A Falmouth University student has won a prestigious award from Penguin Random House, for their design of a book cover in the category of Adult Fiction, with another Falmouth student coming second.

It was at a prizegiving in Penguin’s central office in London, where Bethany Rush was announced as the winner of the competition for her design of for the cover of Norwegian Wood by Haruki Murakami.

Richard Ogle, Art Director of Penguin’s Transworld said: “Bethany’s design stood out as a beautiful object straight away. The concept illustrated the narrative of the novel in a way that reveals itself on each view.”

Whilst judge Suzanne Deann, Art Director of Penguin’s Vintage range, praised the artist saying that the piece offers a “refreshingly different approach to the current very graphic Vintage designs". Adding that: "it has a Japanese feel, with great attention to detail and beautifully portrays the emotional relationship in the book through letter-writing.”

The prize for first place was a £1000 cash, as well as a work placement at the Penguin Random House design studio.

In second place Josey Stavely-Taylor, also from Falmouth University, was awarded £500, with judge Richard Ogle commenting: “This design is a complete package – brilliantly executed. Each element appears brilliantly thought out and placed pleasingly across front, spine and back.”

The winners for this category were selected from a shortlist of 10 designs, with the aim of finding the next generation of book cover designers.

The competition is now in its 13th year, giving more and more opportunities for students to experience real cover design briefs. The Art Director of Penguin Press, Jim Stoddart has congratulated this years winners on their "hard work and incredible vision”.