I like C, but it looks like you just quickly scaled the same marker lines. You need to print it out, then use a real Sharpie and photograph that. If design grad school taught me one thing, it is you have to do it for 'real'.
Think C is the strongest in terms of treatment as it looks more unique. The annotations are (intentional) cliches but could benefit from a closer relationship to the title/content of the book with some of the comments come off a little bitter in tone: I’m not a designer but I know better. I can imagine there was a conversation around whether why design is hard is a statement versus a question that warrants a question mark?
I find it amusing that the difficult part about designing is adhering to the countless voices directing the concept, and yet here you are asking the masses for more direction.
FYI: I'm buying the book no matter what the cover looks like.
C is my favorite for the quirkiness and visualization of the challenges with opinions.
However, part of the "requirements" was to be easily readable, identifiable from 10 feet away, and a strong visual concept. Unfortunately, I feel A is better in these regards, but C is still more eye catching.
I voted for A; I would have voted for C if the last word of the title hadn’t repeated three times (you’ve changed the book title to Why Design is Hard Hard Hard, at that point, and yeah that’s not gonna scan well). Fix it, and C wins.
I want to be the first person to comment that concept A spells Scott’s name incorrectly. But also, I really like that concept B puts Ego at the top of the art. The rest of the concept helps sell that this is a book that gets into some real talk, but having Ego at the top lets readers know it isn’t just about everyone else: It’s also about you, the person about to read this book.
I didn’t vote for C before, but now I like it best. I do think only one “HARD” is better, the title almost reads as “WHY DESIGN IS HARD HARD HARD” as is
I like C, but feel that the contrast of the type and drawn elements were stronger in the first version on D. I think the look of a "finished design" and all the markup is still a great analogy to the design process. The covers feel a bit like stock images.
C but with fewer corrections. The three “HARD” is 2 too many. We get it from the other stuff..
I like C, but it looks like you just quickly scaled the same marker lines. You need to print it out, then use a real Sharpie and photograph that. If design grad school taught me one thing, it is you have to do it for 'real'.
Think C is the strongest in terms of treatment as it looks more unique. The annotations are (intentional) cliches but could benefit from a closer relationship to the title/content of the book with some of the comments come off a little bitter in tone: I’m not a designer but I know better. I can imagine there was a conversation around whether why design is hard is a statement versus a question that warrants a question mark?
Concept C caught my eye/drew me in the most.
All fun conepts
Concept A: goofy but nice, doesn’t convey beyond what meets the eye.
Concept B: too chaotic to “stabilize” the idea, too cliché as a style (there are way too many such stock images)
Concept C: simple but it tells a story that’s so much more meets the eyes. And it’s the story of design itself.
That’s why C is perfect.
I’d simplify C. Less is more, but the concept is solid.
I find it amusing that the difficult part about designing is adhering to the countless voices directing the concept, and yet here you are asking the masses for more direction.
FYI: I'm buying the book no matter what the cover looks like.
C is my favorite for the quirkiness and visualization of the challenges with opinions.
However, part of the "requirements" was to be easily readable, identifiable from 10 feet away, and a strong visual concept. Unfortunately, I feel A is better in these regards, but C is still more eye catching.
If you finalize on A (seems unlikely) make sure they spell your last name right :)
I voted for A; I would have voted for C if the last word of the title hadn’t repeated three times (you’ve changed the book title to Why Design is Hard Hard Hard, at that point, and yeah that’s not gonna scan well). Fix it, and C wins.
3 is the cat's pajamas.
I want to be the first person to comment that concept A spells Scott’s name incorrectly. But also, I really like that concept B puts Ego at the top of the art. The rest of the concept helps sell that this is a book that gets into some real talk, but having Ego at the top lets readers know it isn’t just about everyone else: It’s also about you, the person about to read this book.
I didn’t vote for C before, but now I like it best. I do think only one “HARD” is better, the title almost reads as “WHY DESIGN IS HARD HARD HARD” as is
I like C, but feel that the contrast of the type and drawn elements were stronger in the first version on D. I think the look of a "finished design" and all the markup is still a great analogy to the design process. The covers feel a bit like stock images.
B - too hard to read the title. C use of the word hard three times when they aren’t visually distinct is cluttered.