box. Fun and unpretentious. We can't wait to see it in the stores!
Jeff and Hilary
Number 2 for sure
more classy
I vote for #2. I love the stripes.
April
My personal choice is for #2 but ultimately I just want the book :-)
After looking again, I am going with my first impression--I like the first one because the trim makes it pop. The pictures and your name stand out.
*Will you please share where you get the cute tins you use, and in your laptop lunches, are those real or paper napkins?* :)
#2 all the way!!!!!
Numero dos, por favor!
:o)
I'm all about No. 2, Jennifer Shmoo!!
Contestant #1 please
One stands out more to me. I agree that the stripes are a bit distracting.
Yes,the strips on two is pretty but the food pictures on one does stand out more because of the neutral background.
Although, people do say "Don't judge a book by its cover", most people do anyway. Pretty pictures of food is more more important than strips on a cookbook cover.
I agree with Leah, is there a way to combine the purple stripes with the background stripes? If not, I vote for #2.
Number 1 for me. It's cleaner, easier to read, and less femme.
Number 1 is very appealing. There's an interesting site called Readerville where posters analyze what makes a book cover enticing or a "coveted" cover: http://www.readerville.com/WebX?14@26.l69fayiniQX.4@.efcd2bc
i vote for number one, but they both look fabulous -- i can't wait!!!
I love the second one - I love stripes!
I like the one with the stripes, it would stand out on a shelf and draw more readers/cooks to buy it
I like #1 the best.
er ... i don't even know how you're gonna count these votes, but i think the #2 one. the stripes down the middle make it look more like a book and less like an advertisement.
very much looking forward to your book!
love from leila
I vote for number two.
Top one with the purple blocking in the letters.
The eye likes to be boxed in!
I like the 2nd one much, much better... but mostly because it reminds me of Sarah Kramer's books. I love your blog and would love to see you viewed independantly.
That being said, How much longer till I can buy this book?? :)
I am the 327th person to comment? Whoa!
I vote #2. It is more pleasing on the eye, I really like the stripes, and the first one reminds me of more of a brochure type cover. The stripes are more friendly, but I suggest bolding the purple font with your name and the quote from Erik, so it stands out more. Or, what about dark purple and light yellow vertical stripes?
Hi there,
First, congrats on your new book!
Second, I vote for number one, as the purple bars help highlight the endorsement [and other stuff needing highlighting]. The purple bars seem to frame the whole thing as well better, giving it more punch.
I personally like the stripes of cover two as well.
As far as design goes I think there need to be a better colour unity. For instance, If some colours from the images are repeated in the design it increases the unity. Sometimes though it is better to restrict the choice to something manageable, like 3 colours. Using too many colours seem to create somewhat of a mish-mash effect that is distracting. Along the same line, perhaps making sure that the purple top banner and bottom one are the exact same purple...
Might be worth buying a couple of high quality fonts. Since it's quite a short paragraph, I would remove the indent before the "more than 10 weeks...' it makes the paragraph looks lopsided. Also the hyphens look like 'en' dashes right now [they are a bit too long].
Also, the photo on the bottom left is excellent. It's important that extra attention be paid to the food photography in general as this is what usually sells.
I think the 'value' statement [more than 10 weeks...] should be highlighted either on the top or bottom banner.
Hope this helps.
and cheers!
I like number one with the purple stripes. Helps emphasize the endorsement from Erik Markus and highlights your name.
Oh yeah, and I definitely plan on buying your book, whichever cover you choose!
I prefer the first cover. The bold purple stripes are very appealing and draw attention to specific parts of the cover. The second cover looks more like a scrapbook page and it seems like everything is running together.
Can't wait for the book, regardless of the cover!
I vote for #1. I like that it is simple design. #2 looks a bit too busy with the stripes.
My vote is for #2
My vote is for #1. I agree with many others that the stripes are too distracting. Looks like a fun book! Can't wait to get it. Collecting vegan cookbooks is one of my hobbies! (I don't just collect them, though, I do actually use them :o)
I like them both but I think #1 will work the best
Number one!!!!!
Number 2, all the way. Can't wait!
i heart the 2nd one. stipeys make me happy!
wonder if you cant come to a happy middle ground with them though, stripeys and the purple barrs across the top and bottom?
The second one looks more polished, in my opinion.
I love the first design!
I think both are cute, but I vote for number one since it's much more readable and clear. The purple bar is nice too. Can't wait for the lovely book, no matter what form it takes! :)
I have no idea whether this is too late to chime in, but... since you asked! :)
From just looking at the smaller pictures, I had a feeling that version 1 was best because the purple in the top and bottom highlighted your name and the stripes seemed a bit distracting.
When I clicked and enlarged, though I loved both of them! But maybe #1 is better, I don't know. Either one will be great, I'm sure!
I like the stripey one best, but yes, it might be improved by adding in those purple bars.
My vote is for #1.
Good luck tallying all these votes!
The second one looks similar to another Vegan Cookbook in print, (I have it somewhere, I think it's called "How It All Vegan") and at first I thought you were the writer of that cookbook as a result (it's the stripes I think). So my vote is for the first one to avoid any confusion for anyone else.
I agree with Leah and bread..bread..bread... Stripes AND purple highlighting would be best, but if you can't do that, then go with #1, with the purple bars. What does the little Schmoo think? Does he agree with you or with Hubby?
As another reader with marketing not to mention book publishing and designing experience, I vote #1 hands-down. The contrast makes it pop and the plain background makes it easier to read the text quickly at first glance. I don't have to *want* to read the cover to read it.
A trick - Print them out life size and tape them to the wall a few feet apart where you'll see them often. After a day, see what you think. Does one draw your eye more?
I like #1 the best too, I do like the stripes, but like the contrast overall from #1
Both are nice, but I think the first version helps break up the quote and author info from the title and pics. Have you tried a fusion of the two covers? Too much perhaps...
#1 top one
I like the first one also. It brings attention to the author and makes it easier to see!
Two votes for number 1 (from me and my boyfriend). I promise I didn't tell him which one I had already picked!
I like number 2. The stripes make it so much more eye-catching for me. The bars in number 1 are nice, but I could do without them--all around, 2 just looks more fun. And with lunches as fun as those you've invented, it seems like the fun and peppy cover is the best way to go. Congratulations! Can't wait to see it available to buy!
I vote for number 1!
Number one appeals to me the most - but number two's stripes do offer a more "kid friendly" feeling.
I vote for #1!! :)
I vote for the 1st one ... more eye-catching! Can't wait to get it!
I vote for #1
LOVE number 2!
Number one. :-)
Count mine as another vote for combining! Pink stripes AND the purple bars. If that's not an option, I prefer the purple bars (#1).
I'll buy it either way, though, and genuiniely like both covers!
Number 1.
And 379 comments!!!!
That's got to be a record of some kind.
number one is the one I like.
Barbara
Between the two I'll have to vote for #1, but I think a combination might work even better.
Can't wait till it comes out!
Number 2!!
I really like the stripes. I don't know what everyone else thinks because I just commented without reading the 384 other responses! Good grief--did you even read them all? Maybe you won't read mine either. ;-)
I am another for the stripes AND the purple bars!
I really like the stripes, but I also like the purple bands on the top one. Makes it look...clean.
number 1.
stripes are def. distracting.
I don't like the stroke on the title and asterisk. It's distracting and out of place.
I vote #1 with a solid colored title. (probably go with the blue.)
Otherwise, the drawn lunch boxes are adorable with their baby shadows.
I love the second one. I love the whimisical look of it and would be apt to purchase it due to the "kid friendly" look of it. :+)
I like #1 with the purple bands.
Not that the third option--stripey book with color bands--was offered, but I like it!
But if it came right down to it, I like the second one better than the first.
I vote #1.
I vote for #2. Much more distinctive.
I like number 2! However, I agree with those who said that having something to highlight the title and author would be good.
Thanks for letting us say something about them. I'll be looking forward to it's appearance!
My vote is for #1
From a marketing standpoint, it jumps off the shelf and the bars at the top and bottom keep your eye IN the cover and not away to another book on the shelf.
Looks great! Congrats!
#1 is my vote
Hi Jennifer...I prefer #1. I think that #2 looks too much like the oh so popular Sarah Kramer and Tanya Barnard books with the stripes. I think their stripes aren't as straight, but they definatley have a stripe theme going on with all their books.
You've obviously been working so hard on this. Congrat....I can't wait to buy the book!
#1 definately
Here's a mockup of the combination:
Both!
#1 all the way! can't wait till it's published!
stripes all the way! Love your blog Thank you from a fellow veg of children i have 4 girls and 2 are i school I have gotten many an idea from you. Thanks
I think stripes are too cluttered. I vote for the first one.
I like the first one, but I am with the poster that said that the second one with the heavy purple bars would be perfect. I think the lines add interest, but make the script harder to read. Adding that little touch would be just wonderful.
I truly love your blog. I am not vegan, (home grown eggs and local bgh free cheese live very happily at our house) but your ideas are such an inspiration and your pictures are wonderful! Thank you for dedicating the time to share with us.
Val
You deserve a better book cover than either of these! Your site is beautiful. Your photos are beautiful. Parents will buy your book because they want something pure and simple -- so avoid junky typefaces and arbitrary colors on the cover. Choose a simple arrangement of type stripped over one big, beautiful photo -- even if you have to pay a professional food photographer. It will be worth it because this will impact your sales.
You have a great concept -- get a great book cover!
kittan
I vote for the first one! :P I like how the title stands out in it because of the purple bar.
It looks really fun! Congrats on putting it all together!
for what it's worth, i'm a graphic designer. i do a fair share of book covers...
i love the stripes, but they are, indeed, distracting. so, if it was taken down to about 50% or so? it might work.there's just a lot going on with the photos, and the added graphic element of the lines.
the top one? clear. appealing colors. nice font choices. I'd ditch the indent on the "more than 10 weeks" paragraph.
i CAN'T WAIT until this comes out! we start kindergarten this week, and could use some of your inspiration.
Number 2. Congratulations on the book!
I vote for #1. I think the photos of your beautiful food stand out more without the background stripes. Best wishes!!
--kelli
#1!!!
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