Hi everyone, I would like to have your opinion on which cover should I pick for my book. I am writing a book about sexology, human sexual behaviors, sexual disorders and sexual relations in modern world. I also draw and I have two possible covers for my book. Both of them are not finished, there is no title and the one on the right needs to be heavily edited in photoshop (more contrast and clearing the picture). I think the one on the right also have a bigger potential and is more interesting. The one on the left though is very sexual and I don't know if this shouldn't be the way to go. What do you think?
I'm not sure they're conveying the right thing. The one with the woman's head and gears makes me think of a. robots or b. mental issues. The other one is very artsy but I'm not sure it's conveying a discussion on sex. Both good drawings though. Maybe go with something bold like a photograph of a superbig dewey stamen something symbolic - it's cheesy but it can work. If you're going for self published - I'd go with something bold and eye catching. Black and white drawings aren't very eye catching.
I agree, none of these are good! I had to hear that from one person. It has to be in color, It has to be clearly related to sexual behavior. Thanks, I don't think I need more comments.
Oh, but you shall have them. I like the clean, graphic simplicity of the first one, the female face and her symbolic clockwork, but it doesn't really say sex. The second one immediately says male gaze to me with the woman's body coming from the male face, her head stylized to a geometric shape.
The issue with the right one is compositional. You have a whole bunch of lines pulling the eye into the upper left corner and nothing with which to lead it out. This comes out in the shadows as well, the eye naturally moves from dark to light and all your shadows are on the right side. This pulls everything into the point of the woman's cone head, or if you can get out, onto her chin. And then nothing, you just sort of sit there. (also the forearm on the woman is a little short. Like she's a regular person with a dwarf forearm or something.)
The left one has a bunch of tiny anatomical errors. The shadow of the pax tempura is over her eyebrow. The defining shape is right, it just doesn't come in over the eye socket. It looks like it's in the right place because her left eye is so interested in what she's seeing it's migrating over to look. Similarly the woman lacks a risorius or masseter, so her mouth is kind of floating in the middle of her face.
It's not that they are bad illustrations, like others, I don't see the relationship between the image and the topic.
I don't think that "Phallic Symbol/Brain" will be spending long enough on the site to benefit from any further wisdom!
@up I dont think that you should underestimate me. I just got a professional editor interested with my writing. I like the rules on this forum too. @Jack Asher - fantastique critique. No, I mean It. You pointed out things some people never noticed. Are you an artist? I want you to assess my new cover when I finish It.
@Jack Asher - fantastique critique. No, I mean It. You pointed out things some people never noticed. Are you an artist? I want you to assess my new cover when I finish It.[/QUOTE] Well I went to art college, I paint a lot, and I've even made some money off of it. I guess that makes me an artist then. I'd be happy to help you in any way I can. Your work is actually very good, that's why people have never noticed the problems.
Well I went to art college, I paint a lot, and I've even made some money off of it. I guess that makes me an artist then. I'd be happy to help you in any way I can. Your work is actually very good, that's why people have never noticed the problems.
Both graphics are good. The one on the left has a sci-fi feel, the one on the right has more of a fantasy feel to it. Neither bring to mind human sexuality, IMO. If it is a Kindle cover, the details on the right graphic will for the most part be lost. Both graphics, if you're going to use them, might be better suited for paperback covers. I agree also with another poster, using black and white is tricky. Your choice of font and position of the font will also play a huge role in setting off your graphic. With graphics alone you're only seeing "half the story" in terms of a book cover. Left cover: Title should be focused where the woman is looking (Right, middle/lower side) Right cover: graphic is leading the eye to upper left which suggest also placement of title. FWIW
