Book+Cover+Research+John

[|Fablehaven] (Source: @https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/44652.Fablehaven) These three books are some of the few books that left a lasting impression on me from my avid reader childhood and those of which I still continue to recommend. Interestingly, Six of Crows is a book I am reading right now but more on that book later. Fablehaven has a cover that I love because it grabs the reader's attention through discord as the scarily evil old lady in the center (who always gave me nightmares when I read this book!) **contrasts** well with the whimsical and colorful fairies that frame her sinister aura. But what makes the book cover so appealing is the use of typography and actual illustration--it was the reason I picked it up in the first place! To be honest, it is not as aesthetically pleasing a the other ones but the charm is in the vivid detail of an old woman in the center who puts a creepy face to an important part of the story and the beautifully drawn magical creatures that allude to the fantastical plotline of the story. The typography gives a whimsical but eerie feeling with is gothic looking script and glowing effects. [|Six of Crows] (Source: @https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23437156-six-of-crows ) Regarding the Six of Crows book, it is generally a newer book, for both myself as well as the rest of the world, thus it's design is much more modern and alluring aesthetically. It's limited **color** palette is smartly used to depict the rugged and shady plotline of the book that makes the story so exciting. It's use of negative space and deceptive allusion to two different images in one is attractive and continually surprises me every time I look at the cover, which also pertains to the illustrations and it's composition. The typography is beautifully cryptic as the swirls create a facade for the tattered effect on the letters which accentuate the eerie and ominous vibe of the cover. [|The Robe of Skulls] (Source: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2451090.The..._of_Skulls ) Personally, the Robe of Skulls--a great introduction to a favorite childhood series of mine--is a very Tim Burton-esque series with disgustingly creepy villains and scrawny, timid protagonists. So I find it fitting that the cover art of the book utilizes a black and garish red color palette with a very sketchy drawing style comparable to that of Tim Burton's works. That is because the drawing style employs a lot of lines to give a rough, eerie movement to the character and the dress but keep the cartoon-y fictionality of the actual book. The use of value to add depth to the limited color palette attracts the eye as it creates shadow and focus to the dress which is the "robe of skulls" and the different greys and blacks call attention to the magnificently horrid dress that is the center of the entire story and therefore the most important part of the cover--aside from the woman wearing it. The typography also plays well into this theme as it has a lot of scripty serifs and irregular bowls and shoulders which give a gothic, fragile (like bones) type of vibe, which why it's skinny letters and the skeletal thinness of the woman tie hand in hand in setting the stage for what this book could possibly be about. Interesting and essential details that fill up the void red space is the castle and wall and bats which are all vital elements to the journey of the protagonist in the story and thus adds character to the cover.