in Production
Matte and gloss cover finishes
The coating on a cover changes how its colours look, how it feels and how it wears. It deserves as much thought as the colours themselves.
Most paperback covers, and case laminate hardbacks, are protected with a thin plastic laminate or a coat of varnish. The finish is usually gloss or matte, and the choice affects colour, texture, durability and what kind of book the cover suggests.
Gloss
A gloss finish is smooth and shiny. It reflects light, which makes colours look more saturated and blacks look deeper. Photographs and vivid illustrations often look their best under gloss.
It is also practical. Gloss laminate is hard-wearing, wipes clean and tends to show scuffs less readily than matte.
The drawback is reflection. Under bright lights a glossy cover can show glare, which makes it harder to read at some angles. Gloss is often associated with commercial fiction, children's books and illustrated non-fiction, though associations vary between markets and categories.
Matte
A matte finish is smooth but not shiny. It diffuses light rather than reflecting it, so colours look a little softer and blacks slightly less deep. There is no glare.
Matte covers often have a quieter, more understated feel and are common in literary fiction and non-fiction. Many people find them pleasant in the hand.
The drawback is wear. Matte finishes tend to show fingerprints, scuffs and marks more readily than gloss, and dark matte covers show them most. A dark, flat-coloured matte cover can look worn after light handling.
Soft-touch is a variant of matte with a velvety feel. It is appealing in the hand and looks rich, especially with dark colours, but it usually costs more and can mark easily.
Designing for the finish
The finish should be decided before the cover is signed off, because it changes how the design looks. A cover designed on screen and printed matte may look flatter than intended; the same cover printed gloss may look harsher.
Colour choices interact with the finish. Deep, dark covers can look luxurious under matte or soft-touch, but that is where marks show most. Bright, saturated covers usually benefit from gloss.
The two can be combined. Spot UV is a glossy varnish applied only to selected areas, such as the title or one element of the image, often over a matte background. The contrast in shine and texture draws attention to those areas. It is mainly an offset option and needs its own artwork, a separate layer or file showing exactly where the varnish goes. It works best on clear shapes; very fine detail or small text may not register precisely.
Availability and proofing
Offset printing offers a wide range of finishes and effects. Print on demand usually offers a simpler choice, often between matte and gloss.
Finish is something a screen cannot show. The same design printed matte and printed gloss can look like two different books. A proof with the chosen finish, examined in daylight and under shop-style lighting, is the reliable way to judge it.