Fresh examples of diverse examples of using imagery in book cover design

Examples of diverse examples of using imagery in book cover design across genres

Let’s start with what everyone secretly wants: real examples of diverse examples of using imagery in book cover design that actually moved books off shelves.

Take “The Vanishing Half” by Brit Bennett (Riverhead). The cover uses overlapping, abstract shapes in saturated colors instead of literal portraits. The imagery hints at identity, duality, and race without spelling anything out. It’s an example of imagery working as metaphor: the faces are fragmented, just like the story’s exploration of passing and split identities.

Compare that to “Project Hail Mary” by Andy Weir (Ballantine). The cover shows a single astronaut tumbling through space, tiny against a swirling yellow-black cosmic backdrop. It’s not subtle, but it’s effective. This is an example of using imagery in book cover design to nail genre instantly: sci-fi, high stakes, and isolation, all in one shot.

Then you have “Mexican Gothic” by Silvia Moreno-Garcia (Del Rey). A woman in a lush green dress sits against a floral background, holding flowers that feel slightly too stiff, too posed. The imagery plays with classic gothic romance covers but adds a modern, cinematic color palette. This is one of the best examples of how imagery can remix older genre tropes for a new audience.

Each of these covers uses different visual strategies, but they all show examples of diverse examples of using imagery in book cover design to communicate mood, genre, and theme before a reader even picks the book up.

Character-focused imagery: Faces, bodies, and identity

One of the most common examples of using imagery in book cover design is the character-focused cover—but the 2024 version looks very different from the hyper-literal covers of the early 2000s.

In romance and rom-com, illustrated characters are still everywhere, but the style has shifted. Books like “Happy Place” by Emily Henry and “The Kiss Quotient” by Helen Hoang use simplified character silhouettes with flat colors and minimal facial detail. This is a smart example of how imagery can feel inclusive without trying to show a perfectly realistic face that might exclude some readers. The characters feel specific but still open enough for readers to project themselves into the story.

On the other end of the spectrum, literary fiction often avoids clear faces, leaning into partial views or obscured portraits. Think of “Normal People” by Sally Rooney (the can-of-people illustration) or the more recent trend of cropped faces and backs of heads. These covers are examples of diverse examples of using imagery in book cover design where the character is present but not fully revealed, mirroring stories about interiority, miscommunication, and ambiguity.

In memoir and nonfiction, faces are still powerful, but the styling is evolving. A book like “Becoming” by Michelle Obama uses a straightforward portrait, but newer releases often blend portraits with graphic elements, textures, or archival imagery. This hybrid approach is a strong example of how imagery can signal both personal story and broader social context.

Symbolic and abstract imagery: When less literal says more

Some of the best examples of using imagery in book cover design are almost aggressively non-literal. Instead of showing a scene or a character, they use symbols, shapes, and textures.

Consider “The Midnight Library” by Matt Haig. The cover shows a grid of tiny windows, each containing a different scene or object. It’s not a literal library; it’s a symbolic one. This is an example of diverse examples of using imagery in book cover design to represent multiple lives and choices without illustrating a single plot moment.

Another strong example: “On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous” by Ocean Vuong. Many editions use close-up textures—skin, fabric, blurred motion—rather than a clear narrative scene. The imagery feels poetic, just like the writing. Instead of screaming “Vietnam War” or “queer coming-of-age,” the cover whispers in atmosphere.

In speculative fiction, abstract imagery is trending hard in 2024–2025. You’ll see geometric shapes, gradients, and surreal fragments instead of spaceships and dragons. This aligns with broader design shifts noted in design education programs (for example, RISD’s graphic design approach highlights conceptual thinking over literal depiction). These covers are examples of diverse examples of using imagery in book cover design where the concept does the heavy lifting.

If your story deals with big themes—memory, time, grief, identity—symbolic imagery can often communicate that more effectively than a literal scene that tries to cram everything in.

Typographic imagery: When words become the picture

One of my favorite examples of using imagery in book cover design is when the type itself is the image.

Look at “Less” by Andrew Sean Greer. The falling character is there, sure, but the large, airy type does as much storytelling as the illustration. Or “The Girl with the Louding Voice” by Abi Daré, where the typography bursts with color and pattern, almost functioning like a textile.

Then there are covers that go almost pure type, but treat letters like shapes. Many nonfiction bestsellers—especially in business, culture, and politics—use bold sans-serif type that dominates the cover. The imagery might be limited to a single graphic element or texture, but the letters themselves act like imagery. This is an example of diverse examples of using imagery in book cover design that’s especially effective for serious topics where a photo might feel too sensational.

If you’re designing in this direction, think of type as a visual object: Can it bend, stack, wrap, or interact with invisible forces? Can it be cut off, partially erased, or layered with color fields? These choices turn words into images without adding extra illustration.

Photography and collage: Real-world texture and layered stories

Photography used to mean “author headshot slapped on the front” or “stock photo of a landscape.” Thankfully, 2024 has better ideas.

One of the best examples of using imagery in book cover design with photography is “Educated” by Tara Westover. The pencil that turns into a mountain range, with a tiny figure at the top, blends photo-like texture with graphic simplicity. It’s a symbolic collage rather than a literal snapshot of the author’s life.

You also see powerful collage imagery in contemporary nonfiction about race, history, and identity. Covers for books on social justice or cultural criticism often layer archival photos, documents, and bold color blocks. This layered approach mirrors the way these books assemble stories from many sources. It’s a strong example of diverse examples of using imagery in book cover design where collage visually represents complexity.

For designers, collage is a flexible way to:

• Combine time periods (old photos with modern color).
• Put personal and political imagery side by side.
• Suggest that the book is assembling evidence, testimony, or memory.

If you’re working with sensitive topics—health, trauma, mental health—collage and symbolic photography can show respect and nuance. Health communication research from organizations like NIH and CDC often emphasizes clarity and sensitivity in visuals; the same logic applies to book covers about difficult subjects. You want imagery that informs and invites, not imagery that exploits.

Genre-specific examples of using imagery in book cover design

Different genres have their own visual dialects. Here are some real examples of how imagery plays out across categories.

Mystery and thriller

Mystery and thriller covers love partial information. You’ll see:

• Figures walking away into fog.
• Isolated houses or roads.
• Cropped eyes, hands, or silhouettes.

A good example: “The Girl on the Train” by Paula Hawkins with its blurred, streaky motion effect. The imagery suggests speed, distortion, and unreliability—exactly what the story is about. Another is “The Silent Patient” by Alex Michaelides, where a simple, damaged canvas and a torn strip of tape do more storytelling than any bloody knife ever could.

These are sharp examples of diverse examples of using imagery in book cover design that lean on atmosphere over gore.

Fantasy and science fiction

Fantasy covers used to be all about literal scenes: dragons, castles, swords. Now you’re just as likely to see a single, iconic object or sigil.

Think of “The Poppy War” by R. F. Kuang, with its ink-brush style warrior figure and empty white background. Or “Babel” by the same author, which uses architectural imagery and intricate line work to communicate academia, colonialism, and magic all at once.

Science fiction is trending toward abstraction: planetary orbits as rings of color, glitch effects, and surreal landscapes. These are examples of diverse examples of using imagery in book cover design that feel cinematic without recreating a specific scene.

Romance and rom-com

Romance imagery has gone through a full rebrand. The painted, hyper-real clinch covers of the 80s and 90s gave way to flat, bright illustrations.

Recent best examples include:

• “The Spanish Love Deception” by Elena Armas with its illustrated couple and bold color.
• “Book Lovers” by Emily Henry, where books and posture do as much character work as faces.

These covers use imagery to signal tone—funny, cozy, low-angst—more than plot specifics. They’re also an example of using imagery in book cover design to attract readers who might be embarrassed by old-school “bodice ripper” covers.

Inclusive and diverse imagery: Who gets to be on the cover?

Diversity isn’t a trend; it’s overdue correction. Some of the most important examples of diverse examples of using imagery in book cover design are about who gets seen.

You’re now far more likely to find:

• Black, Brown, and Indigenous protagonists centered on the cover.
• Queer couples shown in romance imagery, not just coded through symbols.
• Plus-size, disabled, and older bodies represented without being reduced to a “before/after” trope.

Books like “You Made a Fool of Death with Your Beauty” by Akwaeke Emezi or “Honey Girl” by Morgan Rogers show women of color in lush, romantic imagery that would have been rare on mainstream covers a decade ago.

Design programs and publishing discussions increasingly emphasize representation. For example, many university design departments, like those at Harvard, talk about visual culture and identity as part of design education. That thinking is finally showing up on the shelf.

When you’re planning imagery, ask:

• Does this cover reflect the actual identities in the book?
• Are we avoiding stereotypes in how we pose, dress, or frame characters?
• Could a symbolic or abstract approach avoid tokenizing while still signaling identity?

These questions lead to better examples of using imagery in book cover design that respect both the story and the reader.

2024–2025 trends: Where imagery is heading next

If you’re looking for the best examples of where imagery is headed right now, a few patterns keep showing up on new releases and design shortlists:

• High-contrast color blocking with a single, simple image (a chair, a house, a flower) carrying the emotional weight.
• AI-assisted imagery used as a sketching tool, then heavily edited or redrawn by humans. Smart designers are using it for concept exploration, not as a final asset.
• Hand-drawn textures and imperfections layered over digital imagery to keep things from feeling too sterile.
• Minimalist covers with one unexpected detail—a tiny figure, a misaligned letter, a single object out of place—that invites a second look.

These trends offer more examples of diverse examples of using imagery in book cover design that are less about spectacle and more about vibe. The best examples invite you in, then reward you when you look closer.

Practical tips: Turning these examples into your own imagery

Looking at real examples is great, but how do you translate them into your own work without copying?

• Start with theme words, not plot points. Instead of “woman moves to New York,” think “reinvention, loneliness, ambition, anonymity.” Those words suggest imagery: crowds, windows, reflections, stairs.
• Pick one dominant image. Most strong covers have a single visual idea—a house, a face, a flower, a road. Let everything else support that.
• Decide your distance: Are we close-up (intimate, emotional) or far away (epic, reflective)? That choice alone changes the entire mood.
• Test your imagery small. The best examples of using imagery in book cover design still read at thumbnail size on a phone screen.

If you’re stuck, spend time analyzing real examples. Ask: What’s the main image? How much is literal vs symbolic? How does color affect the message? Over time, you’ll start to see patterns you can remix for your own covers.

FAQ: Real-world questions about imagery on book covers

Q: Can you give an example of a simple cover that still feels powerful?
Yes. “Norwegian Wood” by Haruki Murakami (vintage editions) often uses simple circles and color fields. No faces, no scenes—just mood. It shows how minimal imagery can feel emotional when color and composition are thoughtful.

Q: Are photographic covers going out of style?
Not really—they’re just getting smarter. Instead of literal stock photos, you’re seeing stylized portraits, conceptual photography, and collage. Modern examples include memoirs and essay collections that use archival photos layered with graphic elements.

Q: Do I need characters on the cover to attract readers?
Not always. Many best examples of using imagery in book cover design rely on objects (a chair, a house, a flower, a weapon) or pure abstraction to communicate genre and tone. Characters can help, especially in romance, but they’re not mandatory.

Q: How can I make sure my imagery is inclusive and respectful?
Consult with people who share the identities you’re depicting, avoid stereotypes in poses and styling, and consider whether symbolic imagery might work better than a literal depiction. Looking at current, well-reviewed covers featuring similar identities is a good starting point for responsible examples of imagery.

Q: Is it okay to use AI-generated imagery on a book cover?
It’s controversial. Many designers use AI only for concept exploration, then create final art themselves to avoid legal and ethical issues. If you do use it, check rights carefully and consider the expectations of your audience and publisher.