Back with Part 2 of my exclusive interview with the fabulously talented, Kristen Vasgaard, who the Art Director for HarperCollins Christian Publishing. Before you dive in here, make sure you have read Part 1 of our interview where Kristen shares about who she is, what she does, some book covers she adores, and a lot more interesting stuff!

Today, Kristen responds to more detailed questions and takes us through the cover design process, step by step. We hope you enjoy!

Learn more about the cover design process with

Kristen Vasgaard

Art Director, HarperCollins

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Rel:~ Can you describe the design process from the first ideas to completion?

Kristen:~ I have a monthly meeting with the editors and publisher to discuss upcoming books about 9-12 months before they appear in stores. The editors provide a summary sheet with helpful information and a manuscript, and we spend some time talking about target markets, comparable covers, the tone and style of the story, and important details. From there I do further research, sketch out some ideas, and contact the designer I feel is most appropriate to design the cover. I give as much information as I can to the designer and they have 2-3 weeks to return 3-5 comps to me. If the comps are appropriate I will then show the publisher, and we’ll discuss the viability of the ideas with the editors, eventually pulling in the author for final approval. Usually in that process are several rounds of revisions to the cover to make sure it’s just right for the book…sometimes the changes are minor, like hair or eye color, and sometimes they require throwing all the ideas out and starting over. Also, if a photo shoot is required, I will contact a photographer and get model, clothing, and hairstyle options approved.

The final step for our front covers is a sales conference, which is held 3 times a year, and gives the sales team an opportunity to see all the covers and offer any pertinent feedback. After that, the covers are included in our catalog and sent to bookstore buyers and online retailers.

Do your ideas for a cover stem from the title or story first? 

Even though the title is final before I begin design, most of the time I pull the cover idea from a scene or theme of the story, not the title. However, I’m always keeping the title in mind to make sure there isn’t a disconnect between the title and image, and that the visual reinforces the title to create the most impactful and appropriate cover we can.

What input do your authors have with regard to their cover design?

Our authors have the opportunity to approve their covers, so the editor solicits their input at the beginning of the cover process, and then they see a cover design (sometimes more than one) that we feel is the strongest solution, and we make any final revisions or tweaks from there. I try to cultivate strong relationships with my authors so we can have open dialogue about the covers and what’s working or not working. When there’s mutual trust in the process it’s a lot easier to get to a great design.

What is the best feedback you have received from an author when you have shown them their cover? 

Oh this is a hard one! I’ve had screams, happy tears, really encouraging and thankful emails, and even flowers delivered! It’s really satisfying to have a happy author because I know the book is like their baby and I want to make sure I make it look better than even they imagined it would.

                                  Here’s a handful of Thomas Nelson covers I love ~ Rel

Do you approach a contemporary cover in the same way as an historical cover? 

On all the covers I am striving to create intrigue and appeal to the right audience, but on historical covers I definitely have to pay attention to establishing the right time period and getting the details and images historically accurate, while a contemporary cover doesn’t have those same challenges.

What popular trends do you see in cover art today? 

Aside from the very popular decapitated bodies, I’m noticing more artistic poses of people in general…maybe a photo that focuses on the bodice of a dress or the heroine’s hands…there’s a trend toward details rather than big picture. Also, handwritten type and illustrations are very prominent right now as designers are leaning away from solely using the computer and incorporating the craft of design and art.

What differences (if any) do you see between general market fiction covers and many Christian fiction covers (aside from the obvious of certain ABA covers having more “skin in the game”)?! 

I’ve always found ABA covers to rely on depictions of people a lot less than Christian fiction covers. ABA covers more readily use place, objects, and/or type to set the mood, while covers for the Christian market have more frequently used people and been a bit more direct in showing the characters and settings of the book. There has historically been more room for creative solutions in ABA than in the Christian markets, but I’m starting to see that shift as Christian covers become more diverse.

Can you share a cover journey in pictures? From first ideas to final cover?

I always start with a document from the editor with information about the target market, story, key themes, and style of the book. It will also contain a story synopsis and character descriptions. I will review this document with the editor and then start brainstorming ideas for the cover, doing my own research.

Here is a look at the design journey of Robin Lee Hatcher’s The Heart’s Pursuit, set to release in April, 2014 ~ hope you love the sneak peek!

The next step is to get ideas from a designer (or design comps myself) and I will discuss with the publisher, editor, and author and we will agree on a cover direction. If the cover requires a photo shoot we select a model and costume, then I direct the shoot and select the most appropriate shot from all the options.

After the image is selected we place it on the cover and then continue to refine the image and design until we get a final cover!

What feedback from readers is most helpful to you? 

It’s impossible to design a cover that will be universally appealing to all people, so comments about details like the color of a dress or typography usually aren’t as helpful as feedback about the overall feeling of the cover. It helps me most to know if a cover makes you bored or makes you want to pick it up immediately and other broad statements like that. And of course, feedback about how much someone loves a cover is always welcome! 😉

I can’t thank you enough, Kristen, for the time and effort you have put into providing us with real insight into your job and the cover design process. Appreciate you!

My dear readers, please add your comments and questions below to thank Kristen, and feel free to pick her brain a little with any questions you might have 😉

Relz Reviewz Extras
Behind the Scenes with Kristen Vasgaard ~ Part 1
Visit Pen, Meet Paper ~ Kristen’s Etsy Store