Surrealist Cover Design -- Interviewing Jeff Huang
“I am fascinated by the idea of the subconscious bleeding into the conscious world”
At Reedsy, we like to take some pride in the people we have been able to attract. Our vision was to create a community of truly great freelance talent and make it available for authors. Every day, as more great editors, proofreaders, designers and artists are added, we are getting a little closer to making this vision a reality.
Today, we have the honor of interviewing one of our very best artists. Whether it’s for Stephen King, Sara Raasch, Nintendo or himself, his work is instantly recognisable by its surrealist inspiration: a provocative play with images that blend and blur reality.
“Covers don’t sell books”? You’re wrong. His covers do.
Would you consider yourself a neo-surrealist? At Reedsy, we’re big fans of painters like Dali, De Chirico or even Magritte, and have immediately been drawn to your art because of that. Do you take your inspiration from them?
I don’t know if I consider myself a neo-surrealist so to speak… I do consider myself a multidisciplinary artist who takes inspiration from many things. I am fascinated by the idea of the subconscious bleeding into the conscious world, so I explored that idea in some of my signature works. Dali is my favorite fine artist of all time, followed by Magritte - I just absolutely love their imagination.
Diary Surreal Art By Jeff-Huang
Contrarily to many Reedsy designers, you don’t only work on books. You’ve got an extensive list of big clients like AMC, Nintendo, etc and work on a variety of different projects. What is it about working with books (covers or illustrations) that is particularly attractive to you?
I think having a long career in creating illustrations for advertising led to my realization that I can translate the same aesthetics and ideas onto book covers. I specialize in creating compelling static images that are used to attract the audience and tell a story, so it was only natural that I started doing book cover art.
You also take some of your inspiration from the world of gaming, which is also another form of storytelling. Right now, many book publishing experts see games, books and movies as competing for consumers’ attention and time. Couldn’t we see them as complementary instead?
Certainly. I think game box art, book covers, and movie posters are all slight variations of the same thing. I am sure that I could approach the 3 topics the same way because in the end, it’s all about creating a image that speaks to the viewers.
You have two sections in your portfolio: “work” and “play”. Do you approach a paid project differently to one that you just do in your “playing around” time?
Yes and no. The biggest difference in workflow is just that I have much more flexibility with my personal art since no one can tell me otherwise. I can play around and experiment and it can never be “wrong”, because it’s not for a client. That being said, I still spend an equal amount of time on both my client-based projects and personal projects, because I always aim at preserving the aesthetics and quality in my work.
“Flesh of my Flesh” - A self-portrait by Jeff Huang
Would you be open to “playing around” with indie authors whose books have captivated you even if they don’t have the budget of a big 5 publisher?
It would really depend. Unless the topic is absolutely something that I love and the author gives me full control over creative, I would probably say no. At this point in my life, I am trying to be smarter about my business, and so I try not to lower my rates at all. My clients trust in my work, and can justify my rates because I really do deliver quality work that other artists may not be able to deliver. There is always someone willing to do it for less, but does the quality compare? Well, you tell me.
You know of the surge in independent author publishing, that now accounts for 30% of all ebooks selling on Amazon. Where do you see this going? As indies have smaller budgets than traditional publishers, does this endanger the quality of cover art and illustration we’re going to see in the future?
Indeed it does. I’m all for independent artists and authors, but I truly believe a cover speaks volumes to viewers. You will certainly not get a quality book cover if your budget is $500 or even $1,000. Artists would need to cut corners to justify the time spent as well as using stock images. You can have the best story in the world, but if your book cover sucks, it’s really not going to grab the attention of viewers nor would it do justice for your book. Having created the “Snow Like Ashes” trilogy book covers, I can confidently say that the book cover greatly helps sell the book. The fans rave about it, and I’ve heard that it’s one of the biggest reasons why the book is doing so well in sales. In short - a quality book cover matters! I’ve seen countless low-quality book covers, and my goal as I try to root myself deeper into the publishing world is to be the go-to guy who is known to create amazing book covers, but has a high rate. You pay for what you get, folks!
You’ve designed a few covers. Is the exterior enough to make a book beautiful? What’s the importance of a nice interior as well?
I’ve personally not done much work with interiors, but it’s something I would like to explore as well. I believe anything design related with the book (the cover, the entire jacket, interiors) is a full package, so yes, the interior should be on par with the exterior.
You say one of the projects you’re most proud of is the cover you did for Sara Raasch’s debut fantasy novel “Snow like Ashes”. What was the design process for this book like? Did you interact much with Sara, the editorial team, or the marketing team at HarperCollins?
To this date, Snow Like Ashes has been my premiere book cover. Ice Like Fire (the second book in the trilogy) has recently been revealed, and the fans have expressed that it’s even better than the first book. I am so happy to hear this news. I worked with Erin Fitzsimmons from HarperCollins on Snow Like Ashes. Erin had the idea of doing a chakram image and embedding the seasons of the story into it. I took that idea and came up with the realistic, fantastical execution that immediately received a lot of positive feedback from Erin and her colleagues. From there, we just made a few minor changes, but my first iteration nailed it.
As far as interacting with Sara, I didn’t really didn’t interact with her until the cover was finalized. But since, Sara and I have become friends. I actually went to the book signing in NY to meet her and the fans. I am a huge supporter of the series, and she’s also been very grateful of my work for Snow Like Ashes. It’s great (and a rare opportunity) to be able to have that relationship with an author, and I treasure it.
Jeff Huang’s imagery for Stephen King’s “The Dome”
Visit Jeff Huang’s profile on Reedsy and follow him on Twitter: @TheFifthOrder
Do you think Jeff overestimates the selling power of exceptional cover design? Does the emergence of independent publishing endanger the quality of graphic art on book covers and illustrations? Leave us your thoughts, or any question for Jeff, in the comments below!
"The importance of hiring a cover design professional" -- An interview with Rachel Lawston
The range of freelancer talent available for independent authors today is astonishing. Designer Rachel Lawston, who we interview today, is a perfect example of that. After working in-house for Penguin Random House, she is now freelance and works both for big publishers (HarperCollins) and indie authors. But is it really worth it, for an independent author with a limited budget to invest in such a talented professional for the cover design? We, at Reedsy, firmly believe it is.
As we discuss in the interview, many covers out there look very similar. Self-published books are still very much stigmatised by certain spheres of the publishing industry, and that is mainly due to the quality of the books' production (i.e. the cover, because that is the first thing you see). Rachel shares her views on that, and more, in this very insightful interview.
Hi Rachel, great to have you here. You’re one of our best childrens and YA designers on Reedsy. And you’ve worked both in-house and as a freelancer. How did you get started in book design?
Wow thank you so much, that is very kind of you to say! My first role in publishing was an assistant designer position at Walker Books. I was very lucky as I was trained by some very talented and wonderful people there and their books are so creative.
You’ve worked in-house for Penguin Random House for over 3 years, and have now gone freelance. What do you reckon is the proportion of designers/editors who have done just that in the past few years?
Gosh that is a tough question to answer – I honestly don’t know. I have noticed a lot of excitement and interest over the growth of new media, and different ways of working, perhaps that has caused more people to go freelance?
You work both for big publishers, independent ones, and indie authors. Are there any differences in the way you approach things with these different clients? What’s your typical way of working with an indie author?
I always treat every book with the same level of respect and careful attention that it needs to become the best it can be, regardless of whether it is a big publisher, independent or an indie author. Some books need more time than others, but that it is the nature of book design. Publishers and independent authors have their own very individual working styles and demands which make them exciting and a pleasure to work with.
One of the nicest things about working with indie authors, is that they often take an active role in the creative process. I really enjoy working in collaboration with indie authors because the experience is so different to working with a publisher. For instance, I don’t think I can ever really explain the feeling of immense satisfaction I feel when I design a book cover for an indie author. When you directly work for an author, you witness their journey.
When working with an indie author I always design a package around their individual book/series, with the their objectives and their budget in mind. If the author is based near to me, I always try to meet them (often in a bookshop!) so that we can discuss ideas, outline their aims and how they want to publish their book.
I really like this sentence on your Reedsy profile: “You'll have all the benefits of my experience, understanding of brand management, post-production and project management”. Do you think that when working with indie authors, designers have to be more than just graphic artists?
Thank you! I feel it is important to support my authors as much as I am able. My experience means that I am able to offer these services.
I think that the “you need an editor” message has really sunk in for most (serious) indie authors out there. However, many of them are still trying to make cuts on cover design and interior layout. Is it really worth it for an indie author with a limited budget to invest in a proper graphic design professional?
Gosh, that is a tough question! I always feel very mean when I tell people about the importance of hiring a design professional, as I realise not everyone has the budget to do so.
I believe that an eye-catching, well-crafted, well-designed cover increases the value of a book to readers and booksellers. A book cover should receive as much careful attention as it needs to become the best it can be, just like the text within.
A professional designer will ensure you’re completely happy with your book before it goes to press because your book matters to them, and their final design reflects that.
I do understand that some authors may not have the budget to pay the full fee for my services, which is why I create packages around each individual author, to suit their objectives and their budget.
We discussed this in our last interview with a designer: Stewart Williams, and I’d love to have your thoughts on it: do you think there is a lack of originality in book covers out there? Are publishers/authors afraid to try new things in terms of design?
I definitely agree with Stewarts comment “I think there’s only a small window of time in which you can emulate an idea and still be successful. The rest of the time you’ve got to try something different. It is a risk, and although people have to take risks, they usually don’t want to be the first one.”
I think it’s very important to be the first rather than the second! The last thing an author wants, if for their book to be lost amongst similar looking books!
Do you prefer working directly with the author (and the author only), or working under the structure of a traditional publisher and interacting with the author, the editorial team, the marketing department, etc.?
I love variety. One of the best things about being a freelancer is the diversity of work. I enjoy working with both indie authors and publishers equally!
How do you see the future of children’s book publishing? Is it print books, apps, both?
I see apps and ebooks as another format – like a hardback or paperback. I think there will always be print books.
And how do you see the future of graphic design within children’s book publishing? Will designers also be formatters, app developers, or even publishers?
I actually know a couple of designers who already work as publishers! One of the best things about being a designer in children’s publishing is that you are such valued part of the team.
Thanks so much for taking this time for us!
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How do you see the future of children's books? Do you agree that covers out there, in general, look too similar? Do you think it is worth investing in professional cover design? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
