1. S Raven

    S Raven Member

    Joined:
    Mar 13, 2014
    Messages:
    96
    Likes Received:
    19
    Location:
    West Sussex. UK.

    Cover Feedback

    Discussion in 'Cover Design' started by S Raven, Apr 3, 2015.

    Here is the cover for a novel I'm working on. I'd love some feedback.

    [​IMG]

    Thanks
     
  2. TWErvin2

    TWErvin2 Contributor Contributor

    Joined:
    Nov 30, 2006
    Messages:
    3,374
    Likes Received:
    1,629
    Location:
    Ohio, USA
    The pics are clear and the font large enough.

    I would recommend more bleed area, especially if you intend to have it available as a print version. Maybe reduce the size of the symbol so that the zombie can be dropped down some at least.
     
  3. GingerCoffee

    GingerCoffee Web Surfer Girl Contributor

    Joined:
    Mar 3, 2013
    Messages:
    18,385
    Likes Received:
    7,080
    Location:
    Ralph's side of the island.
    Is this a new version of something we saw once before?
     
  4. Chinspinner

    Chinspinner Contributor Contributor

    Joined:
    Oct 15, 2011
    Messages:
    1,901
    Likes Received:
    1,023
    Location:
    London, now Auckland
    That symbol, is it an official biohazard symbol? It's just that I remember it being used for a lot of the 28 Days Later marketing.
     
  5. Jack Asher

    Jack Asher Banned Contributor

    Joined:
    Sep 4, 2013
    Messages:
    3,545
    Likes Received:
    2,083
    Location:
    Denver
    It is the international symbol for biohazardous material, just like the one I keep on my fridge.
    [​IMG]

    @S Raven, if you're title isn't going to be in a serifed font, your name should also be san-serif. Don't mix serifed and sans-serifed fonts unless you really know what you're doing.
     
    Chinspinner likes this.
  6. Jack Asher

    Jack Asher Banned Contributor

    Joined:
    Sep 4, 2013
    Messages:
    3,545
    Likes Received:
    2,083
    Location:
    Denver
    Fun trick: when you go to the doctors, ask for some bio hazard sample bags. Most nurses will just give them to you, and when your sandwich is in a bio hazard bag no one at the office will eat it.
     
    cutecat22 and GingerCoffee like this.
  7. S Raven

    S Raven Member

    Joined:
    Mar 13, 2014
    Messages:
    96
    Likes Received:
    19
    Location:
    West Sussex. UK.
    Fun trick: when you go to the doctors, ask for some bio hazard sample bags. Most nurses will just give them to you, and when your sandwich is in a bio hazard bag no one at the office will eat it.

    I actually got some of these bags, and bio tape to post out review copies.

    Is this a new version of something we saw once before?

    Possibly, I started this a year or so ago, but looked in my previous posts and couldn't find it. Sorry if I made a duplicate post.

    I would recommend more bleed area, especially if you intend to have it available as a print version. Maybe reduce the size of the symbol so that the zombie can be dropped down some at least.

    Thanks.
    Edit: Have checked this against a cover template, all text and image is now away from bleed area:
    [​IMG]

    @@S Raven, if you're title isn't going to be in a serifed font, your name should also be san-serif. Don't mix serifed and sans-serifed fonts unless you really know what you're doing.

    I don't understand what you mean.
    Edit:
    Do you mean it should be like this?
    [​IMG]

    Ben
     
    Last edited: Apr 4, 2015
  8. Jack Asher

    Jack Asher Banned Contributor

    Joined:
    Sep 4, 2013
    Messages:
    3,545
    Likes Received:
    2,083
    Location:
    Denver
    [​IMG]
    But there's a couple of other changes I'd make to the name. For a start that font is awful. Here's a very confusing font picking spreadsheet that I won't pop in here for reasons that will become obvious when you see it. It recommends Optima, and I agree with it.

    I also suggest using either small caps or all caps, small caps being the better option. The book title is all caps so the lower case on your name look a little weird. After that I would experiment with some of the feather effect you used on the title. Just a very little bit, to see how it looks.

    I would probably shrink the bio hazard symbol. It does a good job of breaking up the title and author, but it's too close to the text of both.
     
  9. S Raven

    S Raven Member

    Joined:
    Mar 13, 2014
    Messages:
    96
    Likes Received:
    19
    Location:
    West Sussex. UK.
    Thanks for taking time to explain the font types, and for your ideas and feedback.
    This is what I have come up with:
    Variation 1:
    [​IMG]
    Variation 2:
    [​IMG]
    Variation 3:
    [​IMG]

    Variation 4:
    [​IMG]

    Many thanks.
     
    Last edited: Apr 4, 2015
  10. Jack Asher

    Jack Asher Banned Contributor

    Joined:
    Sep 4, 2013
    Messages:
    3,545
    Likes Received:
    2,083
    Location:
    Denver
    Absolutely, 100%, Variant 1. The text looks fantastic now.

    Good work!
     
  11. S Raven

    S Raven Member

    Joined:
    Mar 13, 2014
    Messages:
    96
    Likes Received:
    19
    Location:
    West Sussex. UK.
    Thanks, I also preferred that one.
    Thanks again for your time, much appreciated.

    Any chance you can give some ideas for the rear cover?
    It's very boring atm and needs a lot of work.
    Here are some initial mockups.
    1:

    [​IMG]
    2:
    [​IMG]
    3:
    [​IMG]
    4:
    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: Apr 4, 2015
  12. Jack Asher

    Jack Asher Banned Contributor

    Joined:
    Sep 4, 2013
    Messages:
    3,545
    Likes Received:
    2,083
    Location:
    Denver
    Well the first thing I would say is that the bio hazard symbol should not be behind the text. Beyond that we have a question of what tone you want to send with the text on the back, because all of your different mock ups set a different tone.

    The tone for 1 is very clinical, very detatched. It says, "This is a clinical problem. Medicine will save us."

    2 is more ominous. We get the feeling that the words are comming through smoke, so a more ephemeral feeling is being conveyed there. The tone is less hopefull. It says, "you may live, you may die. The text does not care."

    3 brings a more godly look to it. The white on white looks like there's some hope to be had

    And 4 just looks outright sinister.

    Of those I would probably go with 4 but it's your call.
     
  13. S Raven

    S Raven Member

    Joined:
    Mar 13, 2014
    Messages:
    96
    Likes Received:
    19
    Location:
    West Sussex. UK.
    Thanks again. Removed bio sign and it's looking good.
    Also redid the spine in black with white text with a red glow.
     
  14. Lilith_Duat

    Lilith_Duat Member

    Joined:
    Nov 23, 2014
    Messages:
    64
    Likes Received:
    16
    I think I'd move the handprint down. The text cuts off the thumb, and there's a bunch of blank space at the bottom.
     
  15. S Raven

    S Raven Member

    Joined:
    Mar 13, 2014
    Messages:
    96
    Likes Received:
    19
    Location:
    West Sussex. UK.
    This is what I have so far:

    [​IMG]

    I need some space at bottom for barcode.
     
  16. S Raven

    S Raven Member

    Joined:
    Mar 13, 2014
    Messages:
    96
    Likes Received:
    19
    Location:
    West Sussex. UK.
    This shows the cover, front, back and spine:

    [​IMG]
     

Share This Page

  1. This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register.
    By continuing to use this site, you are consenting to our use of cookies.
    Dismiss Notice