AIGA Design Archives

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Design Category
Book design, 2003
Design firm
Rodrigo Corral Design (New York, New York)
Collection
(2004) 50 Books/50 Covers of 2003

Description

The idea for this cover is a literal translation of the story. Diary is about a man who leaves messages sealed within the walls of houses he remodels. These messages are discovered by his wife while he lies comatose in a hospital after a suicide attempt and become a link between the two characters.

Hand lettering was used to make the type look exactly the way the man’s notes are described. Also, using hand lettering on the reverse of the dust jacket gives the feeling of a secret message, which readers would find only if they removed the jacket.

Credits
Creative director: John Fontana
Art director: John Fontana
Designer: Rodrigo Corral
Production director: Kim Cacho
Production coordinator: Kimberly Nordling
Production artist: Chris Robertson
Author: Chuck Palahniuk
Editor: Gerald Howard
Publisher: Doubleday
Trim size: 5-1/2 x 8-1/4”
Quantity printed: 100,000
Compositor: Berryville Graphics
Typeface: Hand lettering
Jacket printer: Coral Graphics
Paper: Tomahawk 80 lb. text
Binder: Berryville Graphics
Book type: Literature and nonfiction
Juror Notes

“Directly eye-catching. Rough lettering keeps it from being too stark. The inside jacket printing is an added innovation.” Isabel Warren-Lynch