Marber intricately analysed what was needed from the layout and designed his grid based on his observations. He was careful to consider that the mystery and crime series style had remained practically unchanged since Edward Young’s typographic designs were first adopted 25 years prior.By collating the typographic information and the colophon together within the top third of the page, he allowed for over two thirds of the cover to be used by the illustration, effectively giving the cover artwork the space needed to capture a browser’s attention and sell the book.
Facetti was so inspired by Marber’s design that he also used it for Penguin’s fiction range, and would later apply it again, practically unchanged, to the blue Pelican books. Eventually Marber’s layout became the standard layout for the entire range of Penguin paperbacks.
Today, Marber’s design is synonymous with Penguin books. Many people I’m sure could recognise a Penguin book from the layout alone, simply because they’re so well recognised as ‘classic Penguin’ designs.
It’s stood the test of time due to Marber’s careful consideration of it’s application and requirements, the fundamentals of any good design.
The Clasic 'Marber Grid' layout
Marber's Career Timeline
- Late 1950's- The cover of The Economist
- 1961- Penguin books were impressed by The Economist designs, and asked Marber to design Simeon Potter's Our Language and Language in the Modern World.
- Impressed with the original cover, Penguin asked Marber to submit a proposal for a new cover approach for the Penguin Crime series. He was asked to do twenty titles in four months.
- Today the grid idea is still associated with penguin book covers
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