When designing or illustrating a book, you should be aware of the book dimension you should consider and if they will work best for you. Large stores like Apple iBooks will require a minimum of 1,400 pixels or more for the eBook cover. It will also depend on the size of your eBook. The shorter the book, the larger the pixel requirements. Read about the pixel guide below;
Recommended Book Cover Dimensions
There are 4 different sizes of pixels recommended for different situations, these are;
- Recommended size for Kindle Direct Publishing- 2,560 x 1,600 or 1.6: 1aspect ratio.
- Non-fiction and Novels- 2,560px x 1,600 px or 1.5 :1 aspect ratio
- Books (Illustrated)- 2,800 px x 3,920 px or 1.4: 1 aspect ratio. Also, acceptable here is 3,000 px x 3,600 px or 1.2: 1 aspect ratio.
- Audiobooks – 3,200 x 3,200 px or 1: 1 aspect ratio.
Though, you might get confused by these numbers in the beginning, most especially if you are a novice in Pixel and aspect ratios. The following sections explain further what pixels and aspect ratios mean.
Size And Shape Of Book Cover- The Pixel Guide
We can use the eBook reader from Amazon to explain the Perfect Sized Mockup for your book cover. The screen for an average reader, reading an eBook has an aspect ratio of 1.33: 1 and that means that for every 100 pixels of the width of the screen, here are 133 pixels of the height of the screen. His can be compared to your old black-white V screen. Different devices today will center book cover design seamlessly and you may not even notice such favor. Instead of focusing on the size of your book cover on an eBook reader, you should rather focus on how it will look at all retail platforms.
Publishers Recommend Pixel Size 1.6: 1
Top eBook publishing platforms are flexible when it comes to choosing the best book cover. Publishers can easily upload and adjust their cover before publishing. Experts managing these platforms do recommend a cover height/width ratio of 1.6:1. This means that for every 1000 Pixels of width you choose, your book cover should be 1,600 pixels in height.
To guaranty, a better image quality especially on high definition (HD) devices, the height of your image should be a minimum of 2,500 pixels. The suitable dimensions recommended for an HD book cover is 2,560 x 1,600 pixels. The 1.6:1 book cover recommendation is mostly found in paperback and other mass-market platforms and such formats often result in a thinner appearance.
Recommended Pixels Dimensions For Non-Fiction And Novels
Publishers will normally display the original hardcover of their works on their publishing pages. The pre-designed template often comes with a pre-set 1.5: 1 ratio which is quite larger than the recommended size. You need to make a proper adjustment because you still have to display the cover art in the thumbnail format. You should make use of the slightly wider cover format because it wouldn’t compensate you for the smaller image appearance.
For Illustrated Books, 1.4:1 Or 1.2:1 Is Recommended
Illustrated books such as Art, cookery or recipe books, and Photography, often come with wider trims that will affect the final appearance of your book cover. As a result of this, they end to come with covers of ratios 1.2:1 and 1.4:1. These two formats can help the cover image sand out, which can also be the source of a very massive selling point.
To activate the 1.4: 1-pixel ratio, simply set the dimension of your cover to 2800 x 3920. To activate the 1.2: 1-pixel ratio, it is recommended that you set your cover’s dimension to pixel dimensions 3000 x 3600. Don’t be confused with the arrangement of numbers, the larger numbers are for heights and the lower ones for the widths.
For Audiobooks, Recommended Dimensions Are 1:1
The audiobook sector seems to be the fastest-growing sector of the self-publishing industry and fortunately, most publishing platforms do have a pre-set 1:1 ratio as default for your cover art. Audiobook cover art with a 1:1 ratio that makes it look like a square. Sometimes, audiobook covers may look like a cropped version of the paperback design. You may want to work with your original coverer designer to re-adjust the book cover art from the paperback version to fit into the 1:1 ratio.
Printed Book Cover: What Should Be The Ideal Dimensions
If you intend to create a physical version or copy of your published eBook, your book cover dimensions should be determined by your trim which comprises of the shape and size of each page- The dimensions will be in millimeters or inches depending on your regional location. Keep in mind that the dimensions of your trim will largely affect the final cost of printing. The standards applicable to the genre will also affect the final costs of printing.
What You Should Do When Adjusting Your Book Dimensions For Printed Version
When adjusting the file for your book cover design, make sure you double the trim width and calculate the final spine width based on page count. Publishing platforms provide free tools to work these calculations out. You should also consider doubling the bleed- the bleed is that extra design that extends on all sides just to allow for errors when printing. Consider choosing the bleed measurement of 3mm on all sides of the template. A trim bleed of 3mm bleed is also required for the height.
Conclusion
Choosing the ideal dimensions for your book cover will require balancing certain needs. You need to ensure that each new book you publish has a cover that has the same dimension as other books in your genre. You should maintain a good quality book cover in all genres you publish. Secondly, there is a need to stand out from the crowd especially among publishers who publish in similar genres. It is also important to grab the attention of readers via your book cover on thumbnails. Consider software or professional designer when finalizing your book cover art for the best result.
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