Behind the Scenes: The Punctilious Process of Designing the Front Cover of🌊Against the Current🌊
Designing the cover for Against the Current was an extensive, meticulous, but rewarding process.Â
I’m very pleased with how the final cover turned out, but it took a great deal of back-and-forth communication to get it to its final iteration. I’m the type of designer who thrives on collaboration, and that’s what I appreciated most about working with Unencumbered Press. We iterated upon many concepts and revisions together, and it was through this process that we were able to create something truly special.
Feedback in Action
Feedback—and using it to challenge yourself and improve on your work—can be difficult for any designer, but it’s also where the magic truly happens. My initial concepts for all of my projects are often rough, and early drafts rarely resemble the final product. There’s always some nervousness (sometimes bordering on panic) when submitting early drafts to a client. Sometimes the response could be, “None of these work, can you please provide additional concepts,” or worse, “We’ve decided to go in a different direction” (meaning with another designer). Thankfully, UP saw potential in these initial ideas and worked with me to shape them into what ended up being a truly remarkable design.
I was initially asked to submit three concepts for Against the Current—but, as is often the case with my work, I couldn’t narrow it down, so I submitted six. What’s worked for me, (though opinions may differ, since showing too many concepts can sometimes make a client indecisive) is to share all of my ideas upfront, offering a wide range of directions in these early stages. I’ve also learned not to give priority to any one concept, because sometimes, the idea that I feel the most confident about—the one I’ve spent hours developing—is the first to get scrapped (it’s happened to me many times).
Here are the six concepts I submitted:
-
- Concept 1
-
- Concept 2
-
- Concept 3
-
- Concept 4
-
- Concept 5
-
- Concept 6
- Concepts 1 & 3: These featured high-quality photos of Tom Oddo: one of him working at his desk, and another looking through a telescope. I felt these were the strongest photos provided by UP (both because of their professional quality and the emblematic depiction of Tom).
- Concept 2: However, I did want to provide a cover that featured a collage of photos depicting Tom at various stages of his life, especially his work in both activism and with the church. I wanted to showcase the multifaceted nature of his journey.
- Concept 4: I used one of my favorite photos here, although the only trepidation I had with this photo was that it didn’t show Tom’s signature priest collar. I also introduced a diamond-shaped motif to try and incorporate additional photos, though there was something not quite right about it.
- Concept 5: This concept aimed to graphically represent the University of Portland, where Tom served as president for seven years. I wasn’t fully confident in this one, but I felt it was important to acknowledge his time at the University.
- Concept 6: Full-face covers aren’t usually my go-to, but they do convey a certain mood. I submitted this option in case UP wanted something more direct and striking.
When UP returned to me with detailed feedback, I was asked to scrap 5 and 6, and to revise the remaining four. Key feedback included:
- The colors on Concept 1 didn’t feel right.
- Something was compelling about the university graphic, but it wasn’t quite working.
- The collage idea had promise, but needed stronger images.
- The typography on the telescope cover needed improvement.
- The image in Concept 4 was strong, but there was something off about the diamond motif.
- Overall, the design had to be impactful and readable at thumbnail size. Typography needed better contrast and clarity.
Receiving detailed critique can be tough, but it’s a vital part of the creative process for designers. It often clarifies what the client doesn’t want, which is sometimes more useful than knowing what they do. It’s common for client preferences to sharpen once real options are on the table.Â
So with this feedback in mind, I got to work and submitted the following revisions:
-
- Revision 1
-
- Revision 2
-
- Revision 3
-
- Revision 4
-
- Revision 5
-
- Revision 6
-
- Revision 7
UP ended up requesting a few slight tweaks, and not long after, I received an email saying they wanted to skip any further revisions and move forward with the telescope cover.
The concept was locked in!
Next, we shifted focus to typography. The title, subtitle, and author name still weren’t 100% there. UP asked to see some variations, so I created five typographical versions, experimenting with typefaces, weights, placement, size, all caps versus small caps, italics, and color.
I aimed to make the most of the 6×9 format—and to use Tom’s dark suit strategically to make the title really pop. I was cautious with italics, since they often lose legibility at thumbnail size. I also avoided obscuring Tom’s priest collar, which I felt was important to highlight. While I considered some typographic effects, I tend to favor clean text and prefer to create contrast through the interplay of image and typography. (I’m pretty much a stickler about avoiding drop shadows.)
These were the typographic versions I submitted:
-
- Version 2: Same photo; title in wider serif font, subtitle centered underneath, author name aligned below.
-
- Version 3: Same photo; bolder serif font, title fills more space, subtitle and author stacked at bottom.
-
- Version 4: Same photo; title blocked with line-through effect, subtitle and author in smaller text beneath.
-
- Version 5: Same photo; title slanted diagonally across cover, subtitle in gold, author at bottom.
My personal favorite was Version 4. I was especially drawn to the blocked title and the line-through—it gave the design an almost political edge, reminiscent of current affairs non-fiction. The typeface I used, LTC Caslon, added to that effect. It’s an updated yet elegant take on a very traditional typeface that’s been around for over 300 years, originally designed by William Caslon. Thankfully, UP loved this version too. When the cover was finally locked in, we still made some final tweaks: converting the image to black and white to eliminate inconsistent color tones from the original photo, enlarging Tyler Bieber’s name, and refining the title placement to better utilize the space across Tom’s dark suit.
This final image—a photograph of Tom and Dr. Merle Starr at the campus observatory—worked beautifully. It conveyed the sense of radical listening that defined Tom’s approach and underscored that Tom was a priest open to new ideas and new ways of thinking.
To conclude, I loved being part of this project. And after typesetting the book’s interior, I feel like I’ve read Tom’s journey several times over—a remarkable biography that truly deserves a wide readership. Tom Oddo was an extraordinary person, and I’m honored to have played a role in bringing his story to life.
Here’s the final cover:
My name is Luis F. Ramos, and I hold a master’s degree in Book Publishing. I’m a freelance graphic designer, currently interning with iPub Cloud International as a Production Coordinator. My passion lies in bookmaking—not just cover and interior design, but also marketing and branding design. I love the power of effective visual communication and the power of books, especially the words they hold. To view my publishing portfolio, visit: luisframoswriter.com.
