a night with the Kidd

so tonight i went to this great lecture given by Chip Kidd who is just like the most clever book designer ever. chances are those of you not in the creative industry don't know who he is.* but, i am sure that at some point, you have been strolling through a bookstore & were drawn to a book out of your element because of it's catchy cover. his conceptual designs literally draw you in and make you pick up a book, which is why he is oh so treasured by publishers!

his lecture was great. he talked a lot about the process from book title to sketch to rejection to finished cover. it was actually comforting to know that Chip is human, and gets ides rejected.... like us all. it was also good to see how humble he is, not some uppity artist whose nose is in the air. he was genuine, loves his work, and is great at it.

what i really love about these lectures, put on by SPD, is that you really get to know the artists. I love the stories they share about different works, its highs and lows. and it was really cool to see the original concept of a cover, and how similiar or different that was from the finished design. Fascinating!

*shame on you ;)

here are some of his covers... but you should check out his website for sure! and then look in your bookcase.... i bet you find a Chip sensation!