News / 14 Apr 2026
Visual Communication student wins Penguin Book Cover Design Award
BA (Hons) Visual Communication
BA (Hons) Illustration
Final year BA (Hons) Visual Communication student Joe Bundock has been announced as the winner of the 2026 Penguin Cover Design Award.
The Penguin Cover Design Award is open to any aspiring designers and illustrators in the UK and Ireland who havenât yet had significant experience in a paid creative role, including anyone aged 18 or over who is yet to break into the creative industry, students from all subjects, and recent graduates.
Entrants are asked to respond to a real book cover design brief by reimagining the cover of a bestselling book. This yearâs adult fiction brief was for Terry Pratchettâs âNight Watchâ, a best-selling Discworld novel that became a Penguin Classic in 2025.
Joe will now receive a six-month mentorship programme with a member of the Penguin Art Department (dates to be confirmed). They will also receive a Wacom Intuos Pro Medium tablet and Penguin design books to the value of ÂŁ100.
"'Winning the Penguin Design Award means so much to me as an emerging illustrator. Itâs given me such a confidence boost in my work and is incredibly encouraging to continue to pursue book illustration. Itâs also lovely to see the judges feedback on the design and to know that handcrafted, traditional printmaking methods are still valued in the design industry. The penguin logo has always sat on my shelf as an indicator of quality and itâs brilliant to have my name attached to it, Iâm really grateful to have had the opportunity to participate in a brief set by a company I enjoy the work of so much!"
Joe Bundock, BA (Hons) Visual Communication
Joeâs concept came from the traditional printmaking artwork of medieval illuminated manuscripts. The style was heavily influenced by the aesthetics of Medieval woodcuts, using linocut printmaking to achieve a similar look. The use of historical styles and methods was employed to visually anchor the book in the fantasy tradition by highlighting a chain of influence and importance, from arguably the genre's starting point, to landmark modern entries such as Terry Pratchett's work.
His work was chosen as the winner of the brief by a judging panel of Beci Kelly, Art Director at Transworld, Lee Motley, Art Director at Penguin Michael Joseph, Rob Wilkins, author and head of the Pratchett literary estate and Kishan Rajani, award-winning freelance cover designer
âWhat struck me most was the very obviously hand-crafted work thatâs gone into the making of this cover, which is so impressive and great to see in this age of digital. It has a look that feels classic and could be adapted across a whole series.â
Beci Kelly, Art Director at Transworld
BA (Hons) Illustration graduate Eleanor Deutz was also shortlisted in the Childrenâs Fiction category. This brief asked for a fresh and exciting book cover for âA Wrinkle in Timeâ by Madeleine LâEngle, a fantasy novel aimed at 9 â 11 year olds.
Eleanorâs design focuses on the evil forces in the book and depicts the control and conformity they are spreading. She was drawn to Madeleine LâEngleâs descriptions of Camazotz, a planet controlled by a dark force named IT, which she has used on the cover.