Redesigned Book Covers (1 Viewer)

Those are super! I'm so glad that every third kid you pass on the street now is a designer. The world clearly needs a few million more designers. Design will save the world, did you know that?

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Or not.

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I know Bill questioned it already, but it bears direct asking: What the hell is a "cut and paste ethic to life and writing?" Sounds more like a wikipedia editor than anything Buk ever even thought about.
 
Maybe he was thinking of Burroughs and the cut-up technique?
 
To me it seems that the designer is implying that Bukowski lazily recycled his and others work and used tired cliches to create his art (recycled or overheard poetry). Kinda like making him the second guy to decide to paint a Campbell's Soup can....
 
Hi this is Liam Drane, the guy who designed the covers you are slagging off. If you had a problem, instead of sitting on a forum you could have emailed me with your views. I spent three plus years studying to be a graphic designer I'm not some sit at home kid on Photoshop all day. If you didn't get the covers then maybe you should have asked me on my interpretation of bukowski's books? Doesn't mean I don't "get them." His "cut and paste ethic" meant to how he published his work before he got famous. The idea was bukowski looking at himself egotistically as if he was designing the books for himself. Being a person who didn't have much I chose to use newspaper cuttings and hand stamped type to put over that feel. I've gotten a lot of positive feedback from these covers even from a guy who designed the covers back in the 90s, so this has come as quite a nasty surprise. I'm not going to listen to a bunch of keyboard warriors though because they think they're right... Go do better yourself.

Liam Drane
 
Well, Liam, now that you're here we can speak to you directly. I don't think the covers work, because Bukowski had such a unique and beautiful face. Splicing it up that way takes away the impact of it, and it just looks...odd. Like you're trying too hard.
Now, bear in mind I'm not critiquing your design work as a whole- I haven't seen anything else you have done, and you could be brilliant. I just don't care for what you've done here. I don't know if you will take any constructive criticism after this, or if you will write me off as a "keyboard warrior", but if you want honest feedback, there it is.
 
Thank you Rachel, maybe the others (minus bill) could take note of your comment. Any constructive criticism is fine and I know I will come across it on a daily basis at work so thank you. I'm proud of these bukowski covers and I feel they're my representation of Hank's life, not the life you see written about on the internet. I think he was very self destructive (hence the torn images) but in a way loved himself a little (the putting back together.) At the end of the day I know people will interpret them differently, and that's fine with me, I just can't stand it when people sit on these and make immature digs.

Thanks again for the feedback Rachel.

Liam
 
You googled yourself didn't you, Liam? :D
And you obviously didn't like the results. There's a life lesson for you right there. You can thank me via email when you're famous.
 
No I have google analytics so I can see what websites people come from... The only life lesson is not to listen to you.

mjp is that sarcasm from using my sentence out of context or genuine?
 
Yes, it's genuine sarcasm.

I beg to differ that the quote is "out of context" though. I think it accurately distills your wordy complaints to their essence. You claim not to care what anyone thinks, yet you are whining quite loudly, so clearly you do care.
 
For the record, I like the other art on Liam's website (not that he or any artist needs my approval). I just think that the book covers miss the mark. Of course, I don't much like the new Ecco covers either. I think that it is a bit like trying to repaint the Mona Lisa. Barbara Martin, as Black Sparrow Press designer, did what I see as an amazing job on the covers. Bukowski saw those covers. Barbara knew Bukowski very well and completely GOT him.

Also, I don't get calling Bukowksi Beat, or what is meant by the Cut and Paste ethic, but I apologize for starting this thread and the unpleasant turn that it took (including my part in it.)

Best,
Bill
 
What I'm saying is I can take constructive criticism, I just hate the foolish people on here who decide to take someones work and tear it apart without reason - "Liam Drane's Lame Designs." Bruno Dante. If you have nothing constructive to say then yes I have a problem. So in that sense I do care quite whole heartedly, but like I said you took a snippet and blew it out of context.

Thanks for the comment Bill, I took no offence based on your feedback of my design. This feed has been taken over by the dregs sitting in the bottom of the barrel waiting to create a pointless argument. I understand people have a very specific view on Charles Bukowski and also Barbara Martin's designs - I also respect the designs Barbara did. At the end of the day this was a university project and thats what it will remain, my own personal interpretation of Bukowski that was for a brief on my course. I shall re-word the text underneath the project to something that is more accurate or easily understood as I don't think I am getting the message across clearly enough.

Sorry to make this feed so damn long, but people annoy me when they act childish.

"A set of book covers I designed for popular American writer Charles Bukowski. The Covers reflect his very poor living standard through the use of material and poor typographic print as well as his self destructive, but creative and egotistical nature. This is represented through the torn but rekindled images of Bukowski. " - How does this sound? I think this seems more clearer but might be a bit wordy?

Liam
 
Ask your mom or prof for constructive critisim, not strangers on the Internet. If you put something out in a medium that can be seen by whoever has Internet access then you have to be willing to sift through the purely negative. And there is no reason for you to demand the reasons for someone not liking your stuff; not liking it is a reason whether you like it or not. The design world isn't going to hold your hand through your entire career. You need a thicker skin. I've been called talentless, a hack, a poser, faggot, douchebag, brown nosed, etc. Etc. I don't cry for fairplay.
 
All this and I still don't understand what a cut and paste ethic to life and writing means. I've read what you've written about it, but it's not adding up.

When it came to writing, Buk's work ethic was indefatigable and your use of the term "cut and paste" evokes images of a lazy hack recycling the same story to some worthless end that fades into obscurity. If your message isn't getting through to people who know Bukowski's work quite well, then maybe you should be less concerned about whether the question is phrased in a manner you consider to be immature or unconstructive and give some consideration to the possibility that you might be missing the mark on part of your conception. If that isn't constructive critcism, then I'll be buggered.
 
It seems strange, to me, to put the authors face on a cover, unless the book is an autobiography. It's your interpretation, but it's a shame you've just rejigged the same design for each book, rather than recognise them as individual works of fiction. To be honest, I'd be surprised if anyone could produce some new designs for his books which would be seen as improvements on the BSP ones, but I'd like to see the likes of Bill give it a try.

Maybe we could have a contest, the best new covers win Design. The losers win Marketing. I'd like to own Design, then you'd all do it my way.
 
people annoy me when they act childish.
Like going in the huff when people don't heap praise on your work you mean? Have a word with yourself, man :D
For the record, the rest of the stuff on your site's derivative shite too. But you've already learned not to listen to me so it shouldn't concern you.
 
I could not improve on the original Barbara Martin designs, and know that my designs would not be up to par.

There are a couple that I would say are not my favorites (Hollywood & In the Shadow of the Rose are two of them) but still not sure that I could do better. Still, if we had a contest I'd take a shot knowing that I would not win....

Bill
 
concerning Liam Drane's cover designs.... they remind me more of popular Russian, or east European design circa late 1960's, juxtaposed with American sensibilities of production efficiency. I didn't really get a cut-up interpretation, more of a focused post-modern slant with just enough of the old mimeo vibe, which I feel is very much in keeping with Bukowski's aesthetic. and I like the type/font very much. I think they work very well.
 

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