Design Easy Cover Patterns - 1

By John McWade Before & After Magazine
Dateline: March 23, 2005More Graphic Design tips
Images used in this article are from Photos.com.

The look of a cover sets the tone, conveys the character and clues the reader to the value (or not) of what’s behind it. Here’s a way to make cover designs out of nothing except a pen and rectangle (or ellipse) tool and some type. The technique is called step and repeat; you create one object such as a circle, repeat it across your page until it becomes a pattern, then add your words. The variations? Endless. You’ll see.



Fun with Circles
Create a decorative pattern by overlapping translucent circles. Circles make especially good patterns because of their smooth curves and seamless interaction.




Color
Opposite colors create striking patterns, while similar colors harmonize softly. The amount of opacity, or translucency, determines how much the colors mingle.




Same Circles, Different Look
Turn those flowery, see-through circles into a conservative, low-key texture. Delete the color fill, add a white stroke, then fill the background with a muted hue.




Focal point
Add your text, then embellish the result with a photographic object. Its depth and realism make an arresting focal point atop the flat, artificial field.