Is it risky to publish a book with a grayscale cover? Should I avoid publishing a black-and-white book cover? Does my book cover have to be colorful?
Absolutely not!
Publishers often push designers to create hyper-colorful covers that will “stand out” on book display tables. But who says a black-and-white design can’t be just as striking?
In the hands of a highly experienced book cover designer, a grayscale cover can be just as attention-grabbing as its colorful counterparts—sometimes even more so.
In certain cases, a black-and-white palette is the best choice to capture a book’s mood or themes. The following examples showcase black-and-white book covers that don’t rely on color for impact. Instead, they use contrast, texture, typography, and composition to create powerful, memorable visuals.
Whether for a moody literary novel, a Big Idea book, or a historical work, grayscale covers can evoke elegance, nostalgia, or stark modernity. Here are some standout examples that prove black and white can be just as bold as full color.
Explore the tags gray and black & white for more designs like these. A portion of the cover Ponyboy was used for today’s blog post cover image.
The Intuitionist by Colson Whitehead
Designer: Eric Fuentecila
On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong
Designer: Darren Haggar
Ponyboy by Eliot Duncan
Designer: Richard Ljoenes
A black and white photo of a famous person never hurts.
Neon typography placed over an interesting grayscale photo is super legible
Black and white ‘Albert Camus series’ from 2007 by Helen Yentus
The Infinite Blacktop by Sara Gran
Designer: Alex Merto
All-type, black and white book covers with custom typographical renderings
The Removers by Andrew Meredith
Designer: Evan Gaffney
More type-only, black and white book covers
An Abolitionists Handbook by Patrisse Cullors
Designer: Olga Grlic
Still Pictures by Liz Moore
Designer: let us know!
On Gaslighting by Kate Abramson
Designer: Karl Spurzem
The Never-Open Desert Diner by James Anderson
Designer: Will Staehle
How to Find the Best Book Cover Designer for a Black and White Book Cover
The “best” book cover artist is subjective and varies according to an author’s specific vision and style preference. However, platforms like the INeedABookCover Jobs Board have made it easier for authors to find and collaborate with talented, professional designers like the ones listed in this article. Use the Jobs Board to share your project’s creative brief with our vetted listserv of designers! Designers seeking book cover jobs and book cover designer jobs can apply to join our private listserv for the opportunity to bid on lucrative book cover design jobs.
If you enjoyed this listicle, be sure to check out the “Design Devices” series to explore other elements commonly used on book covers such as clouds, paintings, and balls of crumpled paper.
