“Ooh, I love that one!” gushes a library staff member to her colleague. “I wish I had a copy of the book with that cover!” They’re not drooling over fancy new book covers online or in a bookstore, but up on the walls of the Leatherby Libraries Hall of Art, next to the Reference section on the first floor of the library. The hall displays covers created by students in Professor Rachelle W. Chuang’s graphic design class.

These students participated in a rigorous process to research, redesign, and physically produce two conceptually different book covers for a single work. A particularly challenging aspect of this project consisted of creating original designs based on the literary work, rather than relying on the visuals that one may already associate with the book. Students also designed the interior of their book using advanced Adobe InDesign functions. This collection of work shows how new approaches, innovative typography, original art, and design skills can inspire audiences with the joy and value of reading.

Books displayed in a glass case.

Each student has one cover hanging on the wall as a poster, and one wrapped as a jacket around a book in a display case next to the posters.

This is the third time the Leatherby Libraries has exhibited work from upper division graphic design students from Professor Chuang’s book design class at Chapman University, and the first time that the exhibit has been in the Hall of Art. In addition to the posters displayed on the wall, each student was given space in an exhibition case in order to display the design of their book jackets.

Exhibition Dates: December 05, 2018 – January 15, 2019

Be sure to stop by the Leatherby Libraries Hall of Art to view the exhibition, but in the meantime, enjoy the details of these impressive book cover designs:

Check out the blog posts for the first and second “Reading Revamp” exhibitions hosted in the Leatherby Libraries.

If you have any questions please contact Rachel Levinson-Emley at levinsonemley@chapman.edu or 714-532-6027.