Cover design

Discussion in 'Revision and Editing' started by OurJud, Jul 29, 2015.

  1. Aaron DC

    Aaron DC Contributor Contributor

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    I like it. Romance till the end of the world? Oh doomsday romance oops thank you google translate.

    Candles definitely lend it the romance angle.

    If you removed the candles altogether, I feel it would look better, can you show us what that would look like?
     
  2. Augusto

    Augusto Active Member

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    It is "Romance of the end of the world".

    The candles were actual candles and the metal stuff behind were real props I used (I took the picture myself and did all the editing). The whole thing is subject to free interpretation for people who read the novel.

    Unfortunately, I would have to edit the whole thing from zero if I wanted to remove the candles.
     
  3. Aaron DC

    Aaron DC Contributor Contributor

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    Paintshop pro or any app with layers is well worth investing in. :D
     
  4. Aaron DC

    Aaron DC Contributor Contributor

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    Ugh. post a bigger version next time :D I completely missed the skulls until it was on a dark background.

    The skulls provide the dystopian element and I reckon that's a good cover. :agreed:
     
  5. Jack Asher

    Jack Asher Banned Contributor

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    There are really two issues. The biggest is that the train of lights lead the eye out of the picture and don't give it a way to return. If the metal plate was larger, and the candles were brought up from the edge of the page it might help a little bit.

    But the ambiguity of that metal thing is a big problem as well. Because of the dark background it's a puzzle to try and figure out what it is. It could be a tunnel, or a well, or a portal, or anything. The point is that it definitely doesn't look like a piece of metal, and it turns the whole composition into a head scratcher. That's not a great way to sell books.

    Edited to add: The more I look at it the weirder it gets. It's way the shadows fall make it seen like a convex surface, but there's a fringe of light around the edges. Where is that coming from? Are there more candles behind it? Does it glow with inner light? It doesn't make sense.
     
  6. Aaron DC

    Aaron DC Contributor Contributor

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    What Jack is describing here is "leading lines".

    If you posted a bigger version (the white background does not help), he would see that the candles lead you up to the top RHS of the cover, where the skull grabs your eye. The red underline leads you back across the page to the left, and then the skulls down the LHS lead you back to the candles.

    Clearly, this path taken by the eye is subjective, and "The biggest is that the train of lights lead the eye out of the picture" is not worded correctly, it should say "my eye" -- as it's purely subjective.

    HTH!
     
    Last edited: Oct 1, 2015
  7. Augusto

    Augusto Active Member

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    [​IMG]

    Bigger version...

    Maybe it won't be used. It is what I managed to do by myself and I don't claim to be an expert or anything, but the cover wasn't meant to be understood as something "real". It is a metaphore for the reader to interpret.
     
  8. Aaron DC

    Aaron DC Contributor Contributor

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    I think it works. :D
     
  9. Augusto

    Augusto Active Member

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    Glad you like it...! :)
     
  10. Australis

    Australis Active Member

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    On cover designs, what do people think about:
    1: The blood content at the shoes? Matilda Meets The Death Queen 2a 420x.jpg
    2: The red reflection on the crown?
     
  11. Augusto

    Augusto Active Member

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    I don't like it.
     
  12. Aaron DC

    Aaron DC Contributor Contributor

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    Can you put a border around it so we can see it clearly?

    Suggestion: remove the shoes and the crown. Less is more.
     
  13. Wreybies

    Wreybies Thrice Retired Supporter Contributor

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    The way the soles of the pumps face away from us, the broken off spiked heels in the foreground aren't immediately clear as to what they are. And they are a little overdone. "Look! Broken heels! Visual metaphor!"
     
  14. Aaron DC

    Aaron DC Contributor Contributor

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    Yeah thanks I had no idea what they were.
     
  15. Jack Asher

    Jack Asher Banned Contributor

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    The blood is fine, get rid of the crown all together. Get rid of the heels as well. You're trying to put too many themes in.
    Your font choice is a problem, Impact like fonts are a pretty bad idea. You need something elegant to go with the sparkly shoes. Go here and look around some
    http://www.fontsquirrel.com/fonts/list/tag/Elegant
    Most of those are free use, you can use them any time you want.
    Shrink the book series title way down, and put it underneath the title, possibly underneath the shoes and above the author's name. Experiment with making the whole thing in italics.
    And it you change the title to a serif font, make everything a serif font. Don't mix serif and unserifed fonts unless you really know what you're doing.

    Edit: When I say the "whole thing in italics" I mean the whole series title. Don't put all of the text in italics!
     
    Last edited: Oct 1, 2015
  16. Jack Asher

    Jack Asher Banned Contributor

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    This is why I don't usually respond to these, without having the file it's very hard to tell you what's wrong.
    The title font is too small and the kerning is too wide and way to abnormal. Did you put a space between every letter? Fix the kerning and then bring the font up a couple dozen points. If it was me I'd get in there and stretch it out a bit in the vertical.

    The red line is out of place because there's no other red in the picture. You might try putting a very low opacity red field over the bottom of the candles. If you can I would re-shoot the candles as well. The line leading out of the page is a big problem. It'll look a lot better with the tallest candle in the middle. If you do do that, keep the smallest candle on the left side.

    You're not using the book cover proportions, so your author name is too close to the subject matter. The normal ratio is 6.625 x 10.25.

    If you're planing to print this get proofs before you send it out. The skulls in the background might show up on your computer, they might not, depending on your monitor settings. Your monitor settings are lying to you. When you print it out they may be much to light or much to dark. With that blue on black it's going to be very hard to tell.

    Obviously if you're going to print it, you'll need to have the complete cover as one image, so that'll include the back cover and the spine.
    On the whole this is a good start, despite that metal thing. I would say that if you want to call it "open for interpretation" you might want to give it more of an impressionistic feel. If you have photoshop I would screw around with some filters and see what you like with that. If you're using GIMP there's a plugin called G'MIC that has a ton of filters and is free (I think).
    http://www.webupd8.org/2010/09/gmic-more-than-190-image-filters-and.html
     
  17. Augusto

    Augusto Active Member

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    Jack, would you be willing to play around with that picture in order to illustrate what you mean? I would really appreciate it...!
     
  18. Jack Asher

    Jack Asher Banned Contributor

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    Sure, send the files you have in a PM, and I'll show you what I mean.
     
  19. Augusto

    Augusto Active Member

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    I don't have an editable version of the cover. What I have is what I posted.
     
  20. Nicoel

    Nicoel Senior Member

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    I agree with the suggestions to take away the crown and heels as it is.

    Is it possible to find (or photograph) a pretty shoe like that, upside down. Perhaps the heel could have a crack in it and the crown dangling from the heel.

    Untitled.png
    I assure you there is a reason why I'm not a graphic design artist, artist, or own any coloring books.

    Do you see what I mean though? It's just an idea!
    --click to enlarge
     
  21. Jack Asher

    Jack Asher Banned Contributor

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    Not even something with the text on another layer?
     
  22. Augusto

    Augusto Active Member

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    This is the only modifiable file I have: it's in png format:
     
  23. Jack Asher

    Jack Asher Banned Contributor

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    A PNG I might be able to work with, but when you sent it to imgur they converted it into a .jpg. You need to send it to me in an attachment in a private message.
     
  24. Nicoel

    Nicoel Senior Member

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    @Jack Asher Augusto is new to the forum. He may not know how to send you an attachement in a private message.

    @Augusto - If this is the case, click on Jack's name, click "Start a conversation" underneath "from Denver."

    Once there, you upload your file directly.

    Just trying to help!
     
  25. Augusto

    Augusto Active Member

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    Jack, could you please give me your e-mail address?
     

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