The easiest way to create something artful is to lift and shift a pre-existing design from elsewhere, providing it’s an image that isn’t under copyright. Whether it’s a scenic image, one of a sports event, food or drink, or something else entirely, you can bet there is photography or artwork somewhere online. Whether your goal is to be successful at work or as a hobby, try an app like Shutterstock, which has thousands of images freely available for you to start your book cover design. Whether you copy and paste or intend to edit the image somehow, it’s a good starting point.  

If you want to go a little further than a simple lift and shift but don’t quite have the confidence to start from scratch, an excellent app to bridge the gap is Canva. It’s a platform that combines image-finding functionality with straightforward editing software. Often, when you find a good image, one or two aspects don’t quite work – either you need to crop or apply a filter. Having the skills to edit stock photos is essential for this reason and will help you add an element of personalization to your book cover. Another plus of the app is the ability to share with others. Either for feedback or to submit to a publisher, you’ll eventually need to share your design. 

The final option you have, and if you are feeling at your creative best, is to design your book cover from scratch. Not only will it be unique to you, but it’ll also make the entire thing feel more personal. You may have the inspiration to create your design, but where to start? Adobe’s Creative Cloud Express is a platform that will allow you to easily create visually stunning pieces of artwork with more flexibility than simply choosing an existing image with little personalization. Whether designing is your job, or it’s something that you’re dipping into through a hobby, consistent practice will improve your creative work. You may not create the perfect book cover on the first attempt, but eventually, you’ll hit on something you’re proud of.