--- title: "Kerala Artist Argues Book Covers Are Art Forms" url: https://projectchintan.com/article/kerala-artist-argues-book-covers-are-art-c7wfk publisher: Project Chintan author: Project Chintan Newsroom section: Business published: 2026-08-14T07:30:24.841Z modified: 2026-08-14T10:00:04.758Z language: en-IN --- # Kerala Artist Argues Book Covers Are Art Forms Book cover designer Arun Gokul advocates for greater recognition of his craft in Kerala, stating that aesthetically designed covers are works of art. He has designed over 1,200 covers for prominent Malayalam authors over two decades. ## Key takeaways - Arun Gokul, a book cover designer from Kerala, asserts that aesthetically designed book covers constitute works of art. - Gokul has been designing covers for nearly two decades and has created over 1,200 designs for various authors. - He believes book covers serve as a crucial introduction and branding element for literary works. - Gokul's design process often relies on synopses and editorial input, as reading the entire book before cover design is not always feasible. Book cover designer Arun Gokul believes that the work of cover artists in Kerala, a region with numerous publishing houses, often goes unacknowledged. He likens a book cover to the packaging for a product, essential for a book's initial introduction to potential readers. Gokul has been designing book covers for approximately 20 years, creating designs for over 1,200 books. Among the authors whose works he has designed covers for are Madhavikutty, M Mukundan, Anand, MT Vasudevan Nair, Hari Nandan, Sheela Tomy, and Haritha Savitri. ## What Happened Arun Gokul, a creative designer based in Thiruvananthapuram, has been designing book covers for nearly two decades. He views the book cover as an introduction not only to the book itself but also to him as an artist. His journey into this field began when he designed the cover for his college magazine, which garnered attention and encouraged him to pursue this creative avenue. Although he has not received formal art education, Gokul has refined his skills through continuous practice. His initial experiments involved creating mock covers for novels and submitting them to publishing houses. This led to his first book cover commission in 2005 for R Sreelekha's 'Cheru Marmarangal', published by DC Books. Gokul emphasizes that a book cover is a work of art, noting that some contemporary practices may involve using internet printouts or AI-generated content. He explained that he typically works with synopses or voice notes from editors, and sometimes only the book title, to conceptualize his designs. He recounted an instance where he redesigned the covers for Muttathu Varkey’s works to appeal to a younger audience. This task required an understanding of current trends and the author's existing body of work. Gokul stated that editorial input significantly aids his design process, often resulting in brighter, more engaging covers designed to spark curiosity. ## Key Facts - Book cover designer Arun Gokul works in Kerala. - He has been designing book covers for approximately 20 years. - He has designed over 1,200 book covers. - Notable authors for whom he has designed covers include Madhavikutty, M Mukundan, Anand, MT Vasudevan Nair, Hari Nandan, Sheela Tomy, and Haritha Savitri. - His first book cover was for R Sreelekha's 'Cheru Marmarangal', published in 2005 by DC Books. - Gokul works as a creative designer with C-DIT (Centre for Development of Imaging Technology) in Thiruvananthapuram. ## Background Gokul's interest in book cover design was sparked during his studies at Catholicate College, Pathanamthitta, where an early magazine cover design project brought him recognition. This led him to experiment with creating unsolicited mock covers for novels, which eventually resulted in his first professional commission. He asserts that a book cover is an artistic creation and acknowledges the potential for some designers to utilize online resources or artificial intelligence. Gokul's process often involves interpreting a book's essence through synopses or brief descriptions provided by editors, as he may not always have the opportunity to read the entire book before designing its cover. The designer highlighted the importance of understanding trends and the author's existing work, particularly when reintroducing a celebrated writer's books to a new demographic. He noted that collaboration with editors enhances his ability to create covers that effectively invite readers into the worlds crafted by authors. --- Canonical: https://projectchintan.com/article/kerala-artist-argues-book-covers-are-art-c7wfk Reported from: Multiple Sources