Penguin Random House UK has today revealed 30 book cover designs shortlisted as part of its annual Student Design Award.
The Student Design Award aims to find the next generation of book cover designers by giving students the opportunity to experience real cover design briefs first-hand.
The competition sees aspiring student designers reimagine iconic book covers across the award’s three categories: Adult Fiction, Adult Non-Fiction and Children’s. This year’s book titles are:
- Adult Fiction Cover Award – To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
- Adult Non-Fiction Cover Award – In Cold Blood by Truman Capote
- Children’s Cover Award – The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole Aged 13 ¾ by Sue Townsend
The 30 cover designs (10 shortlisted in each category) were chosen from more than 2,100 submissions.
The winners in each of the three categories will receive a work placement within the Penguin Random House UK design studios, as well as a £1,000 cash prize.
Art Directors from Penguin Random House will now provide each of the shortlisted designers with detailed feedback on their covers, giving the students the chance to refine and resubmit their designs before the final judging takes place in June.
The judging panel is made up of Art Directors from across Penguin Random House UK as well as guest judges from the design and publishing industry, including Sarah Hyndman, David Pearson, Chris Packham and Rathna Ramanthan.
Announcing the shortlisted designs, Tom Weldon, CEO, Penguin Random House, said:
“At Penguin Random House we have a proud design heritage and many of our covers are recognised the world over. Designers play a vital role in bringing to life some of the world's best-loved books and helping to tell our authors’ stories.
“This award celebrates standout cover design and offers valuable experience to passionate and creative young people. I am always impressed with the quality of submissions and this year’s designers have produced some fantastic designs.”
Commenting on the shortlisted designs, John Hamilton, Art Director, Penguin General, said:
“All of the judges have been hugely impressed by this year’s designs and overwhelmed by the number of submissions.
“Based on the quality of entries, I’m confident we will see lots of these students working in the UK’s creative industries in the future and hope that the Design Award will inspire them to consider a career in book cover design.”
Now in its eleventh year, the Student Design Award continues to grow in popularity, with submissions in 2017 increasing by over 500 applications compared to 2016.
The award is free to enter and open to all students studying on a Further Education or Higher Education course, regardless of their degree or institution.
Past entrants have attributed the award to their future success, with a number of them going on to work in the publishing industry.
Shortlisted student designers:
Adult Fiction Cover Award
Yusuf Athman – University Centre, Stockport College
Maria Isabelle Becker – Central Saint Martins, UAL
Klara Block – Cambridge School of Art, Anglia Ruskin University
Cristina Cid – Swansea College of Art, UWTSD
Madalyn Farley – Kingston University
Joss Humberstone – Glasgow School of Art
Max Low – Hereford College of Arts
Linde Raats – University of the West of Scotland (Erasmus) / Artevelde University College Ghent
Harry Woodgate – Arts University Bournemouth
Lemeng Xue – Nottingham Trent University
Adult Non-Fiction Cover Award
Matthew Barnard – University of Northampton
Silje Bergum – University of Hertfordshire
Eva Freeman – London College of Communication, UAL
Lina Jabbari – University of Greenwich
Elliot Lee – University of Northampton
Connor Lyon – Cardiff Metropolitan University
José María González Sánchez – Falmouth University
Sophie Smart – Sheffield Hallam University
Luke Smith – Coventry University
Joel Williams – Cardiff Metropolitan University
Children’s Cover Award
Carly Ayre – University of Northampton
Emily Chaffer – Leeds College of Art
Tin Sum Tiffany Chau – University of Gloucestershire
Paulina Chromik – Plymouth College of Art
Beth Ewens – Leeds College of Art
Holly Knowles – University of Hertfordshire
Alysha Moxom – Bath Spa University
Charlotte Murray – Cardiff Metropolitan University
Joseph Wheeler – Central Saint Martin’s, UAL
Stuart Wilson – Gray’s School of Art, Robert Gordon University
