Since the 101 Book sold out about six months ahead of schedule, I have a little more clout with them...

-Wayne

new book cover
 

please put tention on the belt!!

thanks

Diffinently the black cover. The words "How to" and "Your" are to large though. You might simplify even more and just have the title be "The Porsche 911 Engine". The sentence below "Do-It-Yourself..." Tells enough about the content in a nice unobtrusive way.

Bobby

I'd keep it simple:
 

The typeface in the sub-paragraph is too similar to the "Pelican" font, and using the Pelican font might subtly blur the line of editorial independence, a little.

I think the foundation of what you did (as opposed to the sample provided by their designers) is very solid. I'd tweak it just a bit:

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploads/Simpler.jpg

As a designer/art director this thread bugs me. It is too bad you don't have a better relationship with your publisher and their designers where you could handle this directly with them. Just my $.02.

But back to the question. I agree, the black one looks better, but Jack's is the best so far. From what I have seen in the past, MBI's design work could use some help sometimes.

Tom

The red one is analogous to a 70's porn movie. (Cue the tacky 70's porn music.)

The black really grabs your eye. Modern and tastefull. But I think Moses added a much needed improvement, yet you need more thigh. Let's see do I want to look at a 12 plug distributer or a . . .

Get rid of the last comma. I know its stylistic, but it should be gone. The word "and" adds enough of a pause.

i like the black also.... but unlike most others, i like the"motorbooks workshop" as it balances the page.

I think that the things that must stay are:

- MBI Logo at bottom right
- Motorbooks workshop at top
- Big picture in the center

The 101 Book cover was a big cluster-f**k because it got passed off to about 3-4 different people as they moved HQ and also had quite a high turnover as a result of people not coming along with the move.

The editor I've got now is very cool, and seems to have a bit more 'clout' with the marketing folks who seem to want to make a lot of the decisions...

Thanks for all the suggestions. In reality, I probably won't have much choice of the font, as I think that they need to use ones that are in their 'library.'

-Wayne

Again, the black one is much better. The "red" one's colors are too similar and blend together. Too bad the MBI stuff has to stay.

I don't have any typefaces on my computer, but here's a basic version of something similar to what they use:

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploads/Wayne4.jpg

Again -- very simple. I don't think you want to get fancy with the design for an engine rebuild manual. It's a document that people have to put a lot of trust in. It should reflect that. The 'look' of the thing should communicate authority and a calm sense of certainty. No one wants the latest, trendiest theories on engine rebuilding; they want the good stuff -- the expert wisdom that has stood (and will continue to stand) the test of time.

My opinion, at least.

Thanks Jack, My sentiments exactly.

Bobby

I like the black one. Why?

1) The red one looks sort of "vintage". It reminds me of the cover of Sloniger's "The Porsche 911 Guide ($3.95!)", printed in 1976. Even then the book cover seemed strangly '60's. The red one does now.

2) To anyone who knows anything about 911's, the engine on the cover of the black cover gets the heart pumping. The layout of the picture is more artistic with the radial blades of the bright red fan, the semi gloss black and various shades of white metal. The jumble of wires coming off of the twin plug distributor also some how begs attention.

3) The primary engine on the red cover is just another CIS 911 motor (Yawn).

I'd go with the black one. I'd also go with the slant banner " From The Author of " as a cross over sale and reference. Hey you're the author, you tell them what you want, the design guys still have a job, they can lay it out the way you show them.

Black
 

The red one looks like the cover of a Haynes manual, with scruffy "as is" engine and promises of an "actual teardown" inside. The finished engine on the black cover is an inspiration.

I would put "stock rebuilds" before "performance mods" in the cover text and either use initial caps or don't use them but make it uniform.

Waiting with money in hand . . .

I don't think you should use the photo with the RED fan, it may be considered to "rice" or hotrod for some people. Go with a plain metal fan.

The cover designers over at motorbooks, must be the same out of work designers of the Pontiac aztec! They $uck!

Black!

Tell MBI to get some new designers, that red cover sucks.

I like the black one, and I like Jack's version of the black one best. If I was going through the shelves at Autobooks, it would be a black one that would grab my attention. I wouldn't give that red one a second look.

Jack's last design looks the best. Wayne, how about showing this to your publisher? They will probably get territorial on you, but it's worth a try.

Sorry, but I still think my version is more "eye catching".

I mean, if you really want to sell books, have a different "Pelican Girl" holding numbered cards to introduce each new chapter. Oh, yeah! ;)

The black one Wayne, the other one looks like it was designed by someone in England , in a building with no windows and very little knowledge of Porsches. Don't let them shove you around, after all you are the sucessful author they are just publishers.
Jerry