A modern reinterpretation of the classic book cover

The diploma thesis addresses contemporary book cover design and its impact on the perception of classic literary works. It focuses on the reinterpretation of the cover of Jane Austen’s novel “Pride and Prejudice”. Nowadays, book covers are not merely decorative elements but essential communication tools between the author, the work, and the readers, reflecting cultural, aesthetic, and identity trends in modern society. The goal is to explore how the use of color psychology, symbolism, typography, iconography, and illustration affects readers’ emotional responses, as well as the recognition and identification with the book’s content. Hypotheses are set to investigate the impact of cover design on readers’ emotional reactions, content recognition, and the commercial success of books in the contemporary market.

The thesis is divided into theoretical and practical parts. In the theoretical part, I will explore the history and origins of book cover design, contemporary trends, color psychology, and symbolism. Additionally, the theoretical part will present cultural differences in design and consumer behavior.

In the practical part, I will design a contemporary reinterpretation of the classic cover of the book “Pride and Prejudice”. I aim to create a modern cover without losing the classic beauty and relevance of the original. I will also conduct a survey in the practical part. The survey will aim to investigate the importance of the book cover in purchasing decisions, identify elements of covers that most attract readers, assess preferences regarding the reflection of the book’s content on the cover, and determine the interest in classic books with contemporary cover designs. Research methods include reader surveys, comparative analysis of covers, and theoretical support from literature. Despite challenges such as the subjectivity of respondents’ answers and the limited representativeness of the sample, I believe I can successfully complete the task, as I have gained sufficient theoretical and practical knowledge during my studies to apply in the execution of this thesis.

The purpose of the thesis is to contribute to the understanding of the role of book cover design in preserving and popularizing classic literature in modern society.

You can check our student’s product in the video below: