The World of Book Covers

Similar to my post about Optima and Futura typefaces, this time I am exploring online book covers that stand out to me that use one or the other of my two fonts. Since both fonts were made before the year of 1980, there is literally a little world that has been created around both Optima and Futura. Below are 5 book covers of each typeface that I found to be successful in their design for a variety of reasons.

Optima: even thought the text is centered, the color scheme is flattering, there is strong legibility and the title is easily recognized.

 

Optima: even with the distracting circle illusion bright and big, the designer has still made the title clear and has an asymmetric movement as well.
 

Optima: even though the colors are a bit bland, I love the "t" style marks made to isolate some of the text from the title.

Optima: even with no true asymmetry, the way the designer created such movement with the title is successful along with placing the bird on the type so that it may draw your eye more towards the title. 

Optima: the title of this book creates that side to side motion that moves the eyes around the page and the fact that the authors name is at the right bottom corner helps the viewer see the table then the name. 

Futura: the background might be vivid and a little abstract but the designer still made sure to make everything legible and there is a feel of movement through the use of asymmetry as well. 

Futura: the use of negative space works well in this design and even if the text is tightly together, there is still a bit of asymmetry between the title and other elements. 

Futura: the title being in the middle of this abstract art pulls your eyes right into the text and the use of a little red is smart so that it's not a huge circle of just black and white.

Futura: again, like the one above, the designer uses the center of a focused on element of the cover to draw the reader's eye towards the title and the ripped up paper is a nice touch as well.

Futura: the colors work greatly together and the 3D effect draws your eye towards the bottom right corner even though that text is small and 2D making the layout successful.