Book cover and illustration design for authors and publishers: covers, launch graphics and event posters
We design book and ebook covers, illustrations, launch graphics, posters for author events and roll-ups for book fairs, for publishers and self-publishing authors. The cover is designed with spine and back to the printer's calculations and in a version that reads as a thumbnail in online bookshops. The starter kit lists the price of every element.
Print cover
Ebook cover
Illustrations
Launch graphics
Posters and roll-ups
Reader materials
How much does book cover design cost?
A cover as a detailed illustration starts at 3,500 PLN net, with print, ebook and social versions. The kit with a poster and launch templates starts at 4,850 PLN. Yes, based on the printer's specification: a spine width calculated from page count and paper, and a back with the blurb, publisher logo and ISBN barcode.
- Starter kit
- from 4,750 PLN
- In the kit
- 3 projects
What authors and publishers need
From the cover to launch materials and reader events.
Print cover
Front, spine and back with the blurb, ISBN and publisher logo, to the printer's specification.
Ebook cover
A version that reads as a thumbnail in online bookshops and on e-readers.
Illustrations
A cover illustration or interior illustrations for children's books and illustrated fiction.
Launch graphics
Announcements, countdowns, quotes and media graphics in the cover style.
Posters and roll-ups
An author event poster and a roll-up for book fairs and festivals.
Reader materials
A bag, stickers or other small items for events and pre-orders.
A book that is judged by its cover
Readers choose books in online shops from a list of thumbnails, and in physical shops from shelf distance. In that moment the cover has a few seconds to say what genre it is, what mood and why it is worth clicking or picking up. Only then do readers read the description and an extract.
We design covers for publishers and self-publishing authors: illustrated or built on typography and photography, with front, spine and back for print and an ebook cover that reads at small sizes. We show every concept as a thumbnail next to other books in the same genre.
A book launch also needs social media graphics, posters for author events, a roll-up for fairs and small items for readers. We design them in the style of the cover, so the launch campaign is recognisable from the announcement to the bookshop event.
We do not print books. The cover is prepared to the printer's specification, with the spine calculated from the page count and paper, and promotional materials with files for the printer. You pay the printer or publisher directly.
Kits for authors and publishers
Two kits: a cover with starter materials and a full launch campaign. Each element is a package from our price list. Kit prices are the sum of the starting prices of packages from our price list, with no surcharge and no discount. The quote gives the exact scope and timeline.
Kit
Book starter
An illustrated cover with an ebook version, an event poster and social templates for the launch.
- from 3,500 PLN
Graphics and illustrations · Detailed Illustration
A cover as a detailed illustration, with print, ebook and social versions.
- from 350 PLN
Posters, billboards and roll-ups · Roll-Up
A poster for an author event or launch.
- from 900 PLN
Social media design · Grid Start
Templates for announcements, quotes and event graphics.
Total from4,750 PLNnet
Ask about the kitKit
Launch and events
A cover, a social media campaign, a poster and billboard, a fair roll-up and a bag for readers.
- from 3,500 PLN
Graphics and illustrations · Detailed Illustration
An illustrated cover in print, ebook and campaign versions.
- from 950 PLN
Posters, billboards and roll-ups · Poster and Billboard
A poster and billboard with the cover motif.
- from 2,400 PLN
Social media design · Social Media Pro
Fifteen templates and ten graphics for the launch campaign.
- from 350 PLN
Posters, billboards and roll-ups · Roll-Up
A roll-up for book fairs and bookshop events.
- from 350 PLN
Merch and stickers · Print Design
A graphic for a bag or another item for readers.
Total from7,550 PLNnet
Ask about the kitBook cover mistakes
They show up in an online bookshop or at the printer, when the print run is already ordered.
A cover unreadable as a thumbnail
A title in small or ornate type disappears in an online bookshop list.
A miscalculated spine
A spine designed without the printer's calculation drifts after binding, and the title lands on the fold.
A cover outside its genre
A crime novel that looks like a self-help book, or a romance that looks like fantasy, reaches the wrong readers.
A series without a system
Volumes in different styles do not look like a series on the shelf or in announcements.
Artwork without a licence
A photo or illustration taken from the web may infringe someone else's rights. Every element needs a licence or must be made from scratch.
Parts of a cover
| Part | What it holds | What we watch for |
|---|---|---|
| Front | title, author, illustration or photo | legible as a thumbnail and from shelf distance |
| Spine | title, author, publisher logo | width per the printer's calculation |
| Back | blurb, review quotes, ISBN with barcode | a legible blurb and space for the code |
| Flaps | author bio and photo, other titles | folds and bleed to specification |
| Ebook cover | the front as a separate file | legibility at small sizes |
The cover and the genre
Crime and thrillers
Strong contrast, bold typography, one unsettling motif.
General fiction and romance
A warm palette, a character or place, typography with character.
Fantasy
An illustration of the world or hero, typography that conveys the atmosphere.
Non-fiction and self-help
A legible title and subtitle, a photo or a simple graphic motif.
Children's books
An illustration that invites readers in, a title legible to parent and child.
Book launch materials
Announcement and countdown
Graphics with the cover, launch date and pre-order information.
Quotes from the book
A template for extracts that invites reading without spoiling the plot.
Media graphics
The cover in high resolution, a 3D book visual and the author photo in one folder.
Event poster
A template with space for the date, bookshop and time, for print and social media.
A book cover and launch step by step
A cover that works as a thumbnail
In an online bookshop a cover is the size of a postage stamp.Small titles, many elements and subtle details vanish, leaving colour, contrast and one motif. That is why we look at every concept as a thumbnail next to other books in the same genre before refining details.
An ebook cover can be simpler than the print version: a bigger title, less detail, the same motif. We prepare it as a separate file at the size required by the distribution platform you use.
Spine, back and flaps
The spine width depends on the page count and paper thickness, so the printer provides the calculation.We prepare the print cover only on the basis of that specification, with bleed, folds and any flaps.
On the back we design space for the blurb, review quotes, the publisher logo and the ISBN barcode. The author or publisher writes the blurb, and we make sure it is legible and does not compete with the illustration.
Genre and convention
A cover tells readers what to expect.If a crime novel looks like a self-help book, it reaches the wrong people and the right readers overlook it. That is why we start with a review of covers in the genre and decide where to follow convention and where to break it so the book stands out.
For books that do not fit one genre, we look for a motif that conveys the mood of the book, not just its plot.
A publisher's series
A publisher releasing a series or collection needs a cover system: a fixed layout, typography and rules for future volumes.The series is then recognisable on the shelf, and the next cover comes together faster.
We design the first cover together with the series rules, and later volumes in the same system, with an illustration or motif matched to the content.
Interior illustrations
A children's book or illustrated fiction needs interior illustrations: spreads, vignettes or full-page scenes.We set their style on a sample illustration and then design the rest in the same language.
Book illustrations are quoted after the brief, by number, size and level of detail. It is best to design the cover and interior together, so the book is consistent from cover to last page.
Rights to the cover and illustrations
A cover goes on the book, into online bookshops, onto posters and into the media, so the rights must be clear.Once the invoice is paid, we transfer economic rights to the author or publisher within the fields of use in the contract, including print, ebook, advertising and promotional materials.
We do not use photos or illustrations from the web without a licence. If the cover uses a stock photo, we check that the licence allows use on a cover and in the print run you plan.
Questions before you order
Services this industry uses
- Graphics and illustrationsIllustrations, icons and key artfrom 900 PLN
- Posters, billboards and roll-upsRoll-ups, posters, billboards and boothsfrom 350 PLN
- Social media designCanva templates and ad creativesfrom 900 PLN
- Merch and stickersTees, hoodies, mugs, bags and stickersfrom 350 PLN
- Logo designA mark, colour versions and vector filesfrom 1,200 PLN
Let us start with a talk about your brand
A free online consultation or a quote in the calculator.