Re-designing book cover. Which option?

[Sam Landstrom]

My 18 year old niece, a gifted designer, has generously offered to re-design my book cover. Here are the mockups: http://musterbator.blogspot.com/2009/06/new-cover-art-for-my-kindle-book.html

Any feedback appreciated. I already know that the font needs to change. It's not legible enough, especially at small size.

Not asking for detailed analysis (unless you want to give it). Your gut feeling is great.

--------------------
Sam Landstrom
Author of "MetaGame" for 80 cents (you can search on the name in Google-- first hit!)

[drenee]

I like Option #4
deb

[Sugar]

I like Option # 2

[Forster]

I liked 4 as well, 2 is not bad either, just depends on whether you like blue or red better.

[drenee]

At first I thought I liked the blue better, but then I decided I liked the contrast of the eye on option #4.
deb

[Keith Blenman]

There's really something about the blue for me. I took a long moment to debate it over, and I'm thinking 3, then a tie between 4 and 1.

[reemixx]

I'm going to be critical, but only because I think that can be a very good thing.

Option 1 looks like I'd be buying a book about makeup commercials. I can't get past that model, sorry.

Option 2 is definitely the best of the bunch. Why? The focus point is on the eye which is sharper than the surroundings (a good thing), it has a trippy vibe due to the swirlies, probably quite appropriate to your book. Are you sure blue is the appropriate colour, though? I haven't read your book, so I can't form judgement, but that cover makes me feel very calm, and somehow I doubt that's the feeling you want to portray.

Option 3 doesn't speak to me at all. Looks like an opaque ghost-like version of the makeup commercial model again.

Option 4 is just not sharp enough. No focus point on the eye, too much blur, nothing of substance. It looks like a very low-res image has been ripped off the internet somewhere.

Also, I don't see anything inherently wrong with the font choice, but it could probably do with more kerning to increase readability.

[Carol Hanrahan]

I like #3

[marianneg]

Very nice!  I like the clarity of #1 - looks more video game-ish to me.  #2 would be my second choice.  I like the blue, too.  Could you maybe keep the face clear and just have the swirlies behind her?

[Carol Hanrahan]

I like #3 still.  It seems more concise.  But after looking at it longer, I don't like that itty bitty  piece of the right eye.  I think you should move the image over to get rid of any part of the other eye.
I bet you didn't want alllllllllllllll these opinions, huh?

[vwkitten]

I liked the original except for the font.  If you put the new font on the old cover, it looks great, but I do agree that the kerning could be increased a smidgen on the new font.

Are you doing the odd capitalization on purpose?  Your last name is LAndstrom... is that second capital letter supposed to be that way.

Second choice is that I like the last one but they are right about the contrast on the eye and it was a fantastic idea to move the whole face over so that we don't see the other eye at all.  On the eye... for the last one... the red bleeds too much into the eye... suggestion of no red in the whites of the eye and no red in the retina.

One last tip... I think that's an outer glow effect on the font that makes it fuzzy.  If you put a drop shadow or an outer bevel, it might stand out better.  You can fiddle around with making the outer glow a different color than the font too.... oh nm... tmi...

[jonfmerz]

Option #1 is the best in my opinion.  It's a striking visual and the blue really makes it pop.  It actually looks very high-tech, futuristic.  The title font is very cool, but needs a darker outline to make it pop a bit more.  I'd find another font and darken it for the "a novel" and your byline.

As for the other options, while the swirly lines look cool, they're also distracting and give it a more amateurish appearance.  I'd stick with a bold, clean, sharp visual any day of the week over crowding the image and making it busier than it needs to be.

My two cents.  best of luck with it!

[Sam Landstrom]

Thank you all for you generous feedback. I did not expect this many people to weigh in! Not exactly a consensus, but there is some good data here to mull over.

I'm going to point my niece to this thread and we'll huddle on it. And of course I'll be following up.

[Sam Landstrom]

Are you doing the odd capitalization on purpose?  Your last name is LAndstrom... is that second capital letter supposed to be that way.

That was my niece messing around I think. I dunno, it's kind of cool and not something I would have thought of on my own.

[vwkitten]

That was my niece messing around I think. I dunno, it's kind of cool and not something I would have thought of on my own.

That's why I ask instead of assuming it's a mistake.  Art is art. =)

[CS]

I like the original cover the best. Just add the new fonts to that and it'll be perfect IMO.

[Leslie]

That's why I ask instead of assuming it's a mistake.  Art is art. =)

I thought it was a mistake, too, and I didn't like it. I wouldn't go with that in the final.

I don't like the font. It looks like MetFgFme to me and the F reminds me of you-know-what word.

I like the color on number 4.

L

[cat616]

I like the original.

[Thumper]

Image wise, I prefer the original; to my eye, add the new font and it would be most awesome.

Otherwise...#2.

[Greg Banks]

That was my niece messing around I think. I dunno, it's kind of cool and not something I would have thought of on my own.

Not to be mean, but no, it's not cool, if for no other reason than the one you've already seen here in this thread. People would read it and think there was some significance to it. It'd turn what should be an easy name to read and remember into a point of confusion. You never want to distract your customers from the original message in a good design.

[Sam Landstrom]

I'm going to be critical, but only because I think that can be a very good thing.

Option 1 looks like I'd be buying a book about makeup commercials. I can't get past that model, sorry.

Option 2 is definitely the best of the bunch. Why? The focus point is on the eye which is sharper than the surroundings (a good thing), it has a trippy vibe due to the swirlies, probably quite appropriate to your book. Are you sure blue is the appropriate colour, though? I haven't read your book, so I can't form judgement, but that cover makes me feel very calm, and somehow I doubt that's the feeling you want to portray.

Option 3 doesn't speak to me at all. Looks like an opaque ghost-like version of the makeup commercial model again.

Option 4 is just not sharp enough. No focus point on the eye, too much blur, nothing of substance. It looks like a very low-res image has been ripped off the internet somewhere.

Also, I don't see anything inherently wrong with the font choice, but it could probably do with more kerning to increase readability.

Wow remix, your makup commercial impression is really going to make me pause before selecting #1 or #3. Ya, there's not a lot of cosmetics discussion in this book. (:

[Sam Landstrom]

Ok, I uploaded a new version of the art to my bookstore page: http://www.amazon.com/MetaGame-ebook/dp/B002AJ88LC

Fixed the font up, kept it red, fixed the capitalization, focused on the eye. Thanks again for all that feedback!

Not that we're done yet. My neice and I are thinking of swapping out the model. And why not keep evolving the art? It's fun.

[Edward C. Patterson]

I design all my own covers and do not start a final revision unless I have the cover in place. (I'm a certified Photoshop artist). However, I had a tiny problem in the this latest work in the final revision stage. I designed the cover, and ran it by my "cover beta-eyes"). They liked it. Then I made a change in the title. Now this has happened before and it's been a real, real hassle. But this time it was easy-peasy. I changed the title from Look Away, Silence to Look Away Silence, so the redesign consisted of removing a "comma." Fortunately I have learned to save the final artwork and the text in photoshop without flattening layers. So removing the comma was easy. However, when I changed An Outing in the Wilderness to Bobby's Trace, I didn't do that and had a scrape and apply job on my hands, so much so I opted for a stock cover, the only one of my 12 novels to adopt that solution. Working smarter now.

Edward C. Patterson

[Sam Landstrom]

I Uploaded a new cover! Check it out: http://www.amazon.com/MetaGame-ebook/dp/B002AJ88LC

I also included a complete list of the art on the blog post here: http://musterbator.blogspot.com/2009/06/new-cover-art-for-my-kindle-book.html

I think it has a soothing and classic sci-fi look. IMO, the model is prettier too and, as far as that goes, makes the image more arresting.

That said, I think the earlier one is actually better. The puzzle pieces are a good kind of creepy and more consistent with how the book plays out. So if the earlier art is better, why change it? Because it's so easy. Let's hear it for the internet, eh? I'll probably change the art back tomorrow or maybe use yet another piece of art. It only takes a minute.

In fact, now that I have literally 10 versions of the art, I could just cycle through them. Again, it only takes a minute to swap. Besides, there doesn't seem to be a strong consencus on THE one that's best, so just let them all have some live time... or most since some got no votes at all (I agree).

Maybe a constantly changing cover will spark interest in that crazy MetaGame book. Or maybe it will just be confusing and amature. (:

[Sam Landstrom]

To summarize, here's a list of all my cover art so far.

Original:


Makeup Commercial:


Makeup Commercial (soothing version)


The Eye:


The Eye (aggressive version):


Blue Beguiler:


Blue Beguiler with green streaks:


Cloak and Dagger:


Coak and Dagger AND you're gonna die:


Ghost in the Machine:


Vengeful Ghost in the Machine:


-----------------------------------------------
Sam Landstrom
Author of acclaimed "MetaGame", sci-fi novel for 80 cents
http://www.amazon.com/MetaGame-ebook/dp/B002AJ88LC

[Edward C. Patterson]

I like the original best.

Ed P

[Sam Landstrom]

Sweet. The original was the only one of the set I made myself, the rest were done by my niece. *pat on the back*

[Edward C. Patterson]

Funny, the little Owl icon was drawn from a real jade owl I bought in ina by my nephew, but he can't handle color - so I scanned it and did the colors myself. I believe that only the author can give birth to the cover. Too many authors depend on illustrators. There are definite design rules, but the artwork is as much a part of the imagination as the writing, the blossoming of the rose, if you will.

Edwad C. Patterson
an author and not an artist (unless [bullcrap] counts)

[jonfmerz]

I believe that only the author can give birth to the cover. Too many authors depend on illustrators.

Wow, really?  I happen to believe that a good artist can do more to help sell a book than many authors realize.  I agree that I might have an idea of what I'd like a cover to look like, but I usually let the artist read the book or give a detailed synopsis and then let them come up with an idea before I start imposing my will on it.  The two media are vastly different and a professional artist will be able to interpret the written to convey a visual attitude or feeling about the work that may well lead to better sales.  I'd elaborate even further by saying that too many authors think they design amazing covers, when the reality is, they look horrendously amateurish. 

Cover art is an integral part of any book's packaging and its quality or lack thereof is usually very obvious to consumers.  Cover art conveys the level of professionalism with which the author treats his product.  A well-designed cover doesn't have to cost a lot, but it does involve a great deal of thought and planning.  I'll use an example of someone from this very board: Dawson Vosburg's cover on his book is fantastic.  And yet, he said it cost him five bucks.  But he went and found a talented artist to create a compelling design that works.  I see a book like that and I think, "I need to get this because the author cares about how he presents his work."  In my mind that means the chances of the book being well-written increase dramatically.  It's not a guarantee, of course, but taking that much care with the packaging hopefully means the author took as much care with the writing.  The opposite may also be true!

Independent authors especially should be wary of imposing their will on covers.  In my opinion (and I'm sure you guys will correct me if I'm wrong) one of the goals of indie publishing is to aspire to attain the appearance of being professionally published.  Image counts a tremendous amount.  And yes, I've heard all the arguments about letting the work speak for itself, etc. etc. but the fact is that most consumers judge a book by its cover.  Indie or self publishing suffers from a tremendous stigma and bad covers only reinforce it.

Traditional publishing isn't immune from bad cover design (I should know considering the nightmarish monstrosity my first novel got treated to, lol) but the majority are well-designed by professionals.  If publishers thought authors were the best judge of how a book should look, they wouldn't have art departments.  Ask someone in book sales how critical covers are when they visit their bookstore customers with the latest flyer.  Buyers flip through it and make purchasing decisions instantly based on the quality of covers (for some books - obviously established bestsellers are in a different league).  A bad cover can sink a career.

My two cents - your mileage may vary...

[Brenda M.]

I like the original one the best too! I do also like the current one you have up on Amazon as my #2. But, like the original the best.

[Edward C. Patterson]

In fact, I will not start the last revision (the one running up to publication, usually revision 4 to until I've designed my cover. Now my covers are not the best covers in the world - but they are the perfect covers for my books, because they exude me. And I agree, they help sell the book. But I don't sell titles. I am the package, and my covers like my books reflect me. I don't resist professional artistic suggestion and run my covers by a few professionals and make changes, but I effect those changes. To be an Indie author is to do it all and do it all to the best of your ability. When I stood in front of an audience during my last reading event, I was quite proud that on the easel behind me stood the cover of the book - my design and as much a product of my imagination as the characters. But that's the beauty of this media - we can hold to our opinions and quirks and still call it "branding."

Edward C. Patterson

[Sam Landstrom]

As far as the question doing your own book cover or not, I guess it just depends on your ability and your ultimate goal. A few questions to consider.
- Are you a visual artist or have the patience to pull something off with a great deal of effort?
- Do you take pride in owning the entire process, including the art, or do you just want to sell as many copies as possible?

Personally, I'm not an artist and, although I did create the original art myself, I did so only with hours of work and the use of stock photos which also took me hours to find.

But it was worth it. I agree with Jon that people do judge a book by its cover and the hours I spent on the cover were *at least* as valuable to the success of my book as the same number of hours spent writing.

I poured two years of my free time into writing that novel so it would have been nonsense to not also spend some time on its presentation.

As far as who does the art, I fall into the pragmatic camp. My goal is to sell books and so I don't care who designs it as long as it's appealing. I'd prefer the art had some association with the content of my book, but in reality, I'd upload a picture of a bare-assed ape brushing his teeth with a sock if I thought it would sell more copies. (:

I think you can have the best of both worlds by taking the time to effectively communicate to your artist what you're trying to convey. You may have to iterate a few times.

As for Dawson and his $5 art, I'll have to ask him who is artist is.

-----------------------------------------------
Sam Landstrom
Author of acclaimed "MetaGame", sci-fi novel for 80 cents
http://www.amazon.com/MetaGame-ebook/dp/B002AJ88LC

[sigrosenblum]

The original is best, by far.

[liannallama]

Oh, I really like the last two and especially the red one best!  They show some tension and seem more "sci-fi" than the others.  The others look awesome as art, but they would be more appropriate for a self-help book or something like that than a sci-fi.  The last red one really helps set the mood of the book!