Post'One flew over the Cuckoo's Nest' Covers

I have been researching previous 'One flew over the Cuckoo's Nest' covers. This will help me in my design process, making sure i don't replicate any obvious images or take a predictable root, as the brief specifies. I want to avoid any clince images and make something individual to me and new and refreshing approach to the cover of this novel. 

I want to analyse each of these book covers so I have a clearer understanding of all the different styles and approaches that different people have taken to this cover. I think by taking some short comments on each image will broaden my knowledge and help me create something individual.  

Out of all the images i have researched I feel that this particular cover is the most cliche cover. This cover takes the title of the book literally, word for word. I feel like they wanted to make a completely obvious cover. I do like the cover in a way but i feel that it could of been done better, by changing the the bird and the hand rendered type. 

This cover references to the film 'One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest' staring Jack Nicholson. The artist has done a very good job of illustrating the main character Mac Merfy but it is the spitting image of the film character. I will reflect on this cover when doing the Penguin brief as it particularly says not to include any well known imagery from the film on the cover design. 

When I saw this cover for the first time I was impressed with the different approach that this person took to the concept. The colours are very bright, blocky and bold which I personally wouldn't relate to the story. I like how their individual style has imprinted on to the cover, it doesn't strike you like the front cover for this novel but I think unexpected is good.

This cover is not one of my favourites image or colour wise but it does have a an interesting approach to type. The title font looks a tad like letter press which caught my eye, I considered this method for my cover. The distorted text on the back, I like this approach keep this writing interesting. 

I am a fan of the simplicity of this cover, the red silhouette in the background with the one lined white drawing of a man reaching to the sky. I feel like this cover has a strong presence and communicates the message of madness well. I feel like the concept is that the red silhouette is in the background meaning pain, the shape could to me could be seen as a bird shape of the table that the patients go on to have electro therapy. The man on the front has a basic message which i think is displayed in his stature, hands up (pleading for help) and a blank expression, white could symbolise the light. I want to take some conceptual inspiration from this cover, strong colours and meaning. 

This cover i think is one of my favourites visually. It hits all the all the right notes, colour wise and conceptually. This cover at first made me think of Alice in Wonderland with the flooring and the turned upside down room. I Like the dark illustration technique, looks like its been done in thick pencils. The concept is strong, have the window where the Nurse Rachet talks to the patients from. In the image her silhouette is seen hanging out the glass window out to the day room and the place has literally been turned upside down, like in the book, the whole breaking out of the normal and causing disruption. A lot of shadows and darkness relating to the books undertone well.   

This is another good example of drawing a main character that shouldn't reference to the film by make Macmerfy look like the leading actor Jack Nickelson. This book cover hasn't really caught my eye in any positive ways, I am not a fan of the type, colour choice or style of illustration. The only thing his cover has reminded me of for my own design don't forget to make an effort with the spine.

This book cover has an alternative approach for this novel. I really like the hand rendered type, It works well with the style of the illustration which i will consider for my cover. I slightly don't understand the concept to this image, yes i get that the eggs could relate to the cuckoo and it's on top of a head implying madness. I feel that this image isn't very related to the book even in its underlined obvious links visually.     

I am a big fan of this book cover, It reflects on all the small details in the book like the fishing trip, Macmerfy being a gambler, how they all smoke, medication, keys and the pack of matches he keeps in his sleeve. All these little things put together to make a quirky front cover. I really love how some of the objects replace the type to make up the title. This cover shows much thought and great layout skills. The almost scribbled type complements the illustration style well. This three colour palette works well, with the simplicity.  

This cover does the complete unexpected, colourful in what reminded me of a totem pole style which i consider something that doesn't relate to the book at all. I appreciate the different approach taken and the references to a character and few items that play a part in the novel. personally i like the style, its eye catching and for a new reader to the book it could tempt them into a buy.     

This cover I find quite dull, I am not liking the reference to pills, even though i get that its closely related to metal health. I feel that so much more can be done with a cover and this for me isn't really breaking any boundaries with no real concept. On the positive I like the simplicity of the layout of the text both on the front, spine and back. The title has different font sizes and the colour matching the image is a nice touch and brings the whole image together. The spine is bold and simple and keeps with the same colour reference as the front. The back had a simple type, not too big and neatly at the top of the page. 

This book cover is currently in the shops and the one that people are currently buying. I feel like this front cover has a totally different approach than all the rest as this is a photograph. It pictures the hall way in a metal heath hospital, with some light non-serif text over the top match the colours in the photo. I am not a huge fn of this cover as it doesn't excite me visually, but i do a get a strong concept. The hallway gives yo the chance t see into the hospital even before you ope the book, giving you and image in your head prior. The colours are dull, it gives the sense of emptiness and loss. Also if you really look into the photo you could take the window at the end of the hallway as a metaphor ( there is light at the end of the tunnel.) 

I get a certain era from this book cover which is the 60's, block shapes and popped colours, earthy and red. I do not think there is a concept to this book cover, its purpose was to capture the style of the time the book was published which was in the 60's. At the time of it's release this book cover would of been seen as in trend. I like the bold text on the front and the colour flow through out the book, but to me for current book design market I wouldn't use this combination of colours. 

I can guess this book cover is quite dated but the way the image has been depicted is very well considered. The way the man has been made up of the fence with with different colours but still keeping the same pattern, this sends me a message that this cover is portraying is being stuck, and being part of surroundings. The body language of the man reads to me like he wants to fly/ to be free, which makes him different/ a different colour. This is all related to the novel and title very well with out being too obvious. This is something I aim to accomplish with my own designs. 

Intense, is one word id use to describe this cover. This illustration style is sketchy, it looks like its been done in ink and quill. Using this medium of drawing is my favourite method, it really creates some mood to the illustration. I think this style fits well with the novel, it shows the mood of the novel quite well with the messy drawing and the contrast between light and dark. 

This book jacket has a very good sense of space the use of block colour and the choice of colour is unexpected but again in a good way because I find it tests the way you think about the book. The integration of imagery in the text is something that I was going to explore, I like the way the the bird cages make up for the 'O's In the title. I want to experiment with combining image with text. 

This concept plays with the thought that Macmerfy is a big gambler and in the hospital he plays cards all the time. I like the way this idea plays with the thought that he is the King and the nurse is the Queen. It reflects there roles in the book and the fact that the are the most important characters in the book. the cards represent there status in the book and how real life can be looked at and played like a game, with an winner and a looser.