Design Classic – New Standards Layout and Design
Penguin Book Covers
- Designer: Jan Tschichold
- Manufacturer: Penguin
Jan Tschichold was born in the German city of Leipzig, but moved to Switzerland in 1933 and became a Swiss citizen in 1942. He became one of the most recognized typographers of the twentieth century. His success was to spearhead new postwar typographic advancements while keeping devoted to Modernist ideas. Tschichold was persuaded to the Modern Movement concepts after seeing an exhibition of work from the Weimar Bauhaus in 1923.
The Penguin Book Covers
Edward Young, Penguin’s Production Manager, developed the Penguin book covers, including the Penguin Logo, in the 1930s. Sir Allen Lane, chairman of Penguin Books, hired Tschichold in 1946. Tschichold believed that a book cover should be simple and elegant, with a design that reflects the book’s content. His covers often featured striking geometric shapes and patterns that drew the eye and conveyed a sense of order and balance.
Typography for Penguin Book Covers
Tschichold created new standards of text arrangement and style that inspired all British postwar graphic design, although he only worked for the publication for three years. Then, with the formulation of the “Penguin Composition Rules,” he could apply Modernist theory to the requirements of book manufacturing.
Tschichold’s influence can still be seen in book design today, where his emphasis on simplicity and clarity continues to be valued. His legacy is one of innovation and creativity, inspiring designers to push the boundaries of what is possible in graphic design.
As well as his penguin book covers Tschichold was also an accomplished historian and author, having written over twenty volumes on Chinese calligraphy to design polemics. In addition, he worked as a freelance consultant for several Swiss and German publishers in the 1960s. Tschichold retired to Locarno in 1968 and died there six years later.
Penguin Book Covers Today
In more recent years, Penguin has diversified its design approaches, often collaborating with well-known artists or even the authors themselves to create visually arresting covers. They have expanded beyond just paperbacks to hardcovers, classics editions, and special releases, each with its own unique design considerations.
The influence of Penguin’s design philosophy extends beyond the book world and into the realms of branding and visual design more broadly. In courses on graphic design and typography, Penguin covers are often cited as case studies of effective, unique design.
Sources
Byars, M., & Riley, T. (2004). The design encyclopedia. Laurence King Publishing.
McDermott, C. (1999). Modern design: classics of our time. Carlton Books.
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