So I'm beginning to put together the cover for IRONIC SACRIFICE (Brides of Prophecy, Book 2) and I remembered something I'd wanted to speak out on during my work on the cover for WRENCHING FATE.
I want to give a huge shout-out to cover artists. I now have an inkling of all the insane and intensive work it takes to produce a quality book cover. Here's a few things that I've learned that they suffer through.
1.) Finding the right stock images.
Holy crap, one has to browse through literally THOUSANDS of pictures to find the right background and models to represent the characters. And if that wasn't tedious enough, one also has to make sure that the lighting in the picture of the couple is similar to that of the background. Also, as attractive as a picture might look, it might not work. I wanted to use this pic until is was pointed out that the cover would probably have to be cut in a way that one wouldn't be able to figure out that those were the model's legs.
Photoshop can only do so much... which brings me to my next point.
2.) Photoshop can only do so much.
And it is freakin' HARD. I was an artist before I was a writer, but I was only a pencils and paintbrushes kind. Digital art is a whole 'nother animal. Granted, I had a graphic artist and a designer to help me with the layout of my last book, but I got to work on it too. I spent at least 8 hours working on the guy's hair and God knows how many erasing stray pixels around everything.
3.) Fonts... good Lord, the FONTS!!
With my 2+ years in design and commercial art I figured those would be a breeze. But, no, getting the damn fonts to cooperate and center properly and be highlighted in the right places to not obscure the artwork and still be legible was a labor in itself. And the variety. I was stumped on picking the right one to fit the book. Again, my eternal thanks go out to Danae Ayusso for presenting the PERFECT fonts like nobody's business.
I could rant further but you get the point.
What I mean is this: COVER ARTISTS: I bow down to your expertise.
And that's why the pros will always be better than anything I can pull of as seen with the cover work on ONE BITE PER NIGHT.
I want to give a huge shout-out to cover artists. I now have an inkling of all the insane and intensive work it takes to produce a quality book cover. Here's a few things that I've learned that they suffer through.
1.) Finding the right stock images.
Holy crap, one has to browse through literally THOUSANDS of pictures to find the right background and models to represent the characters. And if that wasn't tedious enough, one also has to make sure that the lighting in the picture of the couple is similar to that of the background. Also, as attractive as a picture might look, it might not work. I wanted to use this pic until is was pointed out that the cover would probably have to be cut in a way that one wouldn't be able to figure out that those were the model's legs.
 |
| Also, I was told that the heroine looked too bitchy. |
Photoshop can only do so much... which brings me to my next point.
2.) Photoshop can only do so much.
And it is freakin' HARD. I was an artist before I was a writer, but I was only a pencils and paintbrushes kind. Digital art is a whole 'nother animal. Granted, I had a graphic artist and a designer to help me with the layout of my last book, but I got to work on it too. I spent at least 8 hours working on the guy's hair and God knows how many erasing stray pixels around everything.
 |
| The dude originally had short hair full of so much product it looked like a hedgehog died on his head. |
3.) Fonts... good Lord, the FONTS!!
With my 2+ years in design and commercial art I figured those would be a breeze. But, no, getting the damn fonts to cooperate and center properly and be highlighted in the right places to not obscure the artwork and still be legible was a labor in itself. And the variety. I was stumped on picking the right one to fit the book. Again, my eternal thanks go out to Danae Ayusso for presenting the PERFECT fonts like nobody's business.
I could rant further but you get the point.
What I mean is this: COVER ARTISTS: I bow down to your expertise.
And that's why the pros will always be better than anything I can pull of as seen with the cover work on ONE BITE PER NIGHT.
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