Below is a cover that takes on-board all of your constructive comments and feedback. Many thanks. It's also a cover that I'm happy with, and would probably buy based on the cover alone.
Where did you get the images and do you have permission to use them? Are you intending to self-publish? The back cover should not use the same image elements as the front cover.
Your images aren't showing anymore - I just get a 404 error. Anyway based on the original post - I'd go for the first one. It's spot on for the genre. From the only 3 covers I managed to view, they all look pretty darn good I must say. You have talent!
Sorry about the 404, deleted wrong folder. I checked, I don't have rights to use the images... Back to the drawing board as they say... I'll edit this post in a few hours once I've sourced some images I can use. A disappointed Sam.
Lol. That's a pity. You could always request permission to use the images you know. Alternatively on Deviant Art there're often many stock model photos that you can modify yourself. Or else you can a few friends together and some fake blood and shoot your own photos It'll be kinda fun like a Halloween costume party! And doubles up as a great book promo lol.
Here are some basic starts of a new front cover, with a purchased image: Version 1: Version 2: Here is the back:
Here are my thoughts on the new cover. 1.) Do you really need the bio sign at the front? If it's not necessary, then I suggest you delete it and put "Zombie Virus" underneath the actual zombie photo. It'll be nicer to read if someone picks it up. 2.) I don't think the fingerprint on the back is needed. Keep the handprint and the bio-warning, and that'll be enough. Simple yet enough. @Mckk is right, by the way - if you're set on having the original cover, then just ask for permission. I'm sure they'll let you use it.
A word of advice, don't assume anyone will 'just let you use' their image. They might, although that's increasingly rare. But if you approach expecting favours, you're less likely to get what you want. Artists spend hours, days and sometimes weeks and months to create an image. It isn't a 'stock' or available for you to use, unless it explicitly says so. That means that a lot of artists don't allow their non-stock work to be used in photomanipulations at all. I don't do art that suits you, but I've had plenty of business selling licences on the use of my pictures, as well as allowed some to be used for free, and to be honest, most artists will want some compensation if their work is to be used for commercial purposes. The same goes for online stock sites, if you'll be selling someone's art as a book cover, the price goes up. These days it's very unwise to just 'chance it' with copyrighted images because the courts have a lot of experience and they always award the original artist, and even if the fine isn't huge, the court costs will be. As far as the new cover goes, I don't like the font on the back, it's too big and clumsy looking. Can you change it, or at least the size and make the shpeal more 'tight'? The rest is good, as long as you have permission to use it
I've worked with artists before, and always respect copyright. I've written a educational books with custom artwork created specifically for the books. I will double check with the artist that I can use his work on the cover. Sam
I don't like the new cover - looks a bit cheap and not much like a professional cover. It looks very self-pub to me. Perhaps because it doesn't look like one unique image - it looks like 2 separate pictures lumped together with a block of text. The back's cool. Btw, you need a comma after "The virus adapts" I think? (someone else can verify this lol)
What about something like this? I feel you really need a single piece of art for the cover - not chopped up unique pieces of art all grouped together. I don't even have photoshop so I just copied the image above and added text to it in MS Paint. But you get the idea.
Purely thinking from a point of view as a book I'd like to read, I like your design Mckk, I think it's simple but intriguing. I prefer it to the other designs.
I know the old adage has it that you should never judge a book by its cover, but I think we can make an exception in this case. The potential buyer will be under no illusions as to the content held therein.
