on hardcovers, why is the artwork on the dustcover rather than on the book?

Question

they should print the artwork on the book itself like normal people

Answer 1

This has been answered before, but here goes.

The dust cover or dust jacket used to be simply to protect the book until the consumer bought it. They used to be thrown away. Many people still remove them while reading the book. Books were and still are plain covers.

Now the dustjacket is regarded as a marketing tool and they spend big bucks on the cover art. People want to keep them.

New York has not tumbled to that. They still regard the DJ as simply a marketing tool. That's why they are printed on the books (it also adds expense) and they aren't sturdier. They consider them temporary. Consumers do not.

Answer 2

The cost prohibitive to put color artwork on the actual cover of the book would be outrageous. Printing it on the paper dustcover is relatively inexpensive.

Answer 3

Sometimes they do print it on the book, sometimes they don't. I think it's just the style of the book company's books or something. I haven't got a clue, but then I really don't care, either. I read without the jacket cover because I don't want to ruin it.

--Oh. loryntoo's answer makes sense.

Answer 4

Because the dust jacket is on the outside of the book. If you put it on the book itself, you wouldn't see it, would you? Because it would be hidden by the dust jacket.